Having hiked a few of the trails in Starved Rock State Park, we, along with our friend, Auggie (@solace_eats & @alife_outsidethebox), ventured over to neighboring Matthiessen State Park to explore its trails.
Matthiessen State Park is smaller than Starved Rock State Park and is composed of two (2) areas - Dells and Vermilion River Areas. The Cascade Falls are located in the Dells Area which is what we opted to see. At the time of our visit, we found that the two (2) parking areas closest to the falls were closed and blocked off. Not to be deterred, we drove to the parking lot for the Vermilion River Area which added a 1.7-mile hike (one-way) to the total hike. The additional distance was worth the beautiful, lush and green trail, gorgeous rock formations and canyon, and an amazing waterfall! We timed our visit for the early morning which allowed us to be the first on the trail and have the ability to enjoy the waterfall alone.
Keep making the most of the dash!
Brian, Anna Maria & Moose
Make the Most of the Dash
Links: