CHICAGO — Where is the best place to see fall foliage in Illinois that you might not know about?According to one survey, it’s less than two hours from Chicago.
Per a survey by Mixbook, a photo book brand, Starved Rock State Park is the No. 1 “hidden gem” to see leaves change in the state and 24th overall in the United States.
They surveyed 3,000 people asking what “under-the-radar” destinations they’d visit around the country for fall foliage.
Located in LaSalle County near Oglesby and Utica, about 90 miles west of Chicago, Starved Rock was designated a state park in 1911 and features 18 canyons and 13 miles of trails along the Illinois River.
Open the entire year with a lodge located on-site, it offers opportunities for hiking, camping boating, fishing, and hunting on the grounds.
The Cook County Forest Preserves has a fall color map on its website.
Other places in Illinois featured in Mixbook’s survey of “hidden gems” for fall foliage include
- No. 66 – Castle Rock State Park – Ogle County
- No. 98 – Pere Marquette State Park – Jersey County
Per the Mixbook survey, here are the Top Ten “under-the-radar” destinations around the country
1. Sterling Forest State Park, New York
2. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Michigan
3. Bear Creek Lake State Park, Virginia
4. Mount Greylock State Reservation, Massachusetts
5. Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Maine
6. High Bridge Trail Park, Virginia
7. Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
8. Beartooth Highway, Montana
9. Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee
10. Hope Valley, California
