Best National & State Parks in Illinois
3 national & state parks in Illinois
National parks, state parks and visitor centres.
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National State Parks
Starved Rock State Park
Oglesby, Illinois
Hike sandstone canyons and seasonal waterfalls carved by ancient glacial meltwater.
National State Parks
Giant City State Park
Makanda, Illinois
Wander the "Giant City Streets," sandstone bluffs split into corridors 12,000 years ago.
National State Parks
Matthiessen State Park
Oglesby, Illinois
Hike past waterfalls and canyons carved by ancient streams in northern Illinois.
More about national & state parks in Illinois
Illinois has 3 national & state parks we would happily take our own kids to. Giant City State Park is the one most families start with. Wander the "Giant City Streets," sandstone bluffs split into corridors 12,000 years ago. Matthiessen State Park is the other name that comes up again and again. Hike past waterfalls and canyons carved by ancient streams in northern Illinois. Starved Rock State Park rounds out the pick of the bunch. Hike sandstone canyons and seasonal waterfalls carved by ancient glacial meltwater.
None of these venues publishes a fixed family ticket price on this page, so check the official site for current admission before you set out.
The national & state parks on this page are spread across Oglesby (2) and Makanda (1), so it is easy to pair two into one trip.