Things to Do in North Utica, Illinois

Starved Rock is right across the river, and it’s Illinois’ most-visited state park, with more than two million visitors a year. It became the state’s second state park in 1911. It has 18 sandstone canyons and more than 13 miles of trails, with waterfalls at French, LaSalle, Ottawa and St. Louis canyons.

★ Good to know An $18 million trail project runs through 2027. Some canyons, including LaSalle and Tonti, are closed in 2026, so check the IDNR trail updates before you hike.

About 4 miles south of the village, Matthiessen is the quieter neighbor. Industrialist Frederick Matthiessen owned the land in the late 1800s, and the state renamed it for him in 1943. Its main canyon runs about a mile, and Cascade Falls drops 45 feet between the Upper and Lower Dells.

★ Good to know The Dells lots fill by about 11 a.m. on weekends from May through October, so come early; the Lake Falls bridge is closed, with a detour posted.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built the lodge and its log cabins in the 1930s. The Great Room has a two-sided stone fireplace billed as the largest in Illinois. The lodge runs trolley tours and cruises on the Sainte Genevieve riverboat, including one that passes through the Starved Rock Lock.

★ Good to know River cruises run roughly June through October and need a reservation, so book before you go.

The main museum fills an 1848 canal warehouse on Canal Street, built from Utica sandstone with walls up to 32 inches thick. It later served as Utica’s first post office. Inside are Native American tools, Civil War items and a carriage tied to Lincoln. The grounds add an 1865 schoolhouse and an 1892 blacksmith shop.

★ Good to know The museums open Friday through Sunday afternoons, and the Canal Market next door runs weekends from May through September.

The LaSalle County Historical Society has run this street festival since 1969, and it now draws up to 100,000 people. Burgoo is a pioneer stew of beef and vegetables, cooked 12 to 18 hours over wood fires. Saturday brings indoor vendors, and Sunday fills downtown with hundreds of craft and antique sellers.

★ Good to know It’s held every Columbus Day weekend, and the stew is served from Sunday morning until it runs out.

This tasting room at 106 Mill St. pours August Hill’s still wines and its sister label’s sparkling wines, made from grapes grown in Starved Rock Country. There are flights, a patio and a gallery of regional art.

★ Good to know It’s a short walk from the museum and Bruce & Ollie’s, so you can park once for all three.

This winery sits on Route 178, the road between Interstate 80 and Starved Rock, on the north side of the river. Its tasting room is open daily and pours a flight of six wines.

★ Good to know It makes an easy stop on the way to or from the interstate.

The resort, formerly branded Grizzly Jack’s, has the Grand Bear Falls indoor waterpark plus an arcade and a mini golf course. It sits on Route 178 about a tenth of a mile from Starved Rock.

★ Good to know The waterpark keeps a shorter Thursday-to-Sunday schedule in the off-season, so check before you promise the kids.