7 Small But Mighty Nature Destinations In Starved Rock Country

Find fall outdoor recreation beyond the region’s largest state parks

Starved Rock Country is home to two of Illinois’ premier state parks: Starved Rock and Matthiessen. Both destinations receive top billing for their bluffs, canyons, waterfalls and spectacular scenery. However, the region encompasses three more noteworthy state parks as well as several state wildlife areas and natural areas. Venture out to something new this fall!

STATE PARKS

Buffalo Rock State Park

1300 N. 27th Road, Ottawa

815-433-2224

There’s plenty to see at Buffalo Rock. The star attraction is a trio of bison — Pebbles, Cocoa and Hope, who live in an enclosure a short stroll away from the parking lot. The park is situated on the north bank of the Illinois River about 4 miles from downtown Ottawa and is a neighbor to Starved Rock State Park. Hikers can follow a trail along the park’s bluffs to reach overlooks that offer views of the river and its islands. Buffalo Rock also claims one of the region’s most unique attractions: the Effigy Tumuli, a series of earth sculptures fashioned after Indigenous nations’ effigies and burial mounds. The effigies include a 2,070-foot-long snake, 140-foot frog, 770-foot catfish, a water strider and a turtle.

Gebhard Woods State Park

401 Ottawa St., Morris

815-942-0796

This 30-acre green space is nestled within Morris city limits and less than a five-minute drive from downtown. The Illinois & Michigan Canal Trail borders the southern length of the park, and hikers can be as ambitious as they wish in walking the 61.5-mile trail that stretches from La Salle to Rockdale. The park also is home to campgrounds with grills, fire pits and picnic tables. Fishing enthusiasts can visit one of Gebhard Woods’ three ponds. Mid-October is a prime time to visit because the park’s many maple trees burst into bright hues of red and orange.

Illini State Park

2660 E. 2350th Road, Marseilles

815-795-2448

Illini State Park hugs the south bank of the Illinois River, with a view of the city of Marseilles on the opposite bank. The mostly wooded, 510-acre park features campgrounds, a boat ramp, a loop trail and multiple picnic areas, including two shelters with fireplaces. The shoreline park is a prime spot to kick back and watch the river, including frequent barge traffic.

STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AREAS

Many of the wooded and/or marshy state fish and wildlife areas are rugged and used primarily by hunters during designated game seasons, but a few offer additional recreational activities for casual weekend visits and day trips. Be aware that most close in mid- to late-fall for hunting seasons. Watch for posted site closures.

Heidecke Lake

5010 N. Jugtown Road, Morris

815-942-6352

Originally built as a cooling lake for the shuttered Collins Nuclear Generating Station, Heidecke Lake is a prime location to fish for award-winning bass, among multiple other fish species. Anglers can try their luck on the lake from 6 a.m. to sunset daily. Boats are allowed for fishing and waterfowl hunting, but other forms of water recreation (swimming, wading or skiing) are prohibited. Fishing closes shortly before waterfowl season, at which point the location is open for waterfowl hunting. For hunting and fishing information, visit www.bit.ly/HeideckeLake.

La Salle Lake

2651 N. 21st Road, Marseilles

815-640-8099

La Salle Lake is a manmade body of water adjacent to Exelon’s La Salle County Nuclear Generating Station. The 2,058-acre lake, which serves as a cooling pond to the station’s two nuclear reactors, is open to the public for fishing from 6 a.m. to sunset through Oct. 15. The lake is open for boat fishing, but all other forms of water recreation are prohibited. Shore anglers also can set up their poles along the rock riprap and enjoy the water’s view from one of the site’s multiple picnic tables. A fishing pier at Ivy Point is accessible to people with disabilities.

Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area

Route 53 and Huston Road, Braceville

815-237-0063

Mazonia’s South Unit is a must-visit location for fossil hunters of any experience level. Visitors can obtain a day permit for fossil collection through Sept. 30 at the park office, then explore the area for 300 million-year-old Pennsylvanian-age fossils. Animal and plant fossils — including jellyfish, shrimp and ferns, among others — are preserved in nodules that you can collect and break open. Mazon Creek also is where the uncommon Tully Monster fossil was discovered. After fossil-hunting season ends, the site is still worth a visit for hiking or fishing. Mazonia’s north and south units feature a series of narrow lakes where anglers can cast their lines. Next door to the Mazonia complex is Braidwood Lake, the cooling pond for Exelon’s Dresden Generating Station, which also is open for fishing.

NATURAL AREA

Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area

5010 N. Jugtown Road, Morris (adjacent to Heidecke Lake)

815-942-2899

Goose Lake Prairie is a window into Illinois’ past. Seven miles of grassy or packed gravel hiking trails wind through preserved tall-grass prairie and marsh that is home to a vast array of flora. The prairie still bursts with blooms in late summer and autumn. “Autumn is a lovely time on the prairie — some say it’s the prettiest season of the year,” the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says of Goose Lake Prairie on its website. New England aster and goldenrod bloom in September, and the prairie grasses turn shades of bronze and gold in the fall. Informational signs about the prairie are available at intervals along trails. Hikers also have a chance to encounter a variety of wildlife, including crayfish, turtles, snakes, frogs, deer, coyote, foxes, rabbits, beavers, muskrats, badgers, dozens of bird species and more. In addition to nature, the family-friendly destination features a reconstructed 1830s pioneer cabin, a metal windmill, a replica pioneer wagon, a prairie observation deck and a butterfly barn.