PHOTOS: See Starved Rock At Night

Visitors Take A Sunset Solstice Hike

By Scott AndersonJune 23, 2020

Starved Rock State Park is normally closes it's doors to visitors at dusk, but on rare occasion the park's naturalists host special guided night hikes, giving guests a truly unique look at the park's ecology and geology! Shaw Media's Scott Anderson was lucky enough to tag along on last week's Sunset Solstice Hike, here's his inside look!

*[Photos By Scott Anderson]*

Hikers gather at St. Louis Canyon for the Summer Solstice Night Hike at Starved Rock State Park. There are four Solstice Night Hikes per year. Visitors are not allowed to hike at night except on the scheduled night hikes.

There is no cost to attend the night hikes but visitors need to pre-register for them ahead of time by going to www.eventbrite.com and searching for Starved Rock State Park.

Hikers take a nighttime photo of St. Louis Canyon at Starved Rock State Park.

Hikers cross over a small creek just before entering St. Louis Canyon at Starved Rock State Park. The park staff limited the Summer Solstice Night Hike to 10 people due to the pandemic.

Geologist and park volunteer Joe Jakupcak (left) leads hikers on the Solstice Night Hike to St. Louis Canyon at Starved Rock State Park.

Hikers use flash lights to navigate the trail to St. Louis Canyon in the dark. Here, Natural Resource Coordinator Lisa Sons (left) teaches hikers different types of itch leaves including Stinging nettle, which is a common plant along the trails at Starved Rock State Park.

A hiker takes a photo of the St. Louis Canyon sign on the trail to the canyon at Starved Rock State Park.