Located just a little southwest of Chicago, Starved Rock State Park is an exciting place to hike and explore nature. Between the wildlife, the beautiful lodge, the amazing canyons and the many waterfalls, this park is sure to impress the entire family.
I was a little nervous when we first drove into the parking lot – it was a BIG parking lot, and it seemed like there were A LOT of cars parked in it. Who enjoys hiking amidst a big crowd of people, right?
I shouldn’t have worried.
Once we pulled into a parking space, I happened to glance out the front windshield and spy TWO BALD EAGLES flying overhead. (Seeing a bald eagle in the wild has been on my bucket list for years!) I thought it might be a sign that our visit to Starved Rock State Park was going to be EPIC!
And, I was right – it was awesome! Starved Rock State Park was everything our family hoped it would be and more!
“That hike was actually pretty fun!” –quote from our six-year-old who adamantly claims to dislike hiking
Crowd Control
We visited the park on Good Friday. It was the start of spring break for many schools around the Midwestern United States. Additionally, the weather was beautiful and warm. It makes sense that the park was busier than what one may expect on a typical spring weekday.
Like I said, there were a lot more cars than I had expected… even though the parking lot was only about half full. There is parking capacity for many more vehicles than were there during our visit.
While the visitor center on the premises felt crowded, we did not feel overwhelmed by the number of hikers we came across on the actual trails.
With about 13 miles of trails, we found that there is more than enough space at Starved Rock State Park to comfortably accommodate a great number of hikers.
Our Family-Friendly Hike
By the time we had passed the “Starved Rock: Where Eagles Winter” banners on the visitor center, I was eager to hit the trails. Our family was looking forward to seeing the canyons and waterfalls, and now, I was also excited to possibly spot more bald eagles during our visit. We grabbed a map from the information counter in the visitor center and went on our way.
We chose to hike to the St. Louis Cavern. One of the park’s most popular trails, it is fairly short (1.5 miles one way or 3 miles round trip) and features a picturesque waterfall.
The trail was beautiful but much more rugged than we had expected – exposed roots, steep stairs, and a few eroded areas. At times, it was also quite muddy.
On the way to St. Louis Canyon, we passed three other canyons – Aurora Canyon, Sac Canyon, and Kickapoo Canyon. They were all lovely with small trickles of falling water throughout.
Of course, the crown jewel of this particular hiking trail is the 100-foot waterfall in St. Louis Cavern. And, it did not disappoint us. The waterfall was mesmerizing to watch, and the surrounding grounds were fun to explore. Our children enjoyed scrambling along the rocks and small ledges. We all checked out some small caverns cutting into the sandstone walls.
Our family’s hike was a huge success! We would love to go back to Starved Rock one day and hike some more trails. All of the trails sound amazing!
Be Sure to Check Out the Other Trails
According to the park’s website (source), 14 of the 18 canyons within the park feature waterfalls. Besides the impressive waterfall we saw on our visit, other popular waterfalls can be found in the French, Kankaskia, Ottawa, Tonty and Wildcat canyons.
Additionally, you may want to hike out to Lover’s Leap for some gorgeous river views (including a view of the Starved Rock dam).
Click here to view the state park’s printable trail map (PDF document).
RELATED: Looking for other interesting hikes in Illinois? Check out this list from Enjoy Illinois.
Starved Rock Hiking Tips
Park Wisely
Many of the hikes can be shortened significantly by simply parking in a different lot. I would recommend researching your parking options ahead of time or asking a park ranger upon arrival.
We made the mistake of starting our hike directly from the Visitor Center. We climbed a lot of extra stairs just to reach to the trailhead near the lodge. It would have been much more pleasant if we had just parked near the lodge.
If you want to shorten this particular hike even more, you can bypass the first three canyons (Aurora, Sac and Kickapoo) and park at the lot just off from Route 178.
Wear Layers
This trail is a workout. The weather may be a little chilly at the start but you will work up a sweat quickly enough. I would recommend wearing removeable layers for comfort throughout the hike.
Stay Hydrated
The trail is three miles round trip… three rugged miles. You and your family will want to stop for water breaks along the way so be sure to bring your filled water bottles with you. Bring a few snacks to keep everyone energized as well.
Bring a Camera
The views and scenery are quite stunning. You will kick yourself afterwards if you don’t bring a camera with you.
Wear a Daypack
With water bottles, snacks, removable layers of clothing, and a camera, you are going to want a pack to carry all that stuff. Plus you will want your hands free while explore the rocky terrain of the St Louis Canyon.
Watch Your Step
As mentioned before, the trail was pretty rugged. Watch for roots that could trip you up, and beware of mud. Also, there are a lot of stairs. Many of these steps were steep and/or uneven.
Two of my children stumbled over roots and rocks along the path, and we all had sore muscles the next day from all those crazy stairs.
Keep Little Ones Close
There are steep drop-offs right next to the trail in several spots along the way. I wouldn’t trust small children to walk along some of those edges without holding the sturdy hand of an adult.
Watch for Trail Map Signs Along the Trail
There are a few trail map signs planted along the trail. Be sure to stop at each one to get your bearings. It would be very easy to miss the final turnoff leading down into the St. Louis Canyon.
Don’t Skip the Visitor Center
Besides the helpful rangers on duty there, the visitor center has some interesting displays and an attached snack bar (with ice cream!!).
Ten Thumbs Up
Our family of five would highly recommend a stop at Starved Rock State Park for any outdoorsy family who enjoy hiking. We give it ten thumbs up (5 people x 2 thumbs each).
After the hike, our six-year-old (who adamantly claims to dislike hiking) told us “that hike was actually pretty fun!”
And if that’s not a ringing endorsement, I don’t know what is!
Next up? I would love to check out the amazing trails at nearby Matthiessen Park!
Related Blog Posts:
- Roadside Attractions in Illinois
- Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and More
- Favorite Family-Friendly Trails in West Michigan
This looks like a fun hike! Although I always love packed parking lots. Makes me feel like I’m less likely to be eaten by a mountain lion 😂.
“Makes me feel like I’m less likely to be eaten by a mountain lion.” You are so funny!!! Even though the parking lot was a little crowded, there were more than enough trails to accommodate the big crowd. The trails didn’t seem crowded at all! Such a great place to hike!
Beautiful hike! Sounds like our 6 year olds are of the same mindset😊. Mine wants to turn around and find a playground about 10 steps into all of our hiking adventures.
Yep. It sounds like our 6YOs are very much alike. Lucky for me, her teenage brother doesn’t seem to mind giving my little girl piggyback rides.
I’m so excited for you for finally seeing those bald eagles!! And a very pretty hike.
My husband and I were so excited, too! The kids totally missed the eagles though. Maybe next time…