Illinois
Hiking trails, waterfalls, lakes and more: 10 most visited Illinois state parks
There’s plenty of beauty across Illinois, from the southern part to the northern part and everything in between.
Plenty of that beauty comes at state parks.
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois has 135 state parks; 28 parks and areas are located in West Central Illinois. State Parks tend to be open from 7 a.m. to sunset unless listed as closed on their respective website on DNR.
Here’s a look at the 10 most visited state parks in 2023 according to IDNR. The estimates are based on a 12-month calendar year by visitation and guests per car.
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10. Fort Massac in Massac County
Number of visitors: 953,000
What: Overlooking the mighty Ohio River from the southern tip of Illinois, this majestic location has been preserved and maintained since 1908, when it became Illinois’ first state park. The nearly 1,500-acre park is perfect for picnics, camping, hiking, fishing, boating, and seasonal hunting programs. The park also has an 18-hole disc golf course. The fort is a reminder of days gone by and a good place to take a step back in time to breathe in the natural surroundings as people did over a century ago. The park is also home to special events that bring to life Colonial and early American history, including the popular Fort Massac Encampment festival each October.
9. Frank Holten in St. Clair County
Number of visitors: 991,000
What: Within view of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Frank Holten State Park is an ideal destination for outdoor recreation in an urban setting in East St. Louis. The 1,080-acre St. Clair County park features the 18-hole Grand Marais Golf Course, two lakes for outstanding fishing, and plenty of open space for picnicking and other outdoor fun. The site is named for the late Frank Holten, who served the region in the Illinois General Assembly for 48 years.
8. Clinton Lake in DeWitt County
Number of visitors: At least 1 million
What: Clinton Lake State Recreation Area in east central Illinois can fit just about every outdoors activity into its 9,300-acre site. The 4,900-acre lake and outstanding fishing are the primary draws, with accessible boat launches at the Mascoutin and West Side Access Areas, a fishing pier at the Spillway Access Area, and bank fishing at Valley Mill. With over 3,600 usable acres for archery and deer hunting, hiking trails follow the long shoreline toward campgrounds with over 300 campsites.
7. Rock Cut State Park in Winnebago County
Number of visitors: 1.1 million
What: Rock Cut State Park is aptly named – being chiseled directly out of the rocky landmarks and hills of northern Illinois. Rock Cut’s 3,254 acres include two lakes: Pierce Lake with 162 acres, and Olson Lake with 50 acres. Both offer a retreat for people wanting to fish, ice fish or ice skate. The park’s hiking trails, horseback riding trails and cross-country skiing and wildlife watching, as well as seasonal hunting programs, make it a year-round recreation destination.
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6. Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area in Franklin County
Number of visitors: 1.32 million
What: Overlooking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 19,000-acre Rend Lake Reservoir, Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreational Park is Southern Illinois’ biggest outdoor area with countless ways to outdoorsmen to enjoy nature’s pleasures. A large contributor to the visitations is the hunting season programs, which attract thousands annually. Rend Lake is well-known as an outstanding sport fishery for white and black crappie and a dog training field for dog sporting.
5. Kankakee River State Park in Kankakee County
Number of visitors: 1.3 million
What: On land first treasured by the Native tribes to the region, Kankakee River State Park offers visitors its proud heritage in an unspoiled setting. Anglers, canoeists, hunters, campers, hikers, bicyclers and other outdoor enthusiasts find the park’s recreational opportunities unsurpassed. The naturally channeled 11 miles of the Kankakee River is listed on the Federal Clean Streams Register and is the focus of the 4,000-acre park’s popularity.
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4. Kickapoo State Recreation Area in Vermilion County
Number of visitors: More than 1.3 million
What: Since the state’s purchase of the land in 1939, trees and vegetation have reclaimed the former mined land. Once a turn-of-the-century surface mining operation, Kickapoo State Recreation Area’s 2,842 acres now provide an outdoor playground with something to appeal to every member of the family. The park offers 22 deep-water ponds, ranging in size from 0.2 to 57 acres, provide a total of 221 acres of water for boaters, canoeists and anglers.
3. Hennepin Canal State Trail spanning five counties
Number of visitors: 1.9 million
What: There are plenty of picnic tables along the 104.5-mile linear Hennepin Canal State Trail spanning five Illinois counties from Rock Island to Whiteside. The trail was first constructed in 1892 for the historic Hennepin Canal, the first American canal built out of concrete without stone cut facings. The towpath provides 155 miles of hiking/biking fun from the Illinois River to the Rock River, with the feeder canal path to Rock Falls. Segments of the trails are open to horseback riding and for those looking to plan ahead – snowmobiling is a must in the winter.
2. Illinois Beach State Park in Lake County
Number of visitors: 2 million
What: It makes sense why Chicago is such a popular city; skyscraping city lines that touch the clouds down to the transit system which buzzes across the golden coast right past Illinois Beach State Park, a gem in northern Illinois. The park is the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state, with dunes and swales, sprawling marshes, forests of oak and vast arrays of animal life on its 6.5-mile stretch along the sandy shores of Lake Michigan. More than 650 species of plants have been recorded in the dunes area alone, including dozens of types of colorful wildflowers. The 4,160-acre park, consisting of two separate areas offers ample opportunities for swimming, boating, picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping and simply appreciating nature.
1. Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County
Number of visitors: More than 2.3 million
What: As Illinois’ second state park ever established in 1911, the park’s beautiful 18 canyons soar above heads with moss coverings on sandstone, formed by glaciers of bygone eras past.
Previously used by the Hopewellian, Woodland, and Mississippian Native Americans who thrived in the region, in 1673, French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jesuit missionary Father Jacques Marquette passed through the area on their way up the Illinois from the Mississippi River. In 1682 however, the French would return to build Fort St. Louis atop Starved Rock for its strategic position.
More than 13 miles of trails allow access to rain-fed waterfalls, sandstone overhangs, and spectacular overlooks.
The Starved Rock Visitor Center is open year-round, and the 1930s-era stone and log Starved Rock Lodge offers luxury lodging, cabin rooms, and fine dining.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
Illinois
Thousands of birds could migrate over the Chicago area this week, and here’s how to protect them
Thousands upon thousands of birds are expected to cross over Illinois as part of their spring migrations in coming days.
Thursday night saw the highest migration totals of the season so far, but researchers at Cornell believe that Sunday and Monday nights could see even more avian traffic in the skies over the Chicago area, with hundreds of thousands of birds expected to traverse the area.
According to estimates from Birdcast, Sunday night and into Monday morning there could be “medium” activity for migrating birds, with thousands of birds per kilometer flying over the area.
Even more birds are expected to take flight Monday night and into Tuesday morning thanks to favorable weather conditions, with a “high” number of birds expected to take to the skies over the Chicago area.
According to estimates, up to 383 million birds could be in flight over the central United States during the peak of the migration overnight.
On Thursday night the Chicago area experienced its busiest night of the spring migration season so far, with more than 367,000 birds having been estimated to have passed over Cook County alone.
In all, more than 23,000,000 birds are believed to have crossed the state of Illinois so far during the spring migration.
Among the primary birds expected to be flying through the area are American Redstarts, Magnolia Warblers, Baltimore Orioles and Indigo Buntings, according to researchers at the CornellLab.
As millions of birds continue visiting the Chicago area, here are some steps that residents can take to keep them safe.
When do birds typically migrate?
Peak migration for birds over the state of Illinois occurs in mid-to-late May, with hundreds of different species heading north for the summer breeding season.
Those migration flights for songbirds and other species typically take place in the overnight hours. According to experts, birds typically take flight 30-to-45 minutes after sunset, with the greatest number of birds in flight typically seen approximately two-to-three hours later.
When should residents turn lights off?
One of the best ways to help protect birds is to turn off lights during peak migration times.
According to Birdcast, the best time to turn off or dim exterior lights and interior lights is between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., when most birds are active.
Bright lights can disorient and attract birds, making them vulnerable to collisions and to predators on the ground, according to the website.
Hundreds of millions of birds are killed each year in collisions with buildings, and residents and businesses are being asked to do their part to keep the creatures safe.
In addition to turning off unneeded exterior lights, residents and businesses are also asked to dim or turn off lights in lobbies, and to draw blinds to help keep light from escaping through windows.
Finally, exterior lights should be aimed downward and be well-shielded so that birds aren’t attracted to them.
Are there other steps?
Another key step in protecting birds is to bring pet cats inside during overnight hours.
According to the American Bird Conservancy, cats kill an estimated 2.4 billion birds in the United States every year, and during migration season those impacts can be even more devastating, as exhausted birds typically seek refuge in plants and trees to rest on their journeys, making them vulnerable to attack.
Since cats like to hunt at night, active migrating birds can be a target, leading to experts asking residents to keep animals inside when possible.
Police are investigating after a motorcyclist was killed in a crash in suburban Oswego on Saturday afternoon.
Officers responded to the 4000 block of Route 34 near Wolf Road for the crash around 1:42 p.m. The motorcyclist was unconscious and was receiving CPR when officers arrived.
They took over medical care until paramedics arrived and took the victim, identified as a 20-year-old man, to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The victim’s identity is being withheld pending an autopsy scheduled for Monday, police said.
Initial reports say the victim was traveling eastbound on Route 34 when he hit an enclosed trailer being towed by a van. According to the police, the van was also traveling eastbound and was attempting to make a right turn into a driveway when the crash occurred.
The driver and passenger in the van were not hurt, police said.
Route 34 was closed between Wolf Road and Boulder Hill Pass for four hours for crash reconstruction.
The crash remains under investigation pending completion of the traffic crash reconstruction report.
Illinois
Man arrested after barricading himself inside vape shop in Des Plaines, Illinois, police say
A man was arrested after police say he barricaded himself inside a business in Des Plaines on Saturday morning.
The incident happened just before 9 a.m. in the 1500 block of Rand Road.
Des Plaines police said officers responded to Vortex Vapes, located inside a strip mall in the 1500 block of Rand Road, just before 9 a.m. for a report of a suspect, a 26-year-old man from Des Plaines, armed with a box cutter, who confronted the shop employee.
The employee was able to escape the business, but the suspect stayed and barricaded himself inside, police said.
The Tactical Response Team responded to the business and arrested the suspect, who surrendered without incident.
The business was closed for about four hours. Police said the area is now safe for travel, and the business has since reopened.
This incident is still under investigation. Des Plaines police said they will provide additional information once it becomes available.
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