Known for its magnificent rock formations of St. Peter sandstone, this scenic park offers many hiking and horseback riding trails plus fishing and boating along the banks of the Illinois River.See more..
This is the place to go! Starved Rock is absolutely wonderful, but when you get away from the crowds, and do a quick 2-3 mile hike up and down, this is it. Cannot recommend it enough and has half the crowds of Starved Rock. But, be aware, the hikes here start with going down like 80 steps. Then the real good hikes go further down.... It's awesome if you can do it. They have full bathroom faciliies here for people with young kids, and a neat reproduction of cabin the original owner of the land, I believe, created as a mock up for their grandkids. You can go inside it before descending the stairs and it's unique, along side the 100 person pavilion next to it. Make sure you see the waterfall on the north side of the park from both up above and down below.See more..
4.5Giant City State Park(303 reviews) - Quiet and peaceful Sunday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM State Parks
Nice quiet spot. We booked online, but came a day earlier. It was easy to just fill out the envelope and pay for the extra day. It is nice because you can do this any time of day and do not have to find someone. The shower house was very clean. There are so many trees that make it shaded and relaxing. Not sure about all the campsites, but our firepit had a grate to cook. The playground is excellent with a playset and swings. I really cannot stress how quiet and peaceful it was. We went mid-August and it was not full. Will go back again.See more..
Illinois' third oldest state park is rich in history.See more..
4.0Illinois Beach State Park(187 reviews) - Beautiful lake front park & campground. Sunday: State Parks • Beaches
This is a gorgeous state park with mature trees, miles of paved trails, and lovely sand beaches. I'm here camping at the Adeline Jay campground. The only reason the park didn't get 5 stars is because of the showers/washrooms. They are clean, but old and need repair. Some broken tiles, leaking taps, leaking toilets and shower curtains that must be 40 years old and barely hanging on. It does the trick though, & the water pressure is better than I have at home. The sites aren't very level, but they are spacious and gorgeous. The campground hosts, Bonnie & her husband, were absolutely wonderful. I'd definitely come again. Also, they are building a new beach store/ concession that will be open in 2022. This park is a treasure. See more..
Rich in American Indian history, this 2,500-acre park offers a variety of outdoor activities including boating, fishing, hunting, picnicking and hiking.See more..
4.5Cave-in-Rock State Park(171 reviews) - Cool Cave along the River Sunday: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM State Parks
We visitied Cave-in-Rock State Park while vacationing in Shawnee National Forest. It's just a short 0.25 mile hike from the parking to the very impressive cave. Right along the river, it may have been used by bandits and outlaws in the frontier days. The cave is huge and you can walk a good ways in. There is an opening in the ceiling so even the interior of the cave is slightly illuminated. Good idea to bring a flashlight or use your phone in any case. It's a really cool landmark and definitely worth a stop if visiting the area.See more..
Scenic park of 3,092 acres that offers many recreational options such as camping, hiking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing.See more..
4.0Fort Massac State Park(159 reviews) - A great place to stop for the night, relax and get a fresh start in the morning! State Parks
We stopped here for the night passing through from Branson Mo to Nashville Tn. $18 for an overnight stay, not used to that! The campgrounds were well kept, sites were HUGE!!! Electric only so be sure to fill up your fresh water holding tank in the RV. (we didn't know this but fortunately we had 1/2 tank of water) Very quiet so resting was easy. Only 5-8 minutes from HARRAH'S casino if you're so inclined to drop a couple hundred dollar donation there :)See more..
We went to Grafton for a day trip and heard this park was worth the short trip up Illinois 100 - Illinois River Road. We were able to see the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. The park itself is very pretty, several trails and pullouts for those driving. The lodge is a work of art... built in 1930s by CCC, it features beautiful stone fireplace and large cedar logs from Oregon. Visitors center is very informative, with several exhibits on local history and ecology. We saw the large campground and equine center while touring, and both looked nice. Plan to come back when we have more time - maybe in the winter during Bald Eagle season.See more..
4.5Kankakee River State Park(116 reviews) - Good camping spot for canoeing the Kankakee river Sunday: State Parks
Most of the camping spots here are the drive-in type where you park in your campsite and put up your tent next to the car. The Potawatomi sites have electricity at each site and full bathrooms (toilets/urinals, sinks, & showers) which lessens complaints from the non-campers. It is an easy 20 minute drive over to Reed's canoes in Bourbonnais. My wife and I took two canoes with our two boys and made the 12 mile journey in 3 hours 30 minutes. Sites are on the small side but that was all we needed. It's a state park...not a Hilton ;)See more..
4.0Buffalo Rock State Park(116 reviews) - Bison and Effigy Mounds Sunday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM State Parks
We visited Buffalo Rock State Park for a hike with our dog. It was nice to get away from the crowds at Starved Rock. There are two bison and a calf in an enclosure. A hiking trail leads to some views of the Illinois River and past the Effigy Tumuli. They are earthen mounds constructed by an artist to be similar to the effigy mounds built by Native Americans. You can only really see them from above, they're too big to see from ground level. Overall, a nice little park and not so crowded.See more..
Moraine Hills is a wonderful State Park that has a lot to offer. Several hiking and bicycle trails with multiple parking lots as starting locations for your adventure. There is a large pond (small lake) with a trail around it where fishing is possible in good weather. I have never done that but it looks very peaceful and quite and you could bring your own canoe or kayak or rent a row boat for a fun day. Wet lands provide a stop over for water birds when they are in season so it is possible to see some Geese or Herons...maybe even some Hawks or Eagles. In the right season you are likely to see many frogs or some turtles too. This property is well attended by the Illinois Conservation Department and many volunteers contribute to the care and maintenance. Friends of Moraine Hills State Park provide bird feeding stations and attract a fine assortment of song birds. You can watch them from the parking lot if you wish.See more..
A water-oriented recreation area known for its fishing, boating and water-skiing.See more..
4.0Shabbona Lake State Park(80 reviews) - Nice out of the way park for a getaway State Parks • Parks
Very nice well kept park with beautiful lake for fishing. Big campground with wooded or lakefront sites. Don’t miss the pokanoka cafe onsite by the marina! Their food is delicious and priced well for the portions . They also have ice cream and cookies for your sweet tooth. It’s family ran and friendly service . Their meat is sourced from their own farm - the pokanoka burger is yummy as is everything on menu can’t go wrong! They have indoor and outdoor dining overlooking lake which adds to the atmosphere. There is also a camp store and fishing/bait shop at the park . If that isn’t enough the town of Rochelle is only 1/2 hrs away with train viewing platform and multiple restaurants.See more..
We visited this bike trail while camping in Vienna. We have three 9 year old children. We biked from Vienna to Tunnel Hill (where the actual tunnel is). To give you an idea of the physicality of this trip we are not avid bikers and we’re not in exceptional shape. Just your average peeps. Round trip was just shy of 19 miles and it took us just under 3 hours. There was a slight, but ever present incline when heading towards Tunnel Hill. However, it did make for a much easier ride back. The trail is well maintained. There were lots of bridges and several tunnels. And there was one bridge that seemed to easily extend 100’ over the river and put you right in the tree-tops! The tunnel was gorgeous and longer than expected. It’s disorienting riding through it, but what an experience.See more..
A 297-acre park featuring bluffs and canyons formed by the Apple River.See more..
4.5Ferne Clyffe State Park(51 reviews) - Amazing park Spent More than 3 hours State Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Traveling through the area we spent two days here. Amazing hiking and campground is beautiful. Highly recommend if your in the area to stop and stay or at least spend the day there hiking the many trails and seeing the multitude of waterfalls. See more..
Tons of hiking paths, most are fairly easy to navigate even with younger children. Plenty of playground and grass areas to set up for the day. Also, plenty of parking and great fishing spots along the Fox River.See more..
This family-oriented park centers around a man-made 40-acre lake.See more..
4.0Weldon Springs State Park(39 reviews) - one of our favorites Sunday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM State Parks • Parks
We love Weldon Springs. Lovely trail that goes around the lake. Our dog loves to walk it. Always see deer in this park. Don't miss the humming bird feeders on the lake trail! Veteran's Point is lovely and a very inspiring tribute to our military. The trails are nice and wide. The grandkids loved the school house and nature center. Fishing is ok, haven't had real good luck in the last 3 visits. A few blue gills, a crappie and a catfish. Campground could use some upgrades. Pads need some gravel and some could use some levelling. Couldn't get the nose of the trailer low enough on site 74. We like the sites 15 and 16, backs up to the lake and the trail leads down to docks in either direction. Shower house is normally clean and well kept. It is peaceful and quiet in the campground usually. Don't expect your huge trailers to fit in most of these campsites. Our 29 footer is fine though. There are several pull thru sites and several handicapped sites.See more..
While on a trip to North Carolina, we scheduled a stay here for a few night. The campground is within the park. It is very small. Not a hung number of sites, but the park this time of year is very green. Thanks to all the rain. The roads and pads are all asphalt. Green grass and plenty of tall shade trees throughout. Close to the Ohio River. We arrived during the week and the campground was empty until the weekend we left. Then it filled up. It and been a rainy week and with Covid, the pool was closed and the park was pretty empty. The only knock I can give the campground was it close proximity to a small maintenance yard. Early in the morning there would be a couple vehicles coming in and out. The best part was The Chocolate Factory was right across the street from the park entrance.See more..
Camped here last weekend with a group. Nice level, wooded sites. Only drawback is that there is only electrical hookups. No water or sewer, but the dump station was easy to get in and out of when we left. We experienced a lot of bugs, but that was due to recent rains. Others who camp there regularly said that is unusual. There are nice fire pits with a cooking grill on them. Restaurants and gas stations within a few miles if needed. Nice place to bike.See more..
4.5Fox Ridge State Park(36 reviews) - A great get away right outside town Spent 2-3 hours State Parks
This is a wonderful escape from the flat topography of this part of the midwest. Hilly, wooded, great places for picnics and gatherings, good trails, great for dogs, and an overall peaceful experience.See more..
4.0Illini State Park(29 reviews) - The Cabin Spent 2-3 hours State Parks
We stayed at the cabin for two nights during a cold snap in the fall. I couldn't find out much about it beforehand so I thought I'd try to help the next people who are planning a trip. We were generally happy with the cabin and the campground and it was nice being close to the various parks in the area. The cabin was clean when we arrived. It sits right out overlooking the river and has electricity and heat. The heat struggled to keep up with the 30 degree night so if its going to be cold I would recommend bringing a space heater. The cabin did not have water. There were two grills outside and a picnic table. No chairs. Two sets of bunk beds in one room and a larger bed in the front room. The cabin is close to a toilet but it was a pretty gross pit toilet. The other bathroom/shower room is about 300 steps away.See more..
Siloam Springs is a beautiful little gem for locals to enjoy the outdoors. They have fishing, boating, beautiful hiking trails, creeks for wading, etc. Several pavilions are excellent for family reunions or other large groups. Mostly though, we love Siloam Springs for their camping. There are two campgrounds with many tent and RV sites but the best spot is an area of twenty or so sites under a canopy of looming pines. The soft pine needles blanket the ground and the shade is phenomenal. It's absolutely beautiful. The hosts are friendly, restrooms and showers clean and the entire campground is well maintained. We are tent campers so I can't speak for other sites. We usually camp here every year for a weekend (it's never enough!). It is especially busy fourth of July and Memorial Day weekend but we've never seen it filled to capacity.See more..
4.5Eldon Hazlet State Park(20 reviews) - The Largest Man-Made Lake in Illinois! State Parks • Bodies of Water
I went with my family to this beautiful state park and had a wonderful time. There are plenty of trails to go on, areas for families to fish and camp, and also a few beach locations. But BEWARE! Their beaches aren’t maintained often (probably due to the pandemic) and there are shards of glass everywhere. Don’t let this keep you away from having a great time however.See more..
4.0Jubilee College State Park(17 reviews) - Quiet campground with some sloped sites. State Parks • Parks
This is a nice quiet campground. We stayed there midweek, and there were not many other campers around. I had reserved a spot online, and didn't realize that it was more sloped than I anticipated. This is not a major issue, but took a little longer to set up than anticipated for a single night's stay. Showers were clean, and we chose a spot near so we didn't have to walk far.See more..
Beautiful, spacious small campground on a beautiful, peaceful lake. To top it off, hosts were extremely helpful and friendly. We were unable to level our motorhome on the site we reserved. Despite the park being full, the hosts went way beyond our expectation, made arrangements to accommodate us and moved us to a more level spot.See more..
We live quite close to this park but had never visited. We decided to strike out on a Monday afternoon after a quite substantial flooding of the area. While it was very green and lush it was still quite wet and muddy, but we enjoyed the wildlife we saw. We stopped at the ranger center to get information and a map. The animal skins inside the door are very fun to see and touch. The park roads are beautifully maintained and the woods are in a very primitive state. What surprised us the most were the charred trees. We wondered if they were hit by lightening. So quiet and beautiful. See more..
Great view with a nice meal. It's great that the restaurant and winery are open again! Look over the lake while you enjoy dinner or a glass of wine.See more..
We were driving and were nearby. Peaceful and clean. Well maintained. We will come back with the kids.See more..
4.0Eagle Creek State Park(14 reviews) - Nice State park for camping. State Parks • Golf Courses
We enjoyed the camping here, no complaints. Arrived on Thursday and left on Monday. It was pretty busy Friday and Saturday, and the staff did a decent job keeping up the bathrooms. Nice spots with Electric and water close by. No beach, but there are beaches close by. See more..
4.0Stephen A Forbes State Park(13 reviews) - State Park with amazing fall leaves Sunday: 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM State Parks • Parks
Who needs to go to Maine for fall colors? Leaf season in the Smokies? Nah. How about Illinois. This place has incredible picnic areas with amazing views. Look at the reflection in the water. See more..
We take our RV and then I ride the bike, go boating, occasionally eat at the dockside cafe, walk, and visit with other campers. There is a kids discovery play area. The small nature place is interesting when it's open. We used to take our grandkids camping until they outgrew spending so much time with us. We have pontoon boat docked there, so family joins us to go boating. My husband loves to go boating and fishing. I tag along.See more..
My family stayed on site 21 in our popup and had a great time. We LOVED the pencil tree forest. There are only a handful of campsites w electric in this circle of trees. Although these types of trees don't offer a lot of privacy I still enjoyed it. Our site was a short walk down to the lake which we used for fishing. There is a water pump and latrine in the circle. We did not go in the shower house so can't attest to the cleanliness.See more..
4.5Beall Woods State Park(10 reviews) - A Gem Spent 2-3 hours State Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
National Geographic reviewed about 15 Illinois State Parks. They missed this one. It belongs on any list of the best of Illinois. It has well maintained grounds, lovely trails for all. The trees were protected from harvesting. It’s spectacular Illinois. See more..
3.5Red Hills State Park(10 reviews) - Good hiking trails and picnic spots Spent More than 3 hours State Parks • Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
The north side of this park has many good hiking trails. The south side has horse trails that are marked as good for bicycling too - but they were too muddy now after all the recent rains. The hiking trails were ok now as they are on higher ground. There are two lakes - one having a boat launch and boat rentals during summer,See more..
4.0Horseshoe Lake State Park(8 reviews) - Excellent birding; other activities, too State Parks • Bodies of Water
This is a well-known birding site, especially when waterfowl are present. We had an enjoyable day even in 90 F + temperatures. There were many graceful Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, American White Pelicans, Double-Crested Cormorants (and one Neotropical Cormorant), Black-crowned Night-Herons, and many passerine species, including Eurasian Tree Sparrow. The park is well-kept. It's a very pleasant place for outdoor activities.See more..
So worth going to visit time and time again....such wonders! The Park department really maintain the place,,not so much you can't enjoy yourself....it is worth the trip to see....bring the whole family and friendsSee more..
There are some area that need work - we need to lobby IL politicians to keep up the maintenance on these valuable bike trails. Overall, however, very enjoyable.See more..
5.0Moraine View State Park(6 reviews) - One of the best state parks in Illinois! State Parks
This is one of the nicest state parks in Illinois hands down. Well maintained and very friendly camp host. The lake is great for canoes, kayaks, and other fishing. This is my new favorite place to camp.See more..
5.0Hennepin Canal State Parkway(5 reviews) - I ran the 50 mile race on the canal State Parks I did the Hennepin Canal 50 mile race. It is all on the canal. Well run event. The canal was very pretty. A few road crossing and bridges but it was so cool to see the wildlife. Saw all kinds of animals including some very cool birds.See more..
Our outing in I llinois strarted off with a big letdown when we visited the mounds on the other side of town, so my expectations were not high when we followed the signs off hwy 6 to Channahon State Park. I am happy to report that my expectations were greatly exceeded. In fact, it blew my socks off (now my feet are sunburned) ! Ours was the only car in the parking lot when we arrived at the parking lot (no entrance fee). immediately our gaze was drawn to a bridge and a dam and the surroundings. The I M canal and trail converge in a watery maze here at the confluence of the Du Page and Des Plaines rivers. Besides walking or jogging the canal trail in either direction, Channahon has a fairly large tent camping area, rest rooms, drinking fountains, playground, picnic tabes, a veterans memorial, and plenty of Kodak moments. Take a few minutes to turn off either I 80 or I 55 to visit this park. You'll be glad you did.See more..
3.5Gebhard Woods State Park(5 reviews) - My place to go to walk my dog State Parks This is a nice family state park convient and nice playground. My children use to enjoy fishing and ice skating in the ponds. Sadly the viaduct broke 4 years ago so no water in the ponds or parts of the canal. Can't walk to downtown from the I and m canal anymore which is sad. Wish they would fix it. I take my dog there for a walk every daySee more..
4.0Campbell's Island State Park(4 reviews) - Small historic site Spent 1-2 hours State Parks There is a very small park/monument to the battle of Campbell's Island. Not really worth going out of your way to see this unless you're a history buff and the only thing there is a small monument. See more..
