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Illinois
Matthiessen State Park
- Established
- 1943
- Acreage
- 1,938 · 1,938 acres; original 176 acres owned by F.W. Matthiessen; donated by his heirs and renamed in his honor in 1943
- Location
- LaSalle County, IL near Oglesby (near Starved Rock)
- Key features
- Upper and Lower Dells canyons; 45-ft Cascade Falls; Lake Falls; sandstone canyon walls colored by mineral-rich groundwater; restored Fort Matthiessen replica blockhouse
- Activities
- Hiking the Dells trails, waterfall viewing, horseback riding (separate trail system), cross-country skiing, picnicking, photography
- Notable
- Originally named 'Deer Park' by F.W. Matthiessen (industrialist and LaSalle mayor), who developed the canyon as a private park in the late 1800s
Visits
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Source: dnr.illinois.gov · 2026-05-09