イリノイ周辺のおすすめ滝ハイキング＆ウォーキング

One of several campgrounds in Ferne Clyffe State Park; this one is a nice middle ground for backpackers and "rustic" car campers, with camping pads, pit toilets, showers(!), cooking grills and picnic tables. If you want more quiet, there's another class C campground, specifically for backpackers, about a half-mile away.

The River to River Trail goes straight across the dam for Dutchman Lake. The views from the trail can be particularly pretty in the fall, when the trees blaze with orange and yellow — but the lake and accompanying creek are also the best source of water for miles around. (Make sure you filter the water before drinking!)

This natural area centers around the prominent rocky Crow Knob, which is said to have become the place of worship, and a utilitarian lookout point, for a community of freed slaves in pre-Civil War times. They began meeting at the knob after their church was burned.

A beautiful view, but the number of locks is still very limited today

Wildcat Canyon is one of the most impressive and popular canyons in Starved Rock State Park. It is known for: • The highest waterfall in the park: approximately 70 feet (21 meters) high • The deepest canyon: up to 90 feet (27 meters) deep • Two overlooks at the top of the canyon

Dam Technical Specifications • Type: Gravity dam • Length: 400 meters • Height: Up to 10 meters • Spillway: Controlled, for regulating water discharge • Lock: Navigation lock measuring 110 x 600 feet for shipping

Max Creek is said to be the site of a vortex, where orbs of mysterious, maybe supernatural light are sometimes seen floating around on their own. I don't know about that, but the creek is pretty much the best water source along this section of the River to River Trail. For weary thru-hikers there are plenty of flat spots to camp here, too.

This is the shorter, more direct of two trails leading south to Trigg Tower, an abandoned fire watchtower that has been repurposed into a lookout tower. It's the last remaining fire tower in Shawnee National Forest, and there is a manmade pond at this intersection that (in theory) has water year-round.