Reviews of Matthiessen State Park (Tourist Attraction)

Edward siders Siders

this was a great day for me and my family the dog loves it too

Brandon Eble

Not a bad hike. Was a total of about 2 hrs, without any major struggles. You see a couple good sights, but nothing crazy. I would recommend getting there early, as it was fairly busy around 1 pm as we wrapped up our hike.

Nathan Terrill

Hands down best hiking trails in the area! Take the time to explore the upper and lower dells you won't be disappointed! Bring water shoes or boots because if you really want to enjoy it your feet are getting wet!

Julia

Great place to visit instead of the more popular Starved Rock State Park. There are cooler areas to walk around in and just breathtaking waterfalls and places to explore inside. Theres also a cute small town very close by.

Juan Fernando

Beautiful trails. The canyons offer a different kind of hike than can be found in your local forest preserve. Would recommend to anyone that enjoys the outdoors.

Michael Webster

The trails are well kept, God created an amazingly beautiful place!!, three beautiful waterfalls!! There were five of us and we thoroughly enjoyed it we all want to go back there is so much to see

Francis P.

As adventurous as you wanna be with this loop that's a little over 3 miles of easy to moderate hiking depending on your location. Very cool views of waterfalls, especially from the canyon floor. Dog friendly as long as they are leashed.

Amy Burrow

It was amazing. We even went back twice. Not a lot of people. I will definitely go back there as many times as I can.

Steve Gieser

A much better alternative to Starved Rock. Nice hiking trails.

Tim Droogan

Incredible can't believe I never went here before. Took the whole family thankful I got to share this with them.

Tara Vanderheyden

We loved this park! I hiked with my 5 and 3 year old daughter and we were easily able to keep to trails we could handle. The crowds stayed at Starved Rock but we found some of the best views here! Next time I think we might skip Starved Rock and come straight here.

Carley Day

Had a great time hiking around Matthiessen! The trails are nice and it's a beautiful park. Some of the trails were closed, so we'll definitely be back to explore more when we can!

James Brendel

I bring my son's here for hiking. Miles of creeks to walk through, frogs to catch, waterfalls to play in. Absolutely amazing place.

Mandm Biggus

Epic trails that will test your ninja skilz! Seriously there are paths through the stream that require rock jumping. No rock climbing the canyon walls allowed. With all the stairs your Fitbit may short circuit haha.

LaShonda Spencer

I love this place! So peaceful and serene.

Justin Tait

Wow! What a great place to take the family. I have been to a lot of places that say they have scenic trails but this place takes the cake! Very very cool!

Burim Osmani

It’s a beautiful place to visit and enjoy yourself, the views are marvelous! So much to see, if you walk in the river, try to look up and look at the view!!!! It’s amazing!

BrandaLee Hambrick

Such a beautiful place!! Fall is the best time to go.

Shannon Funk

I've never heard of this place until I saw the signs on the way to Starved Rock. If you only have time for one stop, pick Matthiessen. The kids loved exploring the dells and seeing the waterfalls. We explored for two and a half hours and did not see everything. I would definitely return.

Kaia Tammen

This is a hidden gem next to starved rock--fewer people, more water, and a handful of pretty trail options. Plus, our dog enjoyed the hike through the upper and lower dells as much we did!

Dan Leman

Beautiful for Illinois, but there were a lot of people for September

Lane Sauder

Awesome hiking trails and beautiful views. Only issue is how crowded it sometimes is

Manuel Carrera

Lots of trails. Parking can be an issue in busy days. Waterfalls. Picnic tables. Small stationary grills. Your feet will get wet. Bring extra socks.

Christian Beltran

There are so many places to explore, lots of little things to climb, and a lot of dogs. The trails are long but there are many different ways to get somewhere. I like the fact that you can go down into the canyon and walk around in there, maybe get wet a little. You can go behind one of the waterfalls and it looks really beautiful. Such a great place.

Kirk Lord

Great place to take a girl on a date to show her you don't just Google pictures of a forest. Also good for taking your 4 legged friends. Has awesome waterfalls and great hiking. We never stay on the path always off to make our own

Donald Phillis

Very beautiful views in fall and spring and temperatures are great for hiking.

Bonnie Garcia

Great place for a quick family getaway. Lots of trails (and stairs) for hiking. Beautiful scenery with hidden waterfalls and caves to explore along the way. Quick tip for those not up to a lot of walking park at the frisbee golf course and your right next to the big waterfall under the bridge. FYI bathrooms are "rustic"

Rocio Mora

Great trails...lots of stairs...they also have a picnic area with built-in grilling stations...best time to get there for good parking is before 9am

Artiom Necrasov

Beautiful canyons, better than starved rock canyons

Laura Hinojosa

AWESOME trails and views all year!

Nisha Singh

Such a beautiful adventurous loop of trails no matter which one you take. I come with my dog all the time and he cant get enough either

Erick Scarpone

Loved this park we had so much fun

biance alebiosu

Beautiful green and lush nature trails. Great hiking spot. Plentiful parking and helpful signs to lead you where you want to go.

Jeff Reimer

Great park with easy Dell trails and not difficult river trail.

Jason Rowe

Great trails and some beautiful views. The trails aren't as established as Starved Rock down the street, but they feel a little more adventurous. There's a cool little spot to fly remote control airplanes too! Check it out!

Eric Diaz

The park park is really nice. Clean, easy parking, and a really nice river make this park a nice place to hike.

Courtenay O'Connell

Really nice hike! We drove from Lincolnshire to see 5 state parks - this was the furthest & the best. It also whipped our butts! We walked almost 2 miles, from the fort, down the stairs, and past the stairs leading down to the lower dells. We walked on, looking for a bridge, to make the loop back to the steps to the fort. After lots of muddy, rocky, and uneven steps on the path, we gave up, turned around and retraced our steps. There are 150 steps down to the first bridge, and as we were walking back up, we were grateful for the benches that are provided every 40-50 steps on the way up. Port-a-potties are available, as well as flush toilets, sinks with soap & blow dryers. The parking lot is big, but being a popular place, we were lucky to find a space. Next time, we’ll go all the way down to the cool, refreshing waters.

Aaron Crigley

It's a great walk and some rough trails. My family and I loved it. Went for a walk up stream and enjoyed the little water falls and flat areas to just enjoy the peace and quite.

George Alewelt

The leaves haven't turned quite yet but it was beautiful today!

Marcin Jaszczuk

An excellent place to escape the crowds of Starved Rock. You'll get a good taste of the woods, see some nice geological rock formations, hang out by the river, and just relax. This is better than Starved Rock if you're a person who enjoys the outdoors and doesn't enjoy tourist traps. You can get lost in the many many miles of deep woods trails. Tip: the mosquitoes aren't bad during mid day yet (6/10/2019) at this point, but they start to hit you in the late afternoon. Excellent place, will be a lifetime of visiting for me.

Evelyn Grande

Simply beautiful, we had a great time hiking, weather was perfect and I will definitely go back anytime.

Emily

Beautiful park with hiking on trails or on ground. I brought my little dog and we both had a great time

J Pratt

Picked the perfect weekend to go. Went here years ago but was unable to explore the park due to flooding. Leaves changing colors, water levels were perfect.

Emily Heinrich

I love nature trails. This one is so perfect because it has the falls and beauty that Starved Rock has but isn't as busy. My boyfriend and I took our dog here and she loved playing in all the water. I do suggest water shoes however, some of the falls you can only get to by walking through rocky water.

Badrul V

A must go , nice trekking , biking, horse riding

Staci Bourland

Great park but pleas ebring bags to clean up what others leave behind. I'd be willing to pay to visit our State parks.

Amanda French

We have been here twice to hike and absolutely love it here. So beautiful and so much fun to walk through the creek. Make sure to bring your water shoes!

Roma AS

the trail is good and challenging, but I would rather not touch the water in the trail since I found the water is in fact very dirty..... not like some clear mountain spring, the water here is from Illinois river with waste water from nearby factories

Ashley Christine

Amazing place! Ive been coming here since I was little and recently took my husband and he loved it. There are a lot of stairs so be prepared !

Mike Snyder

Amazing! Incredible vistas! Easy hiking and dog friendly!

Kim Liz

Our family loves to come here to hike. It's less crowded that Starved Rock. Lots of places to get in the water that are shallow for younger kids.

Eva Rodriguez

Very pleasant and easy hiking trails with beautiful views of waterfalls. There is a parking lot, space for grilling with benches and seating area....plus public toilets.

Oliver Crown

This place is simply amazing!! Very relaxing and quiet. Be aware that the trails might be little slippery after rain. Totally worth the trip from Chicago. Highly recommend. You won't be disappointed.

Joshua Boudreaux

A must see if you're in the area and want to know what a water filled "dell" looks like. Also, bring water shoes and please do not be the person to throw trash on the ground.

Tim Stark

Awesome place to hike with some trails that allow you to get down and dirty!

Sai M

Nice winding trail with no set route. Really cool couple of waterfalls and overall a great hike. Try to get to the view of the river with dam. As good as it gets in Illinois

Valerie Lucas

Beautiful trails that lead you through streams and waterfalls Loved it more than Starved Rock

Randi Scoggins

Love to hike here. Close to multiple parks

John MacMillan

Great park. Scenic and good paths.

Shelly Trembly

I LOVE this place! I've been here many times over the past few years. It's beautiful in all seasons. The waterfalls are especially stunning in the spring after/as the snow melts. I adore Matthiessen and would have gotten married here had I not moved away. Genuinely one of my top three places in the whole state.

Warren Skipper

This park is located just down the road from Starved Rock and is indistinguishable at a glance. This is one of the major destination during breaks and short holidays. There are a handful of trails and a natural features such as a waterfall. This is a great park should you not want an abbreviated experience from Starved Rock.

Lynn Jakse

Two beautiful waterfalls, upper and lower dell trails, cross country ski trails and horseback trails, log cabin fort and nice covered picnic area put this park at the very top of my list. I never get tired of its natural beauty.

Chmedly Chmedenstein

Lots of wooden stairs; some of them slippery. Some trails imply passability, but not without effort and danger. Bridges reveal wonderful views.

Adam Prine

Love this place. Beautiful!! Great exercise and pet friendly.

Stephen Etheridge

This used to be nice. The crowds have discovered it. Parking terrible. Too many people. Maybe a week day?

paula kestner

Unique place! Deep canyon and waterfall

Timothy G.

We really enjoy the rugged terrain and waterfalls!

Jonathan Spalink

This is a great park to hike around in. Nothing strenuous, but great views and fun hiking. Once you get down into the canyon there are a couple waterfalls you can get too that are beautiful.

Rafael Burgos

A must visit for IL families. Kids love these trails which make for real fun hikes and amazing pictures. Come prepared to climb up and down stairs and skip stones, it will be adventurous.

Nena Starks

Gorgeous park with canyons and waterfalls. One of my favorite places to visit.

Brooks Johnson

A great hiking State Park. The day that I was here. The temperature was in the 70's with overcast skies, and low humidity. The trails were muddy in many different spots. But was adventurous with beautiful scenery, waterfalls and river canyons. This Illinois State Park doesn't charge anything to get in or to park. Make sure to pack some bottles of water to bring with you on the trails. Also, use the facilities before adventuring onto the trails. Since there isn't another restroom on the trails. A lot of the trails do have wooden stairs and wooden side rails with some benches on the trails to rest. Bug spray is an absolute must to bring with. If you enjoy walking and hiking. Then this is one place to go! I am from out of state and enjoyed this place.

SADDSAPPYSUCKER

Great spot to spend the day! Lots of trails to explore. Plenty of stairs to climb, but the views are worth it.

Maximus Carontus

Wonderful place for day hiking. Short ride from Starved Rock and in my opinion the much better option. Nice waterfall and little came system. Beautiful trails with gorgeous scenery! I would highly recommend this hike over Starved Rock. We've done both a bunch of times, and have always enjoyed this one more!

Justin P

Matthiessen State Park is a great alternative to the more popular Starved Rock State Park right up the road. The main part of the park is centered around the dells, a narrow canyon on a tributary of Vermilion River. The upper dells starts at Lake Falls below Matthiessen Lake and continues to Cascade Falls. The lower dells leads from Cascade Falls to the river. The trail into lower dells was closed due to flooding when I visited, but the Upper dells was just beautiful and a lot of fun. Lake Falls was really beautiful in high water. Be warned that the trails were very muddy so plan to get dirty. There is also a river section of the park but I didn't have a chance to visit. Overall, a great park a definitely worth a visit and beat the crowds at Starved Rock.

lydia thompson

The waterfalls here were beautiful, the trails were nice and kept up. There is so much to see and it is cool for all ages. Defiantly would go back!

Jacque Harper

Absolutely beautiful this time if year. And very clean.

Matthew Bond

Took the family here and we had a blast! Be sure to check out the river area. So beautiful. If you have kids, this is an easy hike for them and is a lot of fun too. Highly recommend going here for some good fun and a good hike.

Mike Oliveri

Gorgeous trails and scenery. It's hard to believe this is in Illinois given the flat farmland all around. The hike is fairly easy, but be ready for stairs and elevation changes. Also, hiking boots or waterproof boots are recommended if you want to get down and see the waterfalls.

Cathy Bilow

Great short hikes with beautiful waterfalls and caves.

Larisa Murray

Great for the adventurous hiker..there are stepping rocks through the stream in several different areas making it fun to try to get across without getting your shoes wet (if you care about that!) Would highly recommend checking out the beautiful waterfalls at the ends of the trails!

Sylvia Thomlison

First time going here! I loved the hike and the different trails through the forest . The waterfall was not active when I went but the view was still astonishing as you could walk right up into where the water usually comes out. Worth the trip!!!

David Bruton

Great park just down the road from Starved Rock. I've been to Starved Rock several times but after my first trip to Matthiessen, I'd definitely recommend checking it out. Many of the locals around also recommend it. Probably because, although it's smaller, it's often less crowded. Also, there are some quite large waterfalls, if you're willing to walk through some streams to get there.

Joshua Lawhorn

Decided to stop at Matthiessen State Park instead of Starved Rock and it was awesome! Trails are nice and there were plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.

Cheryl Stella Dalisay

A fun afternoon exploring and hiking. Beware...there are lots of stairs here, so if that is something that you have trouble with, I wouldn't recommend it. It is worth the short hike from the outer loop to seek out the waterfalls. Missing one star for being a fairly short hike for those looking for more than 3.2 miles.

Ashiqur Rahman

Nice place for a day out. Although, not that big, it is quite beautiful. Could use some more benches in the stairs to sit and rest. Roads to the place requires maintenance.

metin kale

We went after it had rained a whole lot so the trails were very muddy. There was no way to escape it. That's something to keep in mind should you travel there. The parking lot is on the small size but they do have an overflow parking lot. Unfortunately, people were walking in the street from the overflow lot. I wish they had a trail for them. The park itself is very peaceful with a few bridges that overlook the river. There is a rock called Strawberry Rock and its really easy to miss. We did miss it until we double backed. There's no sign for it. Our daughter played in the park for like an hour, just loving nature.

Donald Dickerson

Awesome. I think i prefer this over the park that is right up the road. This one everything is condensed into a 3 mile circle. Very fun to walk and jump on the rocks as you try not to get wet.

Olivia Duncan

Wish it had been slightly better maintained so we could go on more trails but it has been raining a lot so understandable. Maps could be better too. Beauriful park!

Joanna Dowling

A must visit Illinois destination! A beautiful and unexpected landscape. Less crowded than starved rock and just as rewarding. Don't miss it!

Paisley Rowe

Very beautiful park, nice trails really enjoyed my visit here.

JOHN KIM

Less crowded compared to Statved Rock but the parking accommodation could have been better.

Ashley Fulton

I loved it here!!!! We initially went to see starved rock but had a free day and decided to explore this park. Its alot more private and you have more freedom to explore up close without a huge amount of people. For the most part we were alone while exploring which was great not to be rushed or crowded. It's a beautiful place to visit.

Melissa Blue

One of the trails to the lower Dells is closed (it appears due to a mudslide) so the hike is a little longer, but the park is beautiful and well kept. Be ready for some slippery stairs and mud, but it's nothing out of the ordinary for hiking in a place like this. Get there early or late on a weekend or you'll have to park in the overflow lot.

Tyler Newcomb

I love Matthiessen Park. The gorge is the bread and butter of this park, you follow the stream up to the center of the gorge where the waterfall dumps into the pond and trickles into a stream. The Rocky walls around the pond almost form the shape of a bowl, with a few small caves and nooks eroded into the walls. JUST BE PREPARED FOR A LOT OF STAIRS.

Donna Bella

This place is so beautiful. The waterfalls are breathtaking as well as the Giants pool. Some of the trails were closed due to flooding so if you come here when it's rainy season make sure you have waterproof boots because the trails get very muddy at certain sections. Also if it's your first time hiking be prepared for many steps and steep hills. This park has intermediate level trails so be careful with young children. I will definitely be back here again very soon.

Jack Lenert

I really enjoyed my hike around the trails at this park. I was slightly bummed that it had rained a good amount the few days before so I couldn’t access all the trails. However, I would definitely go again to try and see the rest of it.

Fallon Curtin

So awesome! Wear water moccasins, it gets pretty muddy. Such an awesome experience, especially bcuz it was doable with a 3 1/2 year old!

Andrew Shadle

Beautiful waterfalls. Best time us winter month's. The water falls freeze and there lot's of bald eagles.

Tom Krieger

Lower Dell are is beautiful, but it's a long walk from parking area and down stairs. Even tougher going back up.

Josmon George

Very good trails with beautiful green and waterfalls and caves.

Melissa Frye

Nice park - Although some of the trails were closed, it was still a nice place to go see some beautiful sights. Even with the holiday weekend crowds.

Ty Sabs

Trails along a creek going through huge canyons. Several awesome waterfalls. One of the best parks in Illinois!

Luke Dennis

Love the hiking in the Dells. Great for couples and families

jennifer baker

Great way to get some fresh air and the kids a good night's sleep!

Pamela Hershberger

Just BEAUTIFUL, if you Love nature and trail walking this is the place for you. This is an all-day Adventure for the whole family, get you a walking stick and get to walking. Pack a picnic because after your hike you can head back up to the parking lot and they have a picnic area and restrooms where you can refresh, relax and eat. This is a great way to spend a Saturday or any day enjoying family, friends and natural!!! Pets are welcome. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I can't stress this enough, whatever you carry in please carry "OUT" it's all of our responsibility to protect and keep your forest CLEAN and BEAUTIFUL for future generations

Scott Kuyken

Definitely quieter than Starved Rock. Still lots of trails. Nice place to hike around.

Kenia Villegas

My favorite park in Utica! Yes starved rock is still a must see. But Matthiessen state park is much quieter usually with less hikers. To me is a more magical place. So if your coming to starved rock, Matthiessen is a must! Just 5 min away too.

Md M Hossain

I find it better than starved Rock, hiking access is right after the parking lot, has shed .. plenty of parking. Nice place

paul kobylanski

Love this place. Go really early if you want to avoid crowds. If you bring you dog expect they'll get wet.

Lumani714 !

Beautiful waterfalls with plenty of places to climb. Wonderful scenery with lots and lots of water. If you want to have small amount of people, go through the week. The weekend got super busy.

Michael Mulholland

Fun nature walk. Lots of stairs and rocks to walk on. Bring a walking stick if you are not confident walking on wet rocks

Kristen Beadles

I love Mattheissen. It's such a unique landscape compared to the typical Illinois background. It's great hiking and fun for the whole family! I recommend it for kids and adults who don't tire too easily (over 5 years of age) and have a good sense of adventure.

Rachael McMillan

Rain or shine—this is a great hike. Been many times. Favorite excursion was after torrential downpour. The lower level was completely flooded but we decided to still take our boots off, slip through the mud and wade through the water to the main waterfall. It was so busy that day my friends and I hiked off the main path and to avoid the crowds and it was worth the mosquito bites. **watch out for broken glass if you take your shoes off to hike through the mud!**

theprusmusic

Best Chicago nature get away. Lots of beautiful trails. You can walk around for hours taking different paths. Come on a day that's slightly cold or rainy even, the vibe is even more magical AND there are less people!

Karen P

Cute location. Bring some rainboots, but beware you will climb a lot of stairs!!

Jessica Baby

This place is very nice and the trails have a lot of scenery. Love the waterfall and caves that you can actually walk through

Keith Listermann

Five star for a day out for great hiking and seeing nature. Roads are in rough shape and some general maintenance needs to be done. Still one of my favorite places.

Amanda Kellgren

It's still beautiful but getting way to crowded, I enjoyed it better before a certain news station let out the secret of it's beauty