Illinois Waterfalls
Aurora Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31860,-88.99719
Aurora Canyon Falls is a low-flow waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is under a mile round trip and easy.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, take the Bluff Trail behind the restaurant going west towards St. Louis Canyon. After crossing over the park road on a bridge, a spur trail to the right leads down to the base of Aurora Canyon. At the bottom of the stairs, turn left and go a short ways into the canyon to the small waterfall.
French Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31789,-88.99086
French Canyon Falls is a 45-foot waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is under a half-mile round trip and easy.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, take the spur trail that leads down towards French Canyon. It is at the eastern end of the parking lot and there's a sign to French Canyon. Descend down to the base of the canyon and make a right to head into the canyon.
Giant's Bathtub:
Trailhead GPS: 41.29610,-89.02591 (Dells Parking Area at Matthiessen State Park)
Waterfall GPS: 41.29801,-89.02474
Giant's Bathtub is a 10-foot waterfall in the Dells on an unnamed tributary of Vermillion River in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Matthiessen State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about a mile round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-70 for about 10 miles and turn left on IL-178 south. In 1 mile, turn right on N 25th Street at the sign for the Dells Area of Matthiessen State Park. It's about a mile to the main parking area at the end of the road.
From the parking area, pick up the trail past the restrooms heading down to the canyon and cross the bridge. Across, turn right on Bluff Trail and go about a quarter-mile to the interior trail right before the lake. The trail descends down into the canyon downstream of the Lake Falls. Continue on the trail into the canyon and Giant's Bathtub is downstream of the bigger waterfall. The canyon trail continues back to Bluff Trail near the bridge so you don't have to backtrack.
Kaskaskia Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.30872,-88.94296 (Ottawa/Kaskaskia Canyon Parking at Starved Rock State Park)
Waterfall GPS: 41.30472,-88.94514
Kaskaskia Canyon Falls is a low-flow waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about one mile round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 6 miles and turn left into the small parking area on the left.
From the parking area, pick up the trail heading east. In about a quarter-mile, the trail passes by Council Overhang and another trail to left turns into the canyons. Go left and just past Council Overhang, where Ottawa and Kaskaskia Canyons come together, go left and follow the canyon to the waterfall. You have to the cross the creek, which can be difficult in high water.
Lake Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.29610,-89.02591 (Dells Parking Area at Matthiessen State Park)
Waterfall GPS: 41.29903,-89.02506
Lake Falls is a 50-foot waterfall in the Dells on an unnamed tributary of Vermillion River in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Matthiessen State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about a mile round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-70 for about 10 miles and turn left on IL-178 south. In 1 mile, turn right on N 25th Street at the sign for the Dells Area of Matthiessen State Park. It's about a mile to the main parking area at the end of the road.
From the parking area, pick up the trail past the restrooms heading down to the canyon and cross the bridge. Across, turn right on Bluff Trail and go about a quarter-mile to the interior trail right before the lake. The trail descends down into the canyon downstream of the waterfall.
LaSalle Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31115,-88.97121
LaSalle Canyon Falls is a 25-foot veil waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about 4 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, take the Bluff Trail heading east towards Wildcat Canyon. After passing French Canyon and Pontiac Canyon, the trail will cross over the top of Wildcat Canyon. In about another mile, Bluff Trail ends at River Trail. Turn right and go about a quarter-mile to the LaSalle Canyon Trail to the right just after crossing a bridge. Follow this trail a short ways to the waterfall. The main part is a 25-foot veil that you can walk behind that cascades down into a pool.
Ottawa Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.30872,-88.94296 (Ottawa/Kaskaskia Canyon Parking at Starved Rock State Park)
Waterfall GPS: 41.30649,-88.94714
Ottawa Canyon Falls is a low-flow waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about one mile round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 6 miles and turn left into the small parking area on the left.
From the parking area, pick up the trail heading east. In about a quarter-mile, the trail passes by Council Overhang and another trail to left turns into the canyons. Go left and just past Council Overhang, where Ottawa and Kaskaskia Canyons come together, go right and follow the canyon to the waterfall.
Owl Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31250,-88.96513
Owl Canyon Falls is a low-flow waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about 5 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, take the Bluff Trail heading east towards Wildcat Canyon. After passing French Canyon and Pontiac Canyon, the trail will cross over the top of Wildcat Canyon. In about another mile, Bluff Trail ends at River Trail. Turn right and and in a quarter-mile, cross a bridge at LaSalle Canyon. Continue on River Trail to the end, where stairs go up to Bluff Trail at Owl Canyon. Hike up the canyon a short ways to the waterfall at the end; I think this one only exists in high water.
Sac Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31874,-88.99815
Sac Canyon Falls is a low-flow waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is under a mile round trip and easy but there's no good place to view it from.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, take the Bluff Trail behind the restaurant going west towards St. Louis Canyon. After crossing over the park road on a bridge, stay on the main trail and the split for Aurora Canyon. Shortly after passing the top of Aurora Canyon, the trail passes over the top of Sac Canyon. There's no way down and no good spot to view the waterfall from the trail.
St. Louis Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31807,-89.00550
St. Louis Canyon Falls is a tall waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about three miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, Bluff Trail behind the restaurant going west towards St. Louis Canyon. The trail ends in just over a mile where a spur to the left leads into the canyon. It's about a quarter-mile to the end at this beautiful waterfall.
Tonti Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31150,-88.97396
Tonti Canyon Falls is a 60-foot double waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about 4 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, take the Bluff Trail heading east towards Wildcat Canyon. After passing French Canyon and Pontiac Canyon, the trail will cross over the top of Wildcat Canyon. In about another mile, Bluff Trail ends at River Trail. Turn right and go about a quarter-mile to the LaSalle Canyon Trail to the right just after crossing a bridge. Follow this trail to LaSalle Canyon Falls and go behind the waterfall to continue on the trail. It's about another quarter-mile to the end at Tonti Canyon Falls. There are two 60-foot drops here but its hard to see the smaller falls.
Wildcat Canyon Falls:
Trailhead GPS: 41.31743,-88.99382 (Starved Rock Lodge Parking)
Waterfall GPS: 41.31626,-88.98334
Wildcat Canyon Falls is a 90-foot waterfall through its namesake canyon in LaSalle County. The waterfall is located in Starved Rock State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about 2 miles round trip and moderate.
To visit the falls, head west from Ottawa on IL-71 for about 9 miles and turn right on E 875th Street to enter Starved Rock State Park. The parking area for the lodge is on the right in about 0.1 miles.
From the parking area, take the Bluff Trail heading east towards Wildcat Canyon. After passing French Canyon and Pontiac Canyon, the trail will come out at an overlook above the waterfall. There's another overlook on the other side or take the stairs down to the base of the canyon.
