This understated park near downtown Morris IL will amaze tree lovers. As I understand, every tree…read morein the Midwest has been cut down twice, leaving only pockets of old growth. This forest doesn't really count as "old growth" because it's not wild. These majestic trees are HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD. Anyone under 80 years old or who have never visited a western forest or pockets of the Smokies will NEVER have seen such majestic beauties. There are sycamore, black oak, maple and more. You can walk in camp too. It's not beautiful but we used to do that with kids for an easy getaway. The park is surrounded by homes. The canal and trail pass through and you can walk to the County museum about 1/4 mile east. There's also a new water over water bridge and the water was clear in the river. (Don't drink it) Back to the woods. It's a must see place, former home of Illinois largest tree, a cottonwood. As I understand, the wife of this plot's first "owner" wanted shade, so loggers never cleared it. I have no source so don't quote me. Then it did become a protected gun club and ultimately a state park in need of some TLC. It's a must visit park.

We were recently roadtripping through the area, and stopped by Gebhardt Woods for a nature stroll…read morewith the fam'. Next to the parking lot is a bridge that is fairly damaged but still reasonably crossable. It connects to a grassy trail that appears long and straight in both directions. We went left, and about a half-mile down the trail seems to end at a fenced restricted area, although there is some rundown signage that indicates mile markers to additional attractions. We didn't turn right down the trail, but it appears to stretch far, perhaps connecting with other trailways in the area. The park on the other side of the parking lot had a few pavilion and picnic areas, and some dingy bathrooms, but they were open. The park seemed somewhat rundown, but it was a nice enough quick stop to stretch our legs before hitting the road again.

This is a truly goregous state park full of amazing sights to explore and many trails to hike. We…read morehad a great time. The only thing I have to say is its not exactly compatible with strollers or people with disabilities who use motility devices, I barely managed with my walker, however there are SO many flights of stairs up and down that I dont entirely recommend it even with all terrain tires. Also the water was pretty dried up in the waterfall areas so if you want to see that I dont recommend coming in August. Also bring water with you, you will want it! Other than thank enjoy yourself its a beautiful activity to do

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.

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!

Beautiful park and very similar to Starved Rock as they are just down the road from each other. We…read moreliked our time here and our son did have fun on the little playground, but it was unfortunately looking very neglected.

Matthiessen State Park is such a gem. The trails take you through gorgeous canyons, lush greenery,…read moreand peaceful streams that make you forget how close you are to the city. The waterfall views are the highlight and absolutely worth the hike in, especially when the sun hits the rocks and everything feels like a hidden escape. The trails are well marked and offer a good mix of easy walks and more adventurous climbs, so there is something for everyone. Even on a busier day you can still find quiet corners to enjoy the sound of the water and the view of the sandstone cliffs. If you enjoy hiking, photography, or just want a beautiful spot to reset in nature, this park is a must visit. Bring good shoes, some water, and be ready to take a ton of photos.

Here is an okay kind of boring smaller park area. It's located along the Illinois River in Ottawa…read more Riverfront Park is a basic park with not that much else besides some benches that face the water. Good place to hang out a bit. There's pretty much nothing besides the river to do or see. Close to a few other small parks around here. It's on the north side of the river. This is accessed from Routes 23 and 71 on the north side of the river, which is kind of tricky to get into. Go through the underpass to get here. This isn't much of a park. Amenities are few. There's a few benches and trees but that's about it mostly. Good place to get some views of the river and chill. It's really nothing that's at all special to be honest. There's almost nothing, even a playground.

For the money I don't think you could get any better…read more Yes it gets busy on the weekends and holidays when everyone wants to use the club, and they are a little pickey on following the rules but all in all its a fantastic club. I honestly can't wait for my girls to be a little older and be able to use and do everything at this Club.

Although this park is for hunters and fishermen; it is a nice place to kayak. Never a crowd. You…read morecan also hike back into the woods although there are no trails per se. There are 2 separate sections. The Northern section has asphalt roadway The southern is gravel. Open to hunters only during duck and deer seasons. The Braidwood nuclear power plant has a huge lake nearby.

Mazonia state park is one of my favorite places to go for bass fishing it's a nice place I've…read morebeen fishing at mazonia south monster lake for years I mainly fish from the bank . What a great bass heaven . I would not fish there without wader or boot s because most of the time it over the banks

I have mixed feelings about this kayak tour company. I signed up because although I'm a very…read morecapable and seasoned kayaker, I didn't know this river and I like learning about the ecosystems and local wildlife. For this reason I like having tour guides. Going up the river was fine. Coming back went a bit sour. I went as slow as I was capable of paddling or not paddling, but apparently it was too fast for the preference of our tour guide. I was barely touching the water with my paddle. I have no idea how I could have gone any slower. It wasn't humanly possible. After shouting at me several times, he took to chasing me down and ramming my kayak so it'd spin in circles. Would I rent a kayak here and kayak the river alone? Yes. Would I personally use a tour guide here? No I wouldn't. Would I recommend? If you're a family with little kids or a drunk sorority house, absolutely. If you know what you're doing, just go it alone. You'll probably enjoy it more. Edit: If the tour guide had concerns for group safety, he could have said so. Although ramming my kayak with his seems to be a bit of a conflict as far as my safety goes. It was an unprofessional approach when he could have simply explained why he needed me to slow down

It almost seemed like a dream. From the very start, cruising through a large patch of lotus plants,…read moreit felt otherworldly. Very peaceful, going at our own pace. Enjoyed the cliff walls of Buffalo Rock and the shallow waters of some side passages. We paddled for 5 hours, covering 8 miles total. After we were done we headed to charming, historic downtown Utica for drinks and dinner at Skoog's Pub & Grill in North Utica, IL. I was impressed with the logistics and operation of the kayaking experience, from the guide* to the equipment and online booking process. *Full disclosure, the guide was my twin sister, but I am being objective...seriously.