Matthiessen State Park / Starve Rock Area

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Matthiessen is a paradise for those interested in geology due to its many unusual and beautiful rock formations. The are includes: canyons, streams, prairie and forest. The Upper Dell begins at Deer Park Lake and continues to Cascade Falls, where the canyon drops 45 feet and the Lower Dell begins. The canyon, formed by water erosion, is approximately one mile long, from Deer Park Lake to the Vermilion River. Visitors may observe ground water seeping out along the sandstone of the canyon walls. As the ground water evaporates along the canyon walls, the minerals that are carried in solution in the water contribute to the beautiful coloring of the rocks. The park has several mineral springs, and each was a popular spot for the large deer population that used it as a salt lick.

Location

Matthiessen State Park is located in central LaSalle County, approximately four miles south of Utica and three miles east of Oglesby.

Size

1,938 acres

When the pictures were taken

The pictures were taken during the dry season in 2005 when water levels were down. The actual depth of the river in certain areas during this time was three to five feet.

Canyon	Flora	Fort
House	Wetlands

 

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