Pretty trails. I highly recommend downloading the all trails app when hiking here. The trails were…read morenot marked that well. Plenty of parking and various picnic tables around as well.

Growing up not far from the Starved Rock State Park I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to gorgeous…read moreparks but Castle Rock is nice if you are in the area. The lookout portion is on the side closer to the river and there are some paths & picnic areas there. Across the road is the rest of the park with several prairie and some wooded walking/hiking paths and several picnic areas both with and without shelters. There is a restroom in each of the picnic areas. There was a sand volleyball court and small baseball diamond there as well when we visited. The paths aren't too rugged in my opinion but the stairs up to the lookout point on the river could be challenging for some.

Peaceful, contemplative spot to visit. Sinnissippi Site, Sinnissippi Park, Sterling, Illinois. U.S…read more National Register of Historic Places. The site contains several Hopewellian Indian Mounds built between 500 BC and 500 AD. There are several nice trails, playground, shelters with grills, and open spaces as well.

This 50-acre park is the best in Rock Falls. Featuring playgrounds, baseball diamonds, grills,…read moreshelters with picnic tables, tennis courts, fishing, paddle-boats, canoe rental, and access to the Hennepin Canal there is always something to do. Centennial also has a lot of open space, a restored railroad caboose, and even a fenced in area with a playground and picnic tables for those with younger children. Watch out for the speed bumps and check out the Little Red Schoolhouse!

I attended the annual Autumn OnThe Prairie festival at Nachusa Grasslands which is owned by the…read moreNature Conservancy. Everything was well organized and run by friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. My favorite was the bison tour where you sit in a tractor pulled wagon with a guide who answers questions about the bison herd and more. We got so close to them. Northern IL Raptor Rehab & Education was also there with their ambassador birds and displays. This year's souvenir long sleeve T-shirt had a turtle design. Admission is free but you do pay $5 per car for parking. A great way to spend quality family time in a beautiful setting. It was fun to hear all the intelligent questions the kids asked. Future naturalists or future conservation minded generations to come!

We went to the Autumn on the Prairie Fest held in September at the Nachusa Grasslands which is…read more owned by the Nature Conservatory. This annual event is open to the public and is free to attend except for a $5 per car parking fee. They offer Riding Prairie Tours to look for bison,guided hiking tours,a discovery tent ,food,drinks and music. Shuttle service is provided from the parking area if needed. Donations and tshirts for purchase are available. This grasslands preserve is over 4000 acres and consists of remnant prairies,woodlands and wetlands being reconnected through restoration by volunteers to create one of the largest grasslands in Illinois. Definitely worth a visit!

I started this trail at its entrance on the Sterling side of the Rock River…read more Crossing the Rock was a nice starter. On the western dam side, a group of pelicans and their babies swam in the water. Can't say I've ever seen pelicans in Illinois before. Once you reach the Rock Falls side the trail adjoins the Hennepin canal for the rest of the ride. In warm weather you're likely to see a lot of people fishing all the way up to the I88 underpass. Heading south of I88 you aren't likely to see anyone. The trail is in decent shape for an earthen based path, I didn't see much more than small twigs on my ride south. There's easily a good 5-6 miles where you don't see much of anything manmade with the exception of crossing a road. If you're a bird lover, this area will highly appeal. On my 25-mile journey I must have seen 50-75 orioles, a variety of blue colored birds, cardinals, several colors of finch, and a bird that has white tipped feathers that I've never seen before. I'm not a birder but they are beautiful to watch. The canal itself is clean with occasional turtles perched on logs. There was only one spot with bathrooms, and that was closer to Tampico. The rest of the trail is devoid of bathrooms, bench's or other amenities. As mentioned above, you'll travel 5-6 miles at a clip down this path without seeing much of anything manmade. A few comments worth mentioning regarding this trail. First, google indicates that there's supposed to be a sunflower field near the intersection of the trail and Star Road. There isn't. These are all corn fields. Secondly, make sure to bring your own hydration and food. I bike daily and can handle long rides. But back here it gets rather warm. Water consumption for me was a little bit greater, and I even found a need to eat a protein bar to steady my energy level. Lastly, a twenty five mile ride back here will feel like well over 30. While the trail is in good shape for a trail of this kind, you do make a lot of dodges to avoid branches, twigs, holes hanging bushes and other deterrents. The earthen path also slows your speed. If you plan to ride 20 miles, I would set your sights on 15 or so instead. This trail will grind on you a bit. I didn't quite make it to downtown Tampico as I had original set out to do. My halfway point became Fargo Rd, at which point, I could see the little city of Tampico from a distance. This leg of the trail completed my third on the Hennepin Canal Trail. It's a very peaceful trail with a lot of upside. Cheers.

I had roughly 45 minutes before a conference call and it was a beautiful spring day, so I set out…read moreto walk towards the Rock Falls Sinnissippi Dam Walkway. It was a mere fifteen minute walk from the local Holiday Inn, but across the street from the walkway was the Hennepin Feeder Canal. The beginning/end of a 100+ mile canal leading all the way to the Mississippi or Illinois River (depending on which way you turn). Today the canal is a National Register of Historic Places and has 32 of the original 33 locks in place. I was blown away and took several pictures excited to celebrate the history of a project that was proposed in 1834, built between 1892 to 1907, and began operation in 1908. Due to transportation options that expanded rapidly after it's opening, the canal was only in operation until 1951. The official welcome center appears to be in Sheffield, IL, but the Rock Falls park site also notes the annual Hennepin Hundred, ultra marathon race: http://www.hennepinhundred.com "Parking for the Hennepin Canal Trail can be found at the Jim Arduini Boat Launch on East 2nd Street or at the state provided roadside pull-offs along Illinois Route 40 on the south end of Rock Falls."--from the Rock Falls visitors website.

My daughter had had her wedding here. It was wonderful as were the people who were there to help…read more Great place to visit. Big part of ILLINOIS history!!

I highly recommend stopping in for a tour of this magnificent structure. The cost is $5 per person…read more They often hold a "Free Day" so, you might not have to pay anything. The curator Erin is very kind, and knowledgeable. Most reviews on the place are contributed to TripAdvisor, but I felt the Yelp audience would like to know of a place they could visit on a rainy day. Or anytime! I believe the tours are Thursday - Saturday at designated time slots from around Noon to 3pm for a duration of an hour. Call ahead for more info and planning.