This Illinois State Park Was Named A Fall Foliage "Hidden Gem"

A state park in Illinois is getting national recognition for it's beautiful fall foliage.

It's getting into the peak season for fall foliage. In Iowa, the peak season is early to mid-October. It's a little bit later in Illinois, specifically between mid-October to early November, according to the National Weather Service.

We all love driving around to look at the pretty, colorful leaves, taking pictures with them, or jumping in piles of them because it's just fun. All across the Midwest, there are plenty of weekend road trips you can take to look at the pretty leaves and get your cute fall pics with them. But one place in Illinois that you might not think to visit is getting nationally recognized for being a "hidden gem".

Illinois State Park Named One Of America's Fall Foliage "Hidden Gems"

Leave No Trace

We know it's famous for it's waterfall and rocky canyons but do you have any guess where that lovely pic was taken?

It's Starved Rock State Park!

Mixbook made a list of the top 150 "hidden gems" in America to enjoy some pretty fall foliage and Illinois's own Starved Rock ranked #24. The state park is in Oglesby, in LaSalle County.

Iowa Is Also On The List

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2 Iowa spots were named fall foliage "hidden gems" too. Mines of Spain Recreation Area in Dubuque ranked #41 and Yellow River State Forest in Allamakee County ranked #91.

Mixbook says that these top 150 fall foliage "hidden gems" were voted on by "nature enthusiasts" and ranked that way. You can see their full list of state parks and hidden gems on their website.

Quad Cities Pumpkin Patches

It's pumpkin pickin' time in the Quad Cities. Pumpkins make great fall decorations and they are obviously fun to carve. If buying a pumpkin at a store doesn't cut it and you want the full experience of a pumpkin patch, we have the full list of pumpkin patches throughout the Quad Cities. If we are missing any local pumpkin patches, email us here.