The Frozen Waterfalls At Starved Rock State Park In Illinois Are A Must-See This Winter
The bluffs and canyons have long been a draw to Starved Rock State Park. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike along 13 miles of trails that are open year-round allowing them to experience the changes in landscape throughout the year. Winter hikes can lead to otherworldly discoveries like waterfalls suspended in ice, and you will find many of these waterfalls, ranging in height from 15 to 80 feet, in different canyons around the park. Let’s have a look at these wondrous waterfalls frozen over during the winter season.
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
Hiking French Canyon Trail to get to this icy waterfall is perhaps one of the easiest at Starved Rock State Park.
The trailhead starts at the visitors center and leads directly to the falls in under a half-mile, making this a more accessible hike for most people.
The icy waterfalls here reside in LaSalle Canyon which has a moderate 2.6-mile out and back trail. The rock formations in this canyon make for an alluring display of snow and ice.
Kaskaskia Canyon's cascade of frozen water is mesmerizing, to say the least. This is one of the favored canyons in the park with its 20-foot waterfall flowing down into a small pond and framed by tree limbs which create the ultimate icy work of art come wintertime.
In Ottowa Canyon, hikers can potentially walk behind this fall via the creek bed if conditions are safe. If you are able to do this, the view of the iced waterfall is absolutely incredible!
This is the one canyon where ice climbers are allowed to climb in the park. Also, keep in mind, if you are hiking, this is a more strenuous hike than some of the others.
A hike through Wildcat Canyon will treat visitors with an overlook view of its otherworldly scenic waterfall that looks suspended in time. What an incredible scene!
Hiking in winter may not seem ideal to some. It’s cold and weather conditions may not always be the best with the ice and snow but there are some great benefits to getting out on a trail at your favorite park. This time of year brings more quiet and less traffic on the trails and the chance to see waterfalls that are seemingly frozen in time. So, get outside and discover frozen waterfalls this winter at Starved Rock State Park.
For more information on the park and trails, visit the Starved Rock website.
Address: 2668 E 875th Rd, Oglesby, IL 61348, USA
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She's an east coast girl living in a west coast world. Melissa has worked in the entertainment industry for much of her adult life and loves photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. and to far-flung locations around the world.
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