Illinois

Illinois

Giant City State Park

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Established
1927
Acreage
4,000 · Approximately 4,000 acres in the Shawnee Hills; Illinois acquired the original 1,100+ acres in 1927.
Location
Makanda, in Union and Jackson Counties, southern Illinois, within the Shawnee National Forest.
Key features
Massive sandstone bluff 'streets' formed 12,000 years ago; CCC-built Giant City Lodge (1934–35) and stone cabins; over 75 tree species; hundreds of wildflower species; rock-climbing walls.
Activities
Hiking, rock climbing and rappelling, horseback riding, picnicking, camping, fishing, boating, hunting.
Notable
The park is named for the 'Giant City Streets'—corridors between huge sandstone blocks that look like the avenues of a ruined city, formed by erosion along ancient bedrock fractures.

Visits

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Source: en.wikipedia.org · 2026-05-15