Buffalo Rock State Park

Most people drive right past Buffalo Rock State Park in favor of it's more popular counterpart, Starved Rock State Park. While Starved Rock has a lot more miles of hiking trails, it's popularity comes with some downsides. It's constantly busy to the point where on some trails there's a line just to access the trailhead, it's loud, with people constantly yelling, running around and playing music on loudspeakers, and good luck finding parking if you come mid-day during the weekend. 

By contrast, Buffalo Rock, while it doesn't have as many hiking trails, is much lesser-known and quieter. Over half the times I've been there, I haven't seen a single other person out on the trails. And, this park isn't without impressive views of its own.  There's two areas just off the trail that give you access to cliff areas -- one overlooks the Illinois River andthe other overlooks a valley with white sand at the bottom. Both cliffs are off-trail in restricted areas and both have a drop of over a hundred feet so proceed with caution. 

The last time I went, I was also able to get some rock climbing in - again proceed with caution since rock climbing is technically not allowed at the park due to the fact that the cliffs are made of sandstone which can crumble away pretty easily if enough weight is put on it. 

There's still plenty of stuff to do in the park that doesn't break any rules. There's 2.5 miles of trails to walk that are easy and quiet; there's also a field at the entrance to the park as well as a playground for parents to bring their kids. There's even two buffalo that are housed in an outdoor enclosure at the park, hence the park's name. 

Overall, I'd definitely recommend Buffalo Rock. Even though the trails are quite a bit shorter and there's not as much to do without breaking some rules, it's still a great time and I go to this park often.