Shabona Lake is a relaxing place to enjoy nature. It's nice to walk by the lake on the paved side…read morewalks & stop at the different picnic tables & benches for just a little rest or bring a picnic to enjoy ... sunny or shadey options. Also WheelChair friendly!

Tried to make reservations online but because I'm within 72 hours I must do walk in 1st come 1st…read moreserve. I showed up to camp and found out the park has different rules than idnr or the reservation website and do not allow walk in for prime sites. All sites not registered online must sit empty. So my family was turned away, the site along with many other prime sites are going to sit empty all weekend. I even offered to pay double and I spoke to the deputy director of the park. Sad to see the park turning away money over a 72 hour online only policy

Best park that's in Channahon of course. Channahon State Park has some nice views of the DuPage…read moreRiver. It actually is bigger than it seems with lots of open areas and trails. Has lots of places for grilling. The park also usually isn't crowded so it's a good place for chilling and hanging. A lot of great scenery around. It's located along the DuPage River. This is near the end of it where it flows into the Des Plaines River, so around here there's certainly lots of water. Among the other features is the war memorial. This honors those from Channahon who died in various wars. It consists of a few flags and pillars with names of those who died. The park also has a building that looks like it has bathrooms but it's closed off it seems. Gets crowds when it's good weather for boating. It's located close to the marina with the Big Basin Saloon, a popular hangout. There's plenty of areas along the water including a few trails.

First time coming here, wanted to try something new to visit on a day off work and this place is…read moresuch a beautiful gem! Great views everywhere from all places! The park itself is great for the summer for shade from the sun. Bathrooms are okay. The dam itself is really cool to see. Highly recommend coming here on a run to take everything in better. Even a better place to fish at! Not too crowded at all, very peaceful! 4.5 stars

This isn't a hiking place for people who aren't outdoorsy. The trails are not maintained, and it's…read moreabout a mile's walk to even enter the park. If these things don't bother you, then this is an amazing park. From the parking lot, which can hold perhaps half a dozen cars, visitors can trek down a footpath that follows Mitchell's Creek. Once the treeline starts, the trail continues down the creek until it merges with the Tommohawk Creek. Technically, this is the end of the trail. However the woods of the park extend for miles past the end of the trail. There are huge sandstone bluffs, rapids, and several endangered trees in the area. You will not see other people here. One star off for the sound of I80 which can be heard on quiet mornings. Really wouldn't be to hard to build a noise barrier on the bridge if Illinois were so inclined.

Located between Ottawa Illinois and Utica,this park is along the Illinois River across from Starved…read moreRock State Park. We didn't stay long but walked to the lookout where we saw many kayakers on the river. Picnic areas and kids play areas are throughout the park. Plenty of parking.

Small but big sometimes is best! We were here last weekend…read more Beautiful sunny cool pleasant day. Got there about 8:20. First time here. The views of the IL River were spectacular. We were about 30 minutes into our hike, when we started to hear gunshots. Well unbeknownst to us, we didn't know it was a gun range in the area. We sorta tried to just tune out those sounds and just get more into our hike. Saw several different species of birds. Then we finally saw an eagle . That was really cool! We met some friendly faces along the trail too! Plan to go back before winter sets in and see the two remaining buffalo . We heard that there was a recent loss. Hope they can introduce more buffalo to the park.

Great park located around Yorkville with a few big lakes. It has lots of hiking trails. Silver…read moreSprings State Park gets its name from the pool of bubbling water. Of course, there's tons of other things to see around it. The popular activities include boating, fishing, and picnicking. Bigger park with a lot of history. It's an area that was purchased by the state in 1969 and turned into a park. The park was originally 1,250 acres, and added a prairie restoration project in 1980 among expansions since. Kind of what the land was like before settlers took it. There's a path that goes through it where visitors can check out animals, grass, and wildflowers. A few man made lakes are highlights. Loon Lake is the biggest one, popular for fishing or getting photos. A refreshment stand is located by it. The spring is the biggest attraction of the park though. Amazingly the water in it never freezes. There's amazing plantlife around it including watercress. Also fun when it's colder. There's a toboggan hill that's fairly steep. Among the kinds of trails are equestrian. There's also plenty for basic hiking. Has lots to look at here for hours and you can even stay overnight by camping. It's got an area that's available for youth groups. This area is only reachable through backpacking so it's far away from loud noises or vehicles.

Serene lake with a good 2-mile hike along lake, river, woods amd some prairie. It was a quiet…read moremid-day walk one snowy day... until I pass by a group of kids screaming and sledding along a slope, how fun :)

Take a hike! See some waterfalls! Temper your expectations regarding the latter. This isn't Niagara…read moreFalls we're talking about, but once you reach the falls, it's a nice respite from all the noise in the world. Depending on the season and time of year you visit, you can walk across this small waterway, trek through some woods, hear pleasing bird calls, but be sure to wear some good shoes. The path is dog-friendly and I see dogs enjoying the water more than the owners. So what are you waiting for?

Well maintained. Not too crowded…read more Challenging enough on a bike for me. Beautiful and well maintained trails that are well marked. Love it. If you're out of shape this place can whip you back into shape if you let it.

Wow what a beautiful Park here in Dekalb you can. Enjoy a…read moregorgeous river as you walk and giant trees and a walk way that will Lead you to NIU university going to the left Path way and if you go to the right you can play frisbee at the court to play with your friends or you can ride your bike, run have a pic nick.I like the park because is just in my back yard

Beautiful park land alongside the Illinois River. Campgrounds, picnic areas, lookout benches,…read moretrails, and boating in this lush forest by the river. There are places to launch your boat, $15.00 in one area and free by the Lock. Lots of things to do! A great place for the day or a few days!

Starved Rock State park leaves your rocks starving for more hiking…read more This park had plenty of trails that were well preserved. Easy to walk through. I had no trouble finding parking. There were bathrooms whether portable or the nice one at the visitor center. Excellent vista points. Great options for families or the adventurous hikers.

The park itself is beautiful, with scenic trails, waterfalls, and great views that make it easy to…read moresee why it's such a popular destination. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature and explore different areas of the park. However, the biggest downside during my visit was how crowded it was. It was very busy, and finding parking was difficult, which made the experience more stressful before even getting started. The crowds also made some of the trails and viewpoints feel less peaceful than expected. I think it would be a much better experience during a less busy time when you can take your time exploring and enjoy the scenery without the crowds. Overall: 3 stars. Beautiful scenery and a great outdoor destination, but the crowds and parking situation took away from the overall experience.

Nothing is better than quiet days and nights surrounded by nature! Weekends get a little busy but…read moredefinitely a fun way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

One of my favorite things about Woodhaven is the quality musicians they hire both for the Friday…read morenight live acoustic shows which are adult evening entertainment and the bands at the pavilion on Saturday and sometimes Sunday nights. This weekend we listed to Burn N Bush Friday and even though I wouldn't consider myself a country music fan, these two guys were very entertaining. Saturday night Strung Out put on quite the 70's decade show. Great job Woodhaven!