Sightseeing
Outdoor AdventureBlackhawk Waterways
FreeThe official Illinois convention and visitors bureau promoting Carroll, Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties in northwest Illinois.
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily FavoriteFree
Starved Rock State Park
2678 East 873 Road · Oglesby, IL
Why you should go…
Starved Rock State Park covers 2,630 acres along the south bank of the Illinois River, cut by 18 deep canyons. More than 13 miles of hiking trails lead to them, and French, LaSalle, Ottawa and St. Louis canyons have the most notable waterfalls. In winter, many of the falls freeze into ice falls. You can also camp, picnic, join interpretive programs at the visitor center, or stay at Starved Rock Lodge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
- #state park
- #hiking trails
- #waterfalls
- #canyons
- #camping
Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.
What's around here?
The closest stops to Starved Rock State Park, ordered by straight-line distance.
55 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing