Agencies
Services
Hours
Starved Rock Park Trails:
7:00 a.m. - sunset
Starved Rock Visitor Center:
Daily 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed on Federal holidays from November through March.
Starved Rock Campground:
Gates open at 8:30 a.m. Gates close at 10 p.m. daily.
Starved Rock Lodge:
separate operating hours, please visit: www.starvedrocklodge.com
Hike App
- Starved Rock State Park Common Questions & Answers
Park Brochure
- Trail Project Phase 2: Starting July 6. Access to the eastern trail system will be closed from the Visitor Center, but for Starved Rock and the staircase to the Lodge. Visitors can gain access to the trail system from the Lodge at the French Canyon trailhead located next to the cabins by the Lodge parking lot, or the western trail system to Aurora and St. Louis Canyons from the opposite side of the Lodge. Access is available from any of the outlying parking lots/trailheads along Route 71 (LaSalle, Hennepin, Ottawa, Kaskaskia, and Illinois Canyons) or Route 178 at St. Louis Canyon. The interior trail to French Canyon will remain closed for a few more weeks to finish up construction, but the trail above French Canyon from the Lodge parking lot out to Lovers Leap and the Campanula trail out to Wildcat Canyon.
- Existing closures include Tonti Canyon and Tonti Bridge, the west side trail from LaSalle Canyon to Tonti Canyon, and the staircase from the west entrance to the boat ramp area. This area is scheduled for reconstruction this fall.
Starved Rock Trail Improvement Project
Beginning in 2026, some Starved Rock trails will be closed to accommodate trail construction as part of the Capitol Development Trail Project for Starved Rock State Park. Facilities such as the Starved Rock Lodge, Campground, and Visitor Center will not be affected by any of the trail project closures and will remain open under normal operating hours.
Trails and park areas that are currently unavailable to visitors:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Lincoln's Birthday
- President's Day
- Juneteenth
- Election Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving
- Day after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day
- Complete the Activity Permit at least 2-3 weeks before the scheduled visit.
- Acquire Proof of Liability Insurance (business, school, or organization can ask their administrator or main office) or have each participant sign the Release of Liability Form ahead of time.
- Email, mail, or drop off the completed Activity Permit and Proof of Liability Insurance together (or, Release of Liability) to DNR.StarvedRock@illinois.gov at least 2-3 weeks before the scheduled visit.
- The Site Superintendent will respond within 2 weeks from the time the permit was handed in with an approval or denial of the group visit through email (DNR.StarvedRock@illinois.gov) or phone at 1-815-667-4726.
VISITOR CENTER
The Visitor Center exhibit hall, park office, and information desk are open dailyThe 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Visitor Center is CLOSED on:
ACTIVITY PERMITS
REQUIRED FOR ANY GROUP OF 20 OR MORE
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Land Management, requires any group of 20 or more persons who use Department facilities to have advance written permission from the Site Superintendent.
Regardless of group size, the Department may require additional liability coverage to be provided through an Activity Permit. Release of Liability can be used if your organization, family, or school does not have liability insurance. Site managers may deny the request if the facilities are not adequate to handle the size of the group, if public health or safety might be compromised, if the liability risk to the Department is too great, or if there would be adverse impacts on natural resources at the site.
Activity Permits are to be used whenever a non-traditional use of any facility is requested (for example, a family reunion in the picnic area) and/or any activity that might increase potential liability to the Department (for example, search and rescue teams practicing on rock faces). These requests need to be made at least 21 days in advance of the activity and forwarded to the Regional Office for processing.
A Permit to Sell is needed if food or goods are sold, fees are charged, or when money changes hands in any manner among the organizers, spectators, and/or participants.
Guidelines for Completing Activity Permits
Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center
PO Box 509
Utica, IL 61373
Northwestern Illinois
PO Box 509
Utica
61373
Office M-F
41.309
-88.989
