Starved Rock State Park

Top row, left to right:
Matt (my sisters son) Chris (my sister's daughter) Ronna (my girlfriend), Andy and Angie (Angie is Chris's daughter, Andy is her boyfriend)
Bottom row, left to right:
My sister Nancy, Kim (Matts wife) and their son Colin, myself.

Right now Ronna and I are in the middle of getting ready to attend our first truck camper rally in Amana IA this weekend. But it’s been awhile since I last posted an update  soI thought I would take a moment and write a bit before we leave in the morning.

My 2 weeks at Starved Rock State Park near Ottawa IL were wonderful, although the weather for the first several days was extremely hot. On some days the heat index hit 104 and kept me off the trails.  On other days the heavy rains kept me around the campsite.

During my second weekend my sister and her clan spent 4 days and 3 nights camped next to me. It was great to see them all and the weather for these tent campers was just perfect; cool nights, comfortable days and no rain to speak of (photo above). I can tell you that these tent campers sure now how to put on the feed bag!

Starved Rock is a hikers and photographers paradise. There are many miles of well-marked trails and 18 canyons to explore. The park boasts a beautiful, log lodge built by the CCC as well as a restaurant that serves breakfast lunch and dinner. The original lodge has been added to over the years and now has hotel rooms, an indoor pool, hot tub and steam baths. There are log cabins for rent as well.

The lodge hosts many weddings and has events year around. This includes Eagle Watch in January. Many Bald Eagles migrate down from the northern states as the lakes freeze over and stay near the park, were the dams on the Illinois River provide them with open water and good fishing.

One could write volumes about this place and its history but I’ll supply a link here and you can do your own reading.

http://www.starvedrockstatepark.org/

The campground is divided into 2 loops and all sites are reservable. There is a variety of wooded, open and partially wooded sites. All have electric and there are shower houses as well as portable toilets in various locations. A camp store has all the necessities and fire wood. The campground is not in the park proper but just south of it. You will need your vehicle to get to the park (about 1.5 miles away) and to get to any of the remote parking lots which serve the canyon hikes that are a further distance from the lodge.

Every summer weekend sees the campground full and the park itself crowded.  But come on a week day and hit he trail early and you may just have a canyon or two all to yourself.

I left Starved Rock on Monday and have spent the last 2 nights back at Paul Wolff campground in Elgin IL. Dropped off the camper and took the truck to Ronna’s house for a good cleaning. Loaded back up this morning and spent all day today washing and cleaning the camper. After 3 months in the woods it really needed a bath.

Well, its getting late and there are still things to do before Ronna and I head for Iowa in the morning. It’s our first truck camper rally and I’m looking forward to it. I believe there are 21 or 22 rigs that will be attending. The Amana Colonies and a tour of a Frank Lloyd Wright house will fill our 4 days stay. I’ll tell you all about it on my next post.

Here are some photos from Starved Rock: