The highlight of 1,938-acre Matthiessen State Park is a narrow, mile-long canyon carved in sandstone by moving water. This moderately strenuous 5.8-mile hike begins by following the edge of the Upper Dell briefly and then dips toward the shady canyon floor. Admire both the top-down and bottom-up views of Lake Falls and be sure to stop for a photo of the aptly-named Giant’s Bathtub. The canyon’s moist, water-carved habitat is perfect for mosses, liverworts, and a several amphibian species—also look for cliff swallows and rock doves in the pock-marked canyon walls. Toward the canyon’s southern end, this route tucks into the Lower Dell for a peek at Cascade Fall’s impressive 40-foot drop before turning toward the park’s southern half.

Though you could spend lots of time exploring the forested bluffs and canyon floor, this route’s mileage comes from a more traditional 3.7-mile out-and-back extension that climbs to an open prairie, and follows a horse trail to several developed picnic areas. The payoff is a bluff-top overlook 150 feet above the Vermilion River.

-Mapped by Ted Villaire

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Gallery

5 Images

Trail Facts

• Distance: 9.3

Waypoints

MAT001

Location: 41.2962799, -89.0257874

In the Dells Area parking lot, start the hike by heading down the steps located next to the small log fort, a replica of forts the French built in the Midwest during the 1600s and early 1700s (the French constructed one of these forts on nearby Starved Rock in 1683).

MAT002

Location: 41.2969589, -89.0266113

Turn right at this 4-way junction just north of the trailhead. This wide, elm-lined gravel trail follows the upper edge of the bluff above the creek.

MAT003

Location: 41.2965355, -89.0201874

Stay left at this T-junction, to follow the Bluff Trail north. Listen for the sound of waterfalls running into the dell below.

MAT004

Location: 41.2988957, -89.0245557

About 0.75 miles from the trailhead, the trail crosses the bridge and dam on Lake Matthiessen' southernmost point. Just beyond the bridge, don't miss the platform overlooking the most striking man-made waterfall in Illinois.

MAT005

Location: 41.2986216, -89.0245879

Turn left at the T-junction onto the connector trail toward the canyon floor. Inside the canyon, mosses, liverworts, and ferns grow on the 30- to 40-foot sandstone walls.

MAT006

Location: 41.2975577, -89.0242553

Just after rounding a bend in the dell, the trail skirts Giant's Bathtub, a pool carved in the sandstone by the cascading falls.

MAT007

Location: 41.2975502, -89.0251083

Stay straight ahead at this T-junction bypassing the stairs that lead right to the top of the bluff.

MAT008

Location: 41.2974968, -89.0263519

Take the stairs out of the canyon and turn left, following signs for the Lower Dells at the T-junction. Pass the bridge and look for Cascade Falls on the left.

MAT009

Location: 41.2938255, -89.0278924

Cross a high footbridge and follow the stairs on the bridge's east side to the left. This route turns right for a .3-mile out-and-back segment through another section of the canyon.

MAT010

Location: 41.2963371, -89.0276871

It's a sort tenth of a mile to the end of this section of the canyon. Enjoy the soothing echo created by the 40-foot Cascade Falls. Backtrack to the top of the stairway where this out-and-back began and continue following the trail south toward the park's Vermilion River Area.

MAT011

Location: 41.2897708, -89.0265942

The trail gets decidedly less rugged as it switchbacks through a deep ravine and climbs 100 foot to a prairie: the berry and shrub lined trail along the route's highest plane is wide, flat and grassy.

MAT012

Location: 41.2845688, -89.019989

At mile 2.7, the trail reaches a horse-trailer parking area. Follow the gravel driveway, cross the park road and continue south, turning right into the next parking area on the right.

MAT013

Location: 41.2799673, -89.019835

Follow the mowed trail west from the parking area From the parking area. The trail squeezes between the woods on the left and the picnic area on the right.

Falls

Location: 41.2989082, -89.0245743

This man-made waterfall near mile 0.75 descends 40 feet from the top of Lake Matthiessen's dam to the floor of the canyon.

Falls

Location: 41.298404, -89.0244699

The view of the man-made falls (and the arch of the bridge) from the floor of the canyon.

Giant's Bathtub

Location: 41.2980816, -89.0234184

The canyon stream flows over solid sandstone into a pool called the Giant's Bathtub. These pools grow larger because of the scouring action of rocks and pebbles swirled by moving water.

Bridge

Location: 41.2938766, -89.0279388

The trail cruises several of these large footbridges above the canyon. This one is near Devil's Paintbox.

Vermilion River

Location: 41.281826, -89.0308838

This view from the top of a 150-foot cliff above the Vermilion River is the reward for the out-and-back on this route's south side.