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Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, IL

Photo: Quentin Melson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sports & OutdoorsOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

Pere Marquette State Park

Hike bluff-top trails above the meeting of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and watch hundreds of bald eagles in January and February.

13112 Visitor Center Lane, Grafton, IL 62037 · Grafton, IL

About Pere Marquette State Park

Pere Marquette State Park covers 8,050 acres set on the bluffs near Grafton where the Illinois River meets the Mississippi. About 12 miles of marked trails lead through forest to river overlooks, and the visitor center has a 3-D map of the park and exhibits on the river and local geology. In January and February hundreds of wintering bald eagles gather nearby. The 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps lodge has a stone fireplace rising 50 feet and 50 guest rooms plus stone cabins. The park sits on the Great River Road at the end of the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail.

  • #state park
  • #bald eagles
  • #hiking
  • #river views
  • #lodge

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