Take US Route 20 heading West to Elizabeth, IL. As you come into town, the Apple River Fort State Historic Site will be on your right. Turn right onto E. Myrtle Street. Take the next right turn into the parking lot for the Fort's Interpretive Center. We recommend that you start your visit at the Interpretive Center.
From the West (Galena / Dubuque):
Take US Route 20 heading East towards Elizabeth, IL. As you proceed through Elizabeth, the road will make a severe curve to the right before straightening out. Just after it straightens out, the Apple River Fort State Historic Site will be on your left. Turn left onto E. Myrtle Street. Take the next right turn into the parking lot for the Fort's Interpretive Center. We recommend that you start your visit at the Interpretive Center.
To get to the reconstructed Fort from our Interpretive Center:
If you are driving to the Fort, exit the parking lot by turning right onto E. Myrtle Street. Take the next right onto Old Fort Road, right behind the Interpretive Center. Follow the road around the curve to the left and then straight back through the tree-lined road. This road leads straight up to the Fort and ends in a turnabout. There is no parking lot at the Fort, but visitors are allowed to carefully park their vehicle along the edge of the paved road/grass.
If you are walking to the Fort, exit the Interpretive Center and get onto the sidewalk behind the building. Follow the sidewalk along the split-rail fence. Eventually, the sidewalk will end, so continue along the tree-lined road.
Coordinates to the Apple River Fort Interpretive Center:
42.318606717729466, -90.22020512329624
Coordinates to the reconstructed Fort:
42.31851055362119, -90.2127470096661
from Galena, IL? 15 miles (20 minutes)
from Dubuque, IA? 30 miles (45 minutes)
from Chicago, IL? 154 miles (2 hours & 45 minutes)
from Peoria, IL? 137 miles (2 hours & 35 minutes)
from Springfield, IL? 211 miles (3 Hours & 40 minutes)
from St. Louis, MO? 305 miles (5 hours)
from the Quad cities? 82 miles (1 hour & 30 minutes)
from Madison, WI? 89 miles (1 hour & 45 minutes)
from Milwaukee, WI? 148 miles (2 hours & 30 minutes)
The map below shows the locations of both the Interpretive Center and the reconstructed Fort. The building icon shows the location of the Interpretive Center. The flag icon shows the location of the reconstructed Fort.
The map is interactive. You may zoom in and out, move around, and click on the icons for more information.
