Starved Rock State Park

State park · Illinois

Autumn foliage at Starved Rock State Park
Photo: B3thedw / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Eighteen sandstone canyons cut into the bluffs above the Illinois River near Oglesby, many holding seasonal waterfalls that run heaviest after fall rain. Maple and oak color the canyon rims through October across roughly 2,630 acres of trails, Illinois's signature fall hiking destination.

Best for: Canyon hiking and waterfalls

Don’t miss

  • 18 sandstone canyons
  • seasonal waterfalls
  • trails above the Illinois River
2026 Forecast

Peak: October 23–October 27

Color builds from October 10 · mostly bare by November 16

Color starts: October 10Peak: October 25Bare: November 16AugustDecember

Sampled at Starved Rock State Park’s own coordinates and elevation (143 m) rather than a regional average.

Illinois is sampled at 27 weather points, then moved 2 days later so the model agrees with 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com and almanac.com. Illinois is running 4 days earlier than its own average this year. How the forecast works

When to go to Starved Rock State Park

The color window runs about 24 days, holding until around November 3. That runs roughly 1 day earlier than the rest of Illinois.

Starved Rock State Park on the map

Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Illinois, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.

More things to do in Illinois

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Frequently asked

When does Starved Rock State Park peak in 2026?
Peak color is predicted for October 23–October 27 (best estimate October 25). Color starts around October 10 and is mostly bare by November 16.

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