By several measures, residents of northern Illinois are sticking closer to home and instead hitting the road to explore nearby destinations such as Starved Rock, Matthiessen, and other state parks

The sunflower field is starting to reach it's peak at Matthiessen State Park near Oglesby. The flowers are located directly behind the model airplane field in the Dells Area entrance. Sunflowers are not allowed to be picked and anyone caught taking sunflowers can be faced with a $195 fine.

The Market on Mill, Utica's long-dreamed-of outdoor shopping plaza, opened for business Saturday.

Utica officials will cut the ribbon at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Market on Mill. Here are some of the vendors who plan to open in the plaza.

The LeRocher Bookstore and Gift Shop by the Starved Rock Foundation will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 26.

This system seemed frustratingly flawed to me. It’s a system that appears to prioritize medication over prevention, a system that could be improved.

United West Elementary kindergarten students from Monmouth will be awarded $785 to visit Starved Rock State Park for a field trip.

Going anywhere this summer? Some residents in northern Illinois were planning on visiting U.S. National Parks once school is out. Recent events have some visitors thinking twice.

Visitors flocked to one of the Utica-area state parks in 2024, filling the parking lots and smashing attendance records along the way. It wasn’t Starved Rock, however.

The trees are in full fall splendor at Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks. Here are some photos of the fall colors throughout the parks. Aerial photos were taken with permission of Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks.

Starved Rock and Matthiessen calendars are available for purchase in stores and preorder online, with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the Starved Rock Foundation.

Oglesby is clearing the way for short-term accommodations, such as Airbnbs.

The Starved Rock and Matthiessen Calendar is returning for the 2025 calendar year with 100% of proceeds being donated to the Starved Rock Foundation.

Starved Rock and Matthiessen park visitors are being asked if they see a downed tree over the trail to take a picture and send the location to dnr.starvedrock@illinois.gov.

The Illinois Valley remains dry thanks to June rains that came up a little short of average in Illinois -- even as much of the Midwest had catastrophic flooding.

If you’re walking through the sunflower field at Matthiessen State Park and hear a buzzing noise it may not be a bee.

The Deer Park RC Flyers radio-controlled aircraft club flies airplanes on Monday at the Model Airplane Field in Matthiessen State Park.

The sunflower field is in full bloom on Monday at Matthiessen State Park. This year the field is located on the north side of the model airplane field. Park staff asks visitors to be respectful of the flowers and not to remove them. Removing flowers is subject to a $195 fine.

Matthiessen State Park reached capacity at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday and will be closed to further traffic.

The official grand opening of the Starved Rock Disc Golf course will be Tuesday, May 28, in Oglesby’s Lehigh Park.

The director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources hopes construction on the Matthiessen State Park annex will begin next year.

Ideas ranging from an additional volleyball court and a pump track to new parking lots and new playground equipment were among some of the items suggested to improve Lehigh Park during a public meeting Thursday at Oglesby City Hall.

Very quietly, the IDNR has mapped out plans for what to do with the 2,629 acres acquired six years ago from Buzzi Unicem, which grew Matthiessen and Starved Rock state parks a combined 55%. The annex still is not safe, as the area is being cleaned up.

In October 2018, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources purchased 2,628 acres from Lone Star Industries Inc. near Oglesby. This formerly mined property is adjacent to Matthiessen State Park and is now referred to as the Matthiessen Annex property. In its reclaimed state, this property will provide recreational opportunities, as well as habitat and public access to the Illinois River and Bailey Creek.

The annual Eagle Watch Weekend will have a plethora of events this weekend highlighting to the local eagle population.

The waterfalls have frozen at Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks. Ice climbers will be out this weekend climbing the magnificent ice columns in Wildcat and Ottawa canyons. Ice climbing is only allowed at specific canyons at Starved Rock.

Members and volunteers from the Starved Rock Community Foundation present a check Sunday in the amount of $5,400 from the 2024 Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Park Calendar sales at the Starved Rock Visitor Center.

Matthiessen State Park narrowly missed setting an attendance record in 2023, accordingly to data released Wednesday, while Starved Rock clinched its 10th best year on record.

The Starved Rock Foundation is inviting the community to the ribbon-cutting ceremony of its newly revitalized audio/visual theater at the Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center.

Matthiessen State Park won’t set an attendance record this year – it could be close, however – but 2023 will be remembered as one of the 10 best years Matthiessen and Starved Rock have ever had.

Sales are ongoing for the 2024 Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks calendar. Proceeds benefit the Starved Rock Foundation, which supports the state parks through volunteer efforts.

I started jotting down ideas for hiking challenges within Starved Rock Country’s tourism region. The plan is to create a few dozen hikes, write them on slips of paper and put them in a jar. Pull one out, complete, repeat.

The sunflowers are back at Matthiessen State Park. The field attracts many visitors and pollinators. Park staff asks visitors not to take the sunflowers, nor drive into the fields, nor park along roadways.

The sunflowers at Matthiessen State Park are in bloom.

A 35-year-old man from South Beloit was injured Friday after falling while climbing near in Matthiessen State Park, according to IDNR Conservation Police Sergeant Phil Wire.

Memorial Day weekend has brought its wave of visitors to La Salle County’s state parks.

Matthew Klein led a session Sunday at Starved Rock State Park demonstrating to hikers how to photograph images.

Join Matthew Klein at Starved Rock State Park for a free photo class and hike at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 7, beginning at the visitor center.

Ottawa Mayor Dan Aussem was one of six mayors who participated in the Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Cities event Thursday, highlighting several projects ahead for the city.

Construction the roundabout at Route 178 and U.S. 6 in Utica resumes Monday, weather permitting, and should be finished by mid-June.

Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks were projected to fall just short of a combined 3 million visitors. Only in 2017 (nearly 3.4 million visitors) and 2016 (nearly 3.3 million) have the two parks collectively brought in more tourists.

Check out our top nature photos of 2022 from around the Illinois Valley.

The Starved Rock calendars created by photographer and videographer Matthew Klein have returned, this time including federal holidays, park events and photos taken by local community members.

State Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa) said Thursday millions of dollars in state grants are heading to Starved Rock State Park for improvements.

Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks saw large crowds Sunday.

The curtain rises on Mother Nature's show this week in Starved Rock Country. The fall colors are beginning to reach their peak. Warmer weather is forecasted through the weekend making it a spectacular time to visit Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks.

Want to visit the Matthiessen dells? There’s no need to hike in from the river area any longer: The road to the dells is finished.

The sunflowers blooming at Matthiessen State Park have become a July tradition in La Salle County.

The sunflower field at Matthiessen State Park is in bloom again. The large field is located in a new spot, just north of the model airplane field in the river entrance.