LaSalle Canyon Falls in mid-April 2012
I’ve always been a pretty spontaneous person when it comes to travel. I may decide to go somewhere to see waterfalls without any significant amount of planning. For certain waterfall destinations, though, that can be problematic. Hocking Hill State Park in Ohio is one example, and Starved Rock State Park in Illinois is another. The issue is that there is often only a limited “viewing” period for the falls in those parks before they dry up for the summer. I haven’t visited Hocking Hills yet, but earlier this year, I decided to plan a visit to Starved Rock State Park in April, when I hoped there would be some remnants of waterfalls.
Directions:
- Starved Rock State Park is not particularly difficult to visit. The park is only a few miles south of I-80 between Ottawa and LaSalle.
- You can exit onto IL-178 (from I-80), and head south for something like 3 miles.
- The entrance to the park will be on your left shortly after crossing the Illinois River.
- From the main parking area, you can start along the hike to the various falls. In this case, you will be hiking to your east. (There are other starting points along IL-71, but I did not explore those other options.)
- Initially, the options can seem overwhelming. If you just want to head toward this set of falls, veer left early, trekking with the river usually in view. It is at least a mile in, if not further.
- In this case, a map does help with navigating the trails. If I remember correctly, there will be a sign directing you to LaSalle Canyon. (If you were originally heading east, this will be to your right.) A boardwalk will lead you to the falls.
Accessibility: 8/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 12′
Length of Hike: 4.0 miles round-trip (from visitor’s center)
Where in the World is LaSalle Canyon Falls?
The Waterfall Record 