Family Fun at Starving Rock State Park, Utica Illinois

There's lots of family fun to be had at Starving Rock State Park, Utica Illinois. We have had the good fortune of traveling out west and enjoying magnificent scenery in Arizona, South Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming. But not everyone from the East or Midwest can make that kind of major trip every summer. That's why it's great to find a place for family fun like Starving Rock State Park located in North Central, Illinois. For millions of people living in or visiting in the greater Chicago area, there's no need to miss out on outdoor activities and natural beauty. It's all just an hour or so away at Starving Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois.

Certainly folks rave about the canyons, rivers and waterfalls that mark our great western lands, as well they should. But when you visit Starving Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois you may be surprised to see how much natural beauty, on an obviously smaller scale, is ready for your exploration. No you won't find anything to match Grand Canyon but you can spend some pleasant hours checking out one or more of the 18 canyons that are found scattered throughout Starving Rock State Park. And you won't find anything on the order of the Colorado River rushing through the canyon but if you visit in spring or after some heavy rain you will see waterfall activity in 14 of the canyons.

For those who love to hike and enjoy the scenic wonder to be found in park lands, Starving Rock State Park offers about 13 miles of trails that offer views along the Illinois River, plenty of rock formations and wonderful shady forests. If you feel the need to do something more active than just hiking, there are plenty of other outdoor activities you can try out like boating, horseback riding, fishing and in the winter cross country skiing. For families with active children there is plenty to do.

You can fill all the daylight hours with woodland adventure and still not have had enough, in which case there are campsites available or you may want to investigate the KOA Kampground in Utica which is reasonably priced, offers on site activities and is proximate to Starving Rock State Park.

If you need just a touch of the civilized world during your visit to Starving Rock State Park, you will want to visit the Starving Rock Lodge where you can catch up on special programs, get a snack or enjoy a meal at the Veranda.
There's not much missing from Starving Rock State Park. True testimony to the quality of the park and its activities can be found in the fact that according to the park website, in 2009 more than 2 million people visited Starving Rock.

Best news about Starving Rock State Park is that admission to the park and parking are free. No fees, nothing to impede a great time with your family.

Resources: www. starvedrockstatepark.org