Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center

one of the greatest things i ever read was 'there are no fees for illinois state parks so everyone can enjoy them'. and enjoy starved rock s.p. we did. the center was closed for veterans day but we hike the trails. starved rock, lovers leap, eagle cliff, wildcat canyon, french canyon. mid autumn is a great time to visit. a lot of the leaves are gone so you can see thru the forest, but there is still some color in the trees. good cool temp and no crowds. early spring would be good as well to see the flowing water. the park is well maintained and boardwalk paths with railings keep dummies from falling off the heights. there are lots of stairs so you might want to keep your wheels at home.

Amazing and truly useful adventure! 🚶‍♂️ The trail is huge, well marked, and easy to follow. Parking is massive – I came at 8 AM and it was still empty, but by noon it was packed and full of people. I left a quarter of the route for my next visit with friends. Saw even families with kids, everyone making their own journey. Make sure to wear proper hiking shoes, you’ll walk for hours. Great place, 100% worth it!

Wow, this place was amazing. It was not what we expected regarding a hike, as most of it was boardwalks and stairs, but it was well worth it. It is very friendly for families because of the accessibility with stairs. The views were amazing and some of the features, like Wildcat Canyon and the Eagle Overlook over the Illinois River, were very much worth the trip. It was pretty crowded on Labor Day weekend. I would recommend getting there early. Parking and entrance are free. What a gem in the middle of flatness!

Great trails and awesome views of the river! I will go back! But, clean up the leaves from the front walk/steps leading to the visitors center...everyone has to go through there to get to the park! I loved the board walks and the paths but if you are not sure footed, you could have issues with the varying height steps and some of the slick paths...I've never been in the summer so not sure how wet/muddy the paths are then! All in all, fantastic park with lots of well marked path ways and maps through out. Can't wait to try to stay at The Lodge next time we come!

Loved our visit. Lots of information of the trails, and the area. Cute gift shop. The fudge is delicious! The food on the cafe... needs some work. The hike we took.... amazing!! Just wish it wasn't such a hot(93) humid weekend. We cut our hike short. We definitely will be back when it is cooler.