Photographing Matthiessen State Park

By Bill Ruting, SCCC

Introduction

Mathiessen State Park is one of the best kept secrets in the state. This small park has 5 miles of trails and a narrow slot canyon featuring waterfalls and cascades that are a photographer's joy. The upper trails are not difficult to navigate with only slight hills to negotiate, but the trails are relatively well groomed. There are no fees for the park or parking. The park lies just south of Starved Rock State Park which is about 1.5 - 2 hours west of Chicago off interstate 80. If you are up to the challenges, this park offers a photo experience that you would think is in another state.

DNR Site Link

Park Map

Click on image for a better map (copy/print image)

Note:

The canyon bottom lies between 60 and 75 feet below the rim. If you go down by Lake Falls (see the directions, below) you can stay in the canyon PROVIDED you wear good hiking boots, are comfortable walking on uneven surfaces, and are not afraid to get your feet wet and muddy. You may have to wade through water 8 - 10" deep if the water level in the lake is up. Stay close to the walls of the canyon and you can find areas where the water is not too deep - look for trails and steps to aid crossing. Some areas (heading up to the lower dells) can be quite muddy and slick, so be prepared and take your time. You may have to climb out of the canyon (several sets of stairs along the trails) but remember it is 5 - 6 stories up and down. If you have a backpack for your photo gear, use it - you will want to keep your hands free as much as possible. Depending on the time of year be sure to bring a good insect repellent and spay yourself liberally and the mosquitoes can be quite a problem. If you stay on the trails in the canyon and on the rim you should not have to worry about poison ivy.

The shape of the canyon makes it easy to get confused and turned around. There are trail maps at the top of all of the stairs, and you can pick up a map at Starved Rock or from the DNR link (above.) If you followed my directions you will be parked at the Lake Shelter - look for it on these maps.

These small problems are well worth the effort, however, I would recommend against going alone if you are not certain of your own abilities. This site is not well visited, especially early in the day, and you may spend hours without seeing anyone else. In warm weather be sure to bring some drinking water, although there are vending machines at the Fort.

Getting There

Link to Map

Getting to Matthiessen is easy, take I-55 to I-80 west (towards) Iowa. Take the exit for Starved Rock State Park, but go past the entrance to the first stop sign (Route 71). The main entrance to Matthiessen is further down route 178, but there is a better place to start. When you reach 71 (stop sign) turn right and go west until you see the sign for the golf course. The entrance has two stone pillars marking it, and it looks like a private drive, but it isn't. Turn left onto this road (Matthiessen Lane) and head south, past the golf course. Follow the road to the end and the parking lot by the shelter on Matthiessen Lake. You are now only about 100 yards from the first and most spectacular water falls.

TIP: If you are using your GPS you want to go to North Utica, Illinois. While the town is referred to as Utica, its real name is North Utica and your GPS may not find it.

NOTE: As of June 2, 2011 I-80 had a lot of construction and you may have delays; also the exit to Starved Rock was closed and you have to exit to IL Route 6 by Ottawa (look for the detour signs.) Simply follow the detour signs (not that many) and stay on Route 6 until you hit 178 (there will be a sign pointing to Starved Rock and Matthiessen) turn left and you will be heading to the park. Watch for some local roadwork in Utica. Also, the visitor center parking lot at Starved Rock was closed due to flooding (on June 2), so if you plan on going there you might want to check (call the Park.)

Photographic Tips

If you are interested in the waterfalls, try to get there after a few days of rain. I have been here during the dry weather and the water falls are merely a trickle.
I prefer to arrive shortly after sunrise and shoot in the morning; later in the day the sun shines directly into the canyon and conditions are not that great.
A cloudy day would work well, just be storm conscious. The canyon has had water as deep as 10 feet in 2008.
The Park offers some wonderful winter photo ops, but you need to have ice grippers as the stairs can be extremely icy and quite dangerous.
As lighting changes I find a neutral density filter ( 2 - 4 stops) is helpful if you want longer exposures.
A split neutral density may help with the extreme light changes between the canyon and the sky.
A tripod and release are must-haves.
Bracket your shots - shooting an HDR series can yield some good results.
Don't get so entranced by the falls that you miss the other photo ops!
One more time! Be prepared for mosquitoes during warm weather...
In the early Spring, there is an abundance of wildflowers in and around the canyon.

Other Stuff

If you are looking for lunch, both the Lodge at Starved Rock and Duffy's in Utica are good bets.
There are some waterfalls and canyons in Starved Rock, but I think Matthiessen is better.
Information is available (trail map, etc.) at the Starved Rock visitor center.