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Jul 18, 2022 · Are you looking for the best State parks near Chicago? We got you covered. The greater Chicago area is a great place to visit for travelers interested in outdoor pursuits, such as hiking and exploring nature.
William W. Powers State Recreation Area is an Illinois state park administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on 580 acres (230 ha) in the Hegewisch community area of the City of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States.
- James “Pate” Phillip State Park | 45 Minutes. Clocking in at about 45 minutes from Chicago, this is the closest Illinois State Park to Chicago. The park is reclaimed farmland slowly turning time backward to bring back the natural Illinois grasslands and prairie ecosystem that was stripped away as settlers developed the land.
- Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park | 50 Minutes. As the only one of Illinois State Parks along Lake Michigan, Illinois Beach State Park offers great views of the lake just about an hour away from the city!
- Kankakee River State Park | 1 Hour. Straight down 57, hop-off at the Manteno exit and you’re just ten minutes away from Kankakee River State Park! With 4,000 acres of protected forest and 11 miles of river shoreline, there are activities for any kind of outdoor explorer.
- Chain O’ Lakes State Park | 1 Hour 15 Minutes. Chain O’ Lakes Stat e Park is a Lake County State Park for Chicagoans looking to enjoy some water activities in a smaller lake than Lake Michigan!
- Alexandra Owens
- Starved Rock State Park. Where: LaSalle County, Illinois. What to Expect: One of the Midwest’s most popular parks, ancient glaciers formed Starved Rock’s namesake 125-foot butte which hangs precipitously over the Illinois River.
- Indiana Dunes National Park. Where: Porter County, Indiana. What to Expect: One of the most ecologically diverse preserves in the nation with over 15,000 acres of dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers and forests, Indiana Dunes boasts unusual features like oaks growing right out of the sand.
- Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Where: Wisconsin. What to Expect: And now for something completely different: a massive, prehistoric trail. Harkening back to a time some 15,000 years ago when an ice sheet covered much of North America, this route traces ancient sedimentary formations such as kames (sand mounds) and eskers (long, winding ridges) and provides fascinating insight into glacial history.
- Moraine Hills State Park. Where: McHenry County, Illinois. What to Expect: Surrounding 48-acre Lake Defiance, one of the few glacial lakes in Illinois that remains largely undeveloped, Moraine Hills State Park immerses visitors in the area’s woodlands, wetlands and abundant wildlife.
May 14, 2024 · A recent ranking of the best places to camp in the Midwestern United States offered high praise to a state park in Illinois, but it isn't the one you may be thinking of.
Oct 13, 2020 · Basic Steps to Camping at Illinois State Parks. 1. Find your Perfect Park! Use the department of natural resources website or our Illinois campground guides to find a campground with the amenities and features you’re looking for in the location you desire. 2. Book it!
The Chain O'Lakes in northwest Lake County is the busiest inland recreational waterway per acre in the United States. Located in the northeastern corner of Illinois in both McHenry and Lake counties, the Chain O'Lakes State Park is 60 miles northwest of Chicago.
