The results are in for the 2024 My IL State Park Fundraiser, with more than 50 IL State Parks receiving votes! We are excited to share that this year's My IL State Park winners!
Starved Rock State Park, located along the Illinois River in La Salle County, is one of Illinois' most stunning natural treasures. Designated as the state's second park in 1911, it boasts 18 canyons with moss-covered St. Peter Sandstone walls carved by glacial meltwater, creating dramatic tree-covered bluffs. The park offers over 13 miles of trails that lead to rain-fed waterfalls, sandstone overhangs, and breathtaking overlooks. Rich with white and red oak, maple, hickory, and pines, the lush vegetation supports abundant wildlife. Visitors can enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and hunting, with the Starved Rock Visitor Center and the historic Starved Rock Lodge providing year-round amenities. The park also offers special events, guided tours, and educational programs.
Historically, the area has been inhabited for 10,000 years, with the Illinois Confederation, including the Kaskaskia people, being the most recent Native American occupants. French explorers Louis Jolliet and Father Jacques Marquette passed through in 1673, and the French established Fort St. Louis atop Starved Rock in 1682. The park's name originates from a Native American legend where a band of Illinois perished atop the sandstone butte during a siege by Potawatomi and Ottawa tribes, leading to the name Starved Rock.
Horseshoe Lake State Park, situated off Highway 111 in Madison County, southwestern Illinois, spans 2,960 acres and provides a serene retreat with easy access from the Metro East region. This expansive park features one of the largest natural lakes in Illinois, Horseshoe Lake, which offers excellent fishing, boating, and bird-watching opportunities. Visitors can explore the park's diverse landscape, which includes wetlands, woodlands, and open fields, perfect for hiking, picnicking, and wildlife observation. With its rich natural beauty and variety of recreational activities, Horseshoe Lake State Park is a treasured destination for outdoor enthusiasts in the region.
Nestled in Stephenson County, Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area is a delightful getaway just six miles south of the Illinois-Wisconsin state line. This 715-acre park, dedicated in 1958, features a serene 40-acre lake ideal for various recreational activities. Visitors can enjoy multi-use trails, picnic spots, and diverse camping options, including RV, tent, equestrian, and youth group campgrounds. The park's unique name, blending the town of Lena and the Latin word for water, "aqua," emerged from a local contest. Whether for an afternoon or a few days, Lake Le-Aqua-Na promises memorable outdoor experiences for all.
Volo Bog State Natural Area, located fifty-six miles northwest of downtown Chicago, is Illinois' only open-water quaking bog. Formed in an ancient glacial kettle hole, Volo Bog boasts a unique ecosystem featuring a floating mat of sphagnum moss, cattails, and sedges around an open water pool. Designated as the 25th Illinois Nature Preserve in 1970 and a National Natural Landmark in 1972, the bog showcases all stages of bog succession. Visitors can explore its diverse vegetation via a floating boardwalk. The area also includes marshes, prairie restorations, woodlands, and scenic trails, with a visitor center housed in a historic dairy barn.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the My IL State Park fundraiser! We cannot express enough gratitude for your love and appreciation of these parks and for your support of the My IL State Park fundraiser.
Illinois State Parks are truly better because of you.
Here is a list of all parks that received votes this year.
*Winner
**Runner Up
STATE PARK | CATEGORY (by Visitation Numbers) |
Apple River Canyon | 100K-200K |
Argyle Lake | 400K+ |
Banner Marsh | <100K |
Beaver Dam | 200K-400K |
Cache River | 100K-200K |
Carlyle Lake | 100K-200K |
Chain O' Lakes | 200K-400K |
Clinton Lake | 400K+ |
Coffeen Lake | <100K |
Des Plaines | 200K-400K |
Dixon Springs | 100K-200K |
Donnelley ** | <100K |
Edward R. Madigan | 200K-400K |
Eldon Hazlet | 200K-400K |
Ferne Clyffe | 200K-400K |
Fort Massac | 400K+ |
Fox Ridge ** | 100K-200K |
Gebhard Woods | 100K-200K |
Giant City | 400K+ |
Goose Lake Prairie | 100K-200K |
Hamilton County | 200K-400K |
Horseshoe Lake-Madison * | 200K-400K |
Jim Edgar Panther Creek ** | 200K-400K |
Kankakee River | 400K+ |
Kaskaskia River | 100K-200K |
Kinkaid Lake | 200K-400K |
Lake Le-Aqua-Na * | 100K-200K |
Lake Murphysboro | 200K-400K |
Lincoln Trail | 100K-200K |
Lowden | 400K+ |
Lowden-Miller | <100K |
Matthiessen | 400K+ |
Mississippi Palisades | 200K-400K |
Mississippi River Area (MRA) | 200K-400K |
Moraine Hills | 400K+ |
Moraine View | 400K+ |
Morrison-Rockwood | 200K-400K |
Newton Lake | 100K-200K |
Pere Marquette | 400K+ |
Randolph County | 200K-400K |
Rock Cut | 400K+ |
Rock Island Trail | 100K-200K |
Sangchris Lake | 400K+ |
Shabbona Lake ** | 400K+ |
Shelbyville | 400K+ |
Silver Springs | 200K-400K |
Spring Lake | 200K-400K |
Starved Rock * | 400K+ |
Stephen A. Forbes | 100K-200K |
Trail of Tears | <100K |
Volo Bog * | <100K |
Wayne Fitzgerrell | 400K+ |