🌲 Exploring Starved Rock State Park with My Pup! 🐾

📍 Location: Oglesby, IL (about 1.5–2 hours drive from Chicago) 🚗 Best to drive—there’s parking at the Visitor Center and Lodge. 🥾 Perfect Beginner-Friendly Trail For first-timers, I highly recommend the "Starved Rock → French Canyon" loop: 1️⃣ Start from the steel stairs near the Lodge 2️⃣ Climb up Starved Rock for an amazing view of the Illinois River 🌊 3️⃣ Descend into the beautiful French Canyon 4️⃣ Return via the interior trail back to the Lodge ⏱ The whole loop takes about 1 hour—super easy and great for beginners! 💧 Recommended Waterfall Trails The park has 18 canyons, some with seasonal waterfalls. Popular routes include: St. Louis Canyon (1.5 mi one-way) 👉 Most popular waterfall spot Wildcat Canyon (1.0 mi) 👉 Best after summer rains LaSalle Canyon (2.0 mi) 👉 Spacious canyon, great for photos ⚠️ Note: It’s early September, so the fall colors haven’t started yet, and most waterfalls are pretty dry right now. This trip was more about the canyon views and forest vibe. And yeah… I didn’t see any waterfalls this time 🥹 🐶 Dog-Friendly Tips Dogs are allowed on the trails! 🐕 Recommended routes: 1️⃣ St. Louis Canyon starting from the Lodge 2️⃣ Council Overhang + Ottawa Canyon on the east side (Some metal stairs might be tricky for pups—you can detour through the woods!) 🍴 Food & Rest Stops 🏨 Starved Rock Lodge: The only hotel inside the park—great if you want to stay overnight 🍺 Back Door Lounge: Cozy bar perfect for a post-hike drink 🍨 Trailheads Concessions (at Visitor Center): Snacks, drinks, and ice cream! 📝 Extra Tips There are 13 miles of trails in total—no need to cover everything. Pick 2–3 highlights and enjoy! Lots of stairs (anywhere from 20 to 150 steps)—pace yourself. Bring water and snacks—there aren’t many options on the trails. Swimming, rock climbing, and going off-trail are not allowed. ✨ Final Thoughts: You don’t need an overly detailed plan—sometimes it’s fun to just follow the map and explore freely! And shoutout to my boyfriend for these amazing photos—thanks, babe 😉👏 Long weekends are always better when the adventure is free! 🫶🏻 Have you been to Starved Rock? What’s your favorite trail—or do you have another dog-friendly park I should check out? Share below! 🐶💬 #Chicago #Illinois #Hiking #DogFriendly #OutdoorAdventure #StateParks #MidwestTravel #NatureLovers #PupLife #TravelWithDogs