Sightseeing
History BuffGalena Historic District
No admission feeWalk a river town of brick storefronts, hillside streets and 1800s homes that once outgrew Chicago in the lead-mining boom.
Photo: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Sports & OutdoorsOutdoor AdventureLocal Gem
Apple River Canyon State Park
Hike wooded trails above a limestone canyon cut by the Apple River in the unglaciated hills of Illinois' northwest corner.
8763 E. Canyon Road, Apple River, IL 61001 · Apple River, IL
About Apple River Canyon State Park
Apple River Canyon State Park lies in the hilly corner of Jo Daviess County near the Wisconsin line, in the Driftless Area that the last glaciers skipped. The state began the park in 1932 after a long campaign by botanist Herman Silas Pepoon, and it now protects 1,907 acres of limestone bluffs, deep ravines, springs and an 8.5-mile stretch of canyon. Trails wind through the woods with views of the river and bluffs, and there is a tent campground and fishing for smallmouth bass. Storms can close roads here, so the park asks visitors to call ahead.
- #state park
- #canyon
- #hiking
- #camping
- #driftless area
What's around here?
The closest stops to Apple River Canyon State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
19 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
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Mississippi Palisades State Park
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White Pines Forest State Park
Check pricesDrive through Pine Creek on the park's low-water fords and hike under the southernmost stand of native white pines in Illinois.
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Lowden State Park
Check pricesSee Lorado Taft's 50-foot concrete Black Hawk statue gazing over the Rock River from its bluff, then hike, camp and picnic on the old art colony grounds.
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- Museums
Rockford Art Museum
No admission feeVisual arts museum in Rockford, Illinois, offering free gallery admission on Thursday through Sunday.
51 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
