starved rock state park

Reservations: Reservations are accepted only by mail and only for camping from May through October. Reservation requests can be turned in any time after January 1 and must be received seven days before arrival. To access this reservation form, click here.

Located less than a two-hour drive from Chicago, Starved Rock features 18 canyons formed by glacial melt and stream erosion. The park glitters with waterfalls in early spring, and the wildflowers in spring and summer are spectacular. The Illinois River flows along one side of the park, and there are stunning views of the river from atop many of the sandstone bluffs. (Stay on the trails though; the sandstone cliffs are fragile.)