The Beautiful Canyons of Illinois’ Starved Rock State Park
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Starved Rock State Park is frequently rated the top natural attraction in Illinois. Being a Chicago native, I had always heard good things about this place but never had the opportunity to check it out. The park is very popular with over 2 million visits a year with most tourists visiting over the summer months. It’s one of the more popular escapes from the hustle and bustle of Chicago.
For years, family members recommended this park to me, but I am usually busy planning attractions in the city whenever I travel back home. I finally had the opportunity to explore its’ beauty on a recent visit. As a regular hiker, I loved exploring here. I recommend a daytrip here for anyone who wants to escape the big city commotion for a few hours. Besides being a great Chicago escape, this park is also a nice quick daytrip from a lot of small towns like Morris, Mendota, Marseilles, and Ottawa. If you like hiking and nature, you can’t really go wrong.
The park gets its’ name from an old legend involving 2 fighting Native American tribes. The Illinois tribe (who were losing) took refuge at the top of a butte, where they eventually starved, hence, the origin of the name Starved Rock. I recommend starting your visit at the visitor’s center to learn more or checking out the park’s website for more info.
Our most recent hiking adventure
Update: Mike and I recently revisited this park in April of 2026. Since the area has been seeing a lot of rain, we were finally able to see a waterfall. This was our first time back at this park in over 10 years and it was a great experience.
We hiked the 0.6 mile Starved Rock trail as well as the 1 mile Wildcat Canyon trail (note that portions of this trail are closed from March-June 2026), however, it is well marked. We visited on a weekday evening and the traffic was enjoyably light in comparison to our last visit.
The Starved Rock Trail: the easiest trek in the park
This is the easiest trail in the park. It’s just 0.6 miles round-trip although there is a steep hill to begin the trail. You will need to climb 2 steep staircases and then there is a short flat trail at the top where you can enjoy some nice views of the Illinois River.
Wildcat Canyon hike: A beautiful spring hike to the park’s tallest waterfall
Wildcat is the deepest canyon in the park at 90 feet and features the tallest waterfall at 70 feet, so I would say this is the perfect hike if you are limited on time and want to see the best. I feel this hike is moderate and suited for regular gym goers who don’t mind a bit of a challenge. This hike is short but there are a lot of really steep staircase (9 in total) so your heart will get pumping. I don’t’ recommend this trail if you have bad knees. It’s a workout for sure but the views are really beautiful especially if you time your hike after a heavy rainfall.
According to the park website, a quarter of the trail is paved and 3/4 is sandstone/dirt mixture. As I mentioned, the French Canyon portion of this trail will be closed from March-June 2026. Here are some pictures from our recent adventure.
If you follow the River trail (there are many signs at the park) and go down even more stairs, you will arrive at a much more beautiful upclose viewpoint of the falls. The distance isn’t that much further if you can handle more climbing. You can take some pretty pictures here. What I liked most was the drastic change in temperature! As soon as we entered the canyon, we really felt the cool air! It was hard to climb back up!
The park is home to 18 canyons
Spread out throughout 2000+ acres of beautiful forest, you will find 18 canyons. This is really what draws so many tourists here. We were excited to explore & photograph the amazing waterfalls. However, because of the lack of recent rainfall, we missed out on our chance.
Spring is the best time (especially April) as the combination of heavy rainfall and melting snow leads to a more powerful water flow. If you are planning a spring trip, make sure to put the following canyons on your list: French, St. Louis, Tonty, Wildcat, and Ottawa. When we stopped in the visitor center, they told us these were the best waterfalls. We can’t wait to plan a return spring hike in the future.
The park was much more crowded than we expected. It was difficult to hike with the enormous crowds. I recommend visiting on a weekday morning, especially if you are hoping for good photo opps and/or peace and quiet!
Be prepared for tons of staircases! Some are pretty steep, however, the great views justify the climb in my opinion. It’s so pretty and green!
We hiked about 4 miles, exploring some of the canyons. We thought the views were beautiful even with the absence of water. I love nature in general (especially being a native of the city), so I appreciate anytime to breathe in breathe air and enjoy the natural surroundings.
Scenic vistas of the Illinois River
Since we did not get to see any waterfalls my favorite part about our visit was enjoying the wonderful overlooks of the Illinois River. There were many nice overlooks on the trails. With the crowds, it was hard to get as many photos as we would have liked, however, we still walked away with a handful of nice photos. We would love to come back in the spring for some waterfall photography.
Additional recreational opportunities
Other activities available within the park include: camping, boating, fishing, picnicking, kayaking, horseback riding, and cross country skiing during the winter months. The park lodge offers: trolley tours, guided waterfalls hikes, boat tours, and ghost tours. I would love to come back for either the ghost tour of the fall foliage trolley ride as I love Halloween and leaf peeping. Also, I’ve heard from family members that the Sainte Genevieve cruise is pretty nice. You can check out the park website for full details on all tours.
In the visitor’s center, you will find a small free museum, a gift shop, and food stands. You can also take this opportunity to watch videos and learn more about the history of the park. Employees are on hand to answer any questions. Make sure to pick up a hiking map on your visit.
If you are traveling more than a few hours, you may want to consider booking a night at the Lodge, which is conveniently located inside the park. Both lodge rooms and cabins are available.
Additional details
Park address: 2668 E. 875th Rd. Oglesby, IL 61348
Admission: Entrance is free. Parking is free.
Hours: Trails are open from 7am-sunset. The visitor center is open from 9am-4pm.
Dining: Available at the The Lodge, although reservations are recommended. There are also nice picnicking spots throughout the park.
Pet policy: Dogs are welcome, although they must be leashed. They are not allowed to enter the buildings unless they are service animals.
Accessibility features: A paved path to the visitor center, visitor center parking lot spaces and bathrooms, and the Middle Shelter picnicking facility. Also there are 7 accessible campsites. For full details, visit the website.
Notes: No alcohol is permitted on the trails and from January 1st-May 31st in picnic areas.
What to do nearby: Fun in nearby small towns
I recommend stopping for an ice cream treat at The Root Beer Stand in Oglesby on any summer visit. On our most recent visit, it was a really hot day in the mid 80’s and super humid so I looked up an ice cream stand nearby. I found this long running local family gem called The Root Beer stand in a tiny town of just over 3000 in Oglesby. It’s a quick 10 min drive from the park.
We ordered a simple grilled cheese and chicken sandwich with some fries. They serve all your regular quick diner fare like burgers and hot dogs. We also ordered one of their trademark Root beer floats which was served in an ice cold frosty mug. They make their own root beer which is pretty cool and old-fashioned. We also ordered a scoop of their Butter Pecan ice cream. Both were delicious. They offer about 10 flavors daily, plus flurries, sundaes, and milkshakes.
Ottawa is a quick 15 min drive from the state park. Downtown is small and not overly impressive but worthy of a stop if you are visiting the state park. There are a few historical monuments in Washington Square Park including a plaque commemorating the first Lincoln-Douglas debate. Also, there are some local cafes and restaurants if you want to refuel and support local business. You can also tour the Reddick Mansion which was the state’s most expensive home pre Civil War.
Buffalo Rock State Park is a small recreation area located just a few miles outside of Ottawa. It’s located on a bluff which was once an Illinois River island. It’s a nice place to picnic or hike if you are in the area looking to enjoy the outdoors. I recommend a walk along the River Bluff trail where you can enjoy some scenic vistas of the river via viewing platforms. This trail is just over 2 and a half miles. There are 2 bison which live in the park.
Also, it’s a bit further at 1 hour but a visit to the charming small town of Dixon is a must for history buffs. You can tour Ronald Reagan’s childhood home here. Plus, there is a litte downtown with local restaurants and cafes, plus Rock River access and a bronze Reagan statue.
