Flowers are never more beautiful than in the spring season, so be on the lookout for blooming petals and bright colors! As you walk...

Go outside, your mind and body will appreciate it! The days are getting longer, the sun is shining, and...

French Canyon is temporarily closed for trail improvements, but Starved Rock State Park is still open for spring hiking. Starting the week of March 23, 2026, a small section of trails around French Canyon will be closed through June while construction is underway. It can sound like a lot when you read the official updates, but the good news is simple. This is a limited area compared to the full trail system, and there are still plenty of great waterfalls, overlooks, and sceni

Springtime is the best time for seeing waterfalls in Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks. Snowmelt and increased rainfall help the...

Expanded leather patch collection introduces seven waterfalls and new hat styles. OTTAWA, IL — After the strong response to its original true-to-life sketch hats, Starved Rock Hikers is expanding the collection with new styles, additional canyon designs, and fresh ways to represent Starved Rock State Park. Starved Rock State Park Hat Collection Since launching in 2021, the brand’s leather patch hats have featured authentic sketches created from real photographs captured insi

Everything you need for mud season; spring trail conditions, what to wear, how to protect the trails, and where to check current updates. Spring at Starved Rock doesn’t start with sunshine. It starts with thaw. March into early April is mud season : frozen ground softens, snowmelt runs off the bluffs, and rainfall becomes more frequent. Waterfalls start flowing again, the first greenery appears, and the trails can go from “totally fine” to “how is my boot still on?” in a sing

On any given weekend, Starved Rock State Park is full of life. Hikers line the trails, cameras point toward canyon walls, and voices echo through the trees. It is hard to imagine that this same landscape once stood largely untouched, with no paths to follow and no signs pointing the way. Long before it became a state park, Starved Rock was a place of movement, shelter, and strategic importance, shaped by glaciers, water, and thousands of years of human presence. Vintage Star

Witness majestic eagles soaring high in the sky in one of the most unforgettable winter experiences in Illinois. Each winter, nature lovers, photographers, families, and outdoor enthusiasts gather at Starved Rock State Park for one of the most anticipated events of the season: Eagle Watch Weekend. This year, the tradition continues on Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25, 2026 , with two full days of education, exploration, and awe across multiple locations throughout

Starved Rock State Park is a haven for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. It's also perfect for observing wildlife in the winter!