10 Best Nature Preserves in Illinois

Located at the southern tip of Illinois, Shawnee National Forest covers 289,000 acres of oak-hickory woodlands, serene lakes, and sandstone cliffs. It’s home to one of the most visited natural areas in the state, the spectacular Garden of the Gods. An easy paved trail takes visitors to the lookout point, where dramatic rock formations rise before a panorama of the surrounding wilderness.  

The Little Grand Canyon Trail, weaving between 300-foot bluffs, and the more challenging Rim Rock Trail are 2 of the most stunning hikes. Centrally located Lake Glendale is well-equipped for a picnic and a swim. The park’s Wilderness Areas, rugged backcountry free of motorized vehicles, are excellent places to spot wildlife like armadillos and bald eagles. 

Starved Rock State Park is one of the state’s most treasured natural areas. It’s known for 18 glacier-carved canyons and the waterfalls that trickle down their sandstone facades each spring. Wildcat Canyon offers some of the most dramatic sights, with a 70-ft waterfall cascading over lichen-covered cliffs. The LaSalle Canyon hiking trail is bordered by lush forest on one side and the Illinois River on the other.  

The historic Starved Rock Lodge, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, provides cozy accommodations with easy access to many trailheads. Climb to the top of the namesake Starved Rock for a spectacular view of the oak and maple forests, particularly stunning in fall. 

Mississippi Palisades State Park offers 15 miles of hiking trails through cliffs and woodland along the Mississippi River. The difficulty of the trails varies, with those in the south of the park being notably more challenging as they wrap around the bluffs. Although some of the trails could use maintenance, most are easy to navigate while providing stunning views of the Mississippi. 

The park is equipped with several campgrounds and picnic facilities furnished with shelters, drinking fountains, and grills. Fishing is a popular summer pastime at Mississippi Palisades, and in spring a host of wildflowers bring color to the forest floor.

Matthiessen State Park in north-central Illinois is a great spot for family outings. Just 2 miles south of the better-known Starved Rock State Park, this gorgeous 2,000-acre park features sandstone canyons, waterfalls, and abundant plant and animal life. You’ll find the charming Matthiessen Lake Falls in the Upper Dells, while steep, narrow canyons characterize the Lower Dells. 

Bring your water shoes to wade in cool forest streams under a canopy of green. Children will be enamored with the many frogs and salamanders that make their homes here, and white-tailed deer are a common sighting around the park. Out of the woods, the park has a 40-acre recreation area with picnic shelters, a playground, and a cheerful sunflower field. 

The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is a major initiative to restore 20,000 acres of developed land to its natural ecosystem. Now the most endangered of North American biomes, tallgrass prairie once made up 60% of the Illinois landscape. The park aims to turn back the clock, reintroducing native plants and animals such as once-endangered wild bison to the land. 

Visitors explore the area through 22 miles of trails across the marshes, sedge meadows, and wet prairie lands. The prairie is home to a huge variety of wild grasses and wildflowers, including species of asters, clovers, and the delicate pasture rose. Bird lovers will be delighted to hear the songs of more than 100 species across the fields. 

Just an hour south of Chicago, the Kankakee River State Park is where locals come for a quiet weekend away. The park is an idyllic spot for camping, offering well-maintained campgrounds with warm running water. The Kankakee River itself is a major feature, making this a fisherman’s favorite. 

Ten miles of trails throughout the reserve’s 4,000 acres traverse riverbanks, forests, and prairies. Huge pine trees and Osage orange trees shade the forest paths, while blue herons walk among the cattails in the wetlands. The park is especially dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friend along on this camping trip. 

Cache River State Natural Area is a slice of Louisiana bayou in southern Illinois. The reserve’s swamps and wetlands have been relatively undisturbed for millennia, resulting in a highly diverse and unique ecosystem. The star of these swamps is the ancient bald cypress trees that give structure to the landscape, some of which are more than 1,000 years old. 

River otters, wood ducks, opossums, and great horned owls are among the critters you may spot in your explorations. The Todd Fink Heron Pond Trail features a boardwalk over the swamp, while more adventurous spirits may prefer to explore via the canoe trails on the Lower Cache River. 

A hidden gem in northern Illinois, White Pines Forest State Park is gorgeous and serene. The wooded park features gentle creeks running through old-growth Eastern White Pine Forest, with limestone ledges lining the water’s edge. 

The park trails are well-kept and tend toward short, easy strolls. Tackle them all in 1 day or one at a time over a weekend. Campgrounds are suitable for tent camping and are furnished with picnic tables and fire pits but be aware that quiet time is not strictly enforced. 

Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve is a protected natural area of rolling hills and woodlands about 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. The preserve is valued for its staggering degree of biodiversity. It’s home to more than 700 native plant species and 300 species of mammals, birds, fish, and amphibians. 

The Main Trail Loop runs just under 10 miles and is popular with hikers and bicyclists. It provides access to the area’s main attraction: the short, wide waterfall on Sawmill Creek, a lovely spot to kick off your shoes and wade in the water. If you’re eager to hike off-trail, join an orienteering course, where visitors navigate unmarked footpaths with a good old-fashioned map and compass. 

More than 4,000 species of trees and plants live at the 1,700-acre Morton Arboretum, an internationally recognized nonprofit that collects trees for scientific study and public enjoyment. The arboretum has 16 miles of hiking trails that take visitors beneath the boughs of its vast collection, which includes willow, maple, birch, and ornamental flowering trees like magnolia.  

The organization offers robust educational programs on subjects ranging from forest ecology and tree identification to nature photography. The onsite Sterling Morton Library houses a fascinating collection of botanical art and literature that visitors can peruse in its enchanting reading garden.