Starved Rock State Park is a world apart from anything else in Illinois! You will know it the minute you enter the park, as you wind your car through the towering trees.
Amazing waterfalls are active in the spring and after heavy rains. We have 13 miles of trails to explore, plus, the Illinois River offers fishing (ice fishing, too), boating, extraordinary views and great places to relax.
Don't worry if you can't fit it all in, historic Starved Rock Lodge is just up the hill and is the only lodging located in the State Park. The Lodge is located on a bluff overlooking the Visitor Center and the Illinois River. Comfortable lodge rooms and cabins in the woods make for a great night's stay when you visit the park.
Come and see the largest two-sided stone fireplace in Illinois! The Dining Room, Cafe and Back Door Lounge are open to the public year 'round.
The Park and all the parking lots are free to the public.
The Trails are open all year, but hikers are urged to exercise extreme caution and to stay on official trails. The park is open from 7am until 9pm. The Trails are open from dawn until dusk.
To protect the visitor and the park DO NOT:
Hike After Dark
Rappell or Scramble on the Rock
Hike OFF Marked Trails
Swim or Wade
Bicycle on Hiking trails
Pick or Remove Anything including Wildflowers
Allow Pets off Leash
Camp except at the Campground
Possess Alcohol
Starved Rock tops '04 attendance record Starved Rock State Park set an attendance record in 2011, attracting nearly 2.2 million visitors and beating its seven-year-old record by nearly 3 percent.
Park officials released a final total of 2,181,083 visitors through Dec. 31, enough to top the previous record 2,122,422 set in 2004.
Tom Levy, site superintendent at Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, cited three factors in breaking the record: Proximity to Chicago, a down economy in which travelers are staying closer to home, and increased marketing efforts. Read More »
Hibernation is not an option (Winter can be downright pleasant if you get out there) Is that a Snuggie? People, what are you thinking? You're not planning to spend winter burrowed into your sofa, are you? Of course you're not. You're going to continue enjoying the outdoors, all winter long. Try Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, 2568 E. 950th Road, Oglesby; 815-667-4726, dnr.state.il.us
The two neighboring parks are my top picks for jaw-dropping winter hikes. Frozen waterfalls, sandstone canyons surrounded by 90-foot-high walls, bridges over icy streams — after a while you won't even remember what a Snuggie is. Read More »
Bald Eagles at Starved Rock Have you ever been on a fishing trip in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan or Canada and got a glimpse of an American Bald Eagle flying overhead? There’s no doubt that they are spectacular birds to see as they soar over the water. While watching these huge birds you can’t help but think that you’re in the Northwoods. But now is the time when you don’t have to travel north to see these majestic birds of prey. Right here, right now, they are wintering in northern Illinois about an hour west of suburban Chicagoland.
Thousands of eagles migrate south from Canada during the winter and Illinois is one of the homes of the greatest population of wintering bald eagles. Read More »
