That’s the number for Moraine Valley State Park provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in a press release this past week.
Governor Pritzker announced that more than 41 million visitors visited Illinois state parks and historic sites, the highest number in nearly 15 years.
The surge coincides with increases in investments and efforts by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Office of Tourism to attract local, national, and international travelers by improving recreational opportunities, investing in park facilities and infrastructure, and featuring Illinois parks and historic sites prominently in the state’s Middle of Everything tourism campaign.
Nine Illinois state parks attracted more than 1 million visitors in 2024:
- Starved Rock State Park, LaSalle County: 2.4 million
- Illinois Beach State Park, Lake County: 2 million
- Hennepin Canal State Trail, Rock Island, Bureau, Henry, Lee and Whiteside counties: 1.75 million
- Sangchris Lake State Park, Sangamon and Christian counties: 1.5 million
- Kankakee River State Park, Kankakee County: 1.35 million
- Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area, Franklin County: 1.3 million
- Kickapoo State Recreation Area, Vermilion County: 1.3 million
- Rock Cut State Park, Winnebago County: 1 million
- Frank Holten State Park, St. Clair County: 1 million
Other parks welcoming large numbers of visitors in 2024 included:
- Illini State Park, LaSalle County: more than 940,000
- Fort Massac State Park, Massac County: nearly 940,000
- Giant City State Park, Jackson County: more than 907,000
- Moraine Hills State Park, McHenry County: more than 774,000
- Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, DeWitt County: nearly 739,000
The most-visited state historic sites in 2024 were:
- Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site, Menard County: nearly 360,000
- Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Madison County: more than 202,000
- Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, Madison County: nearly 148,000
- The Lincoln Tomb, Sangamon County: more than 143,000
- Fort de Chartres, Randolph County: more than 132,000
- Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island County: more than 130,000
Moraine Valley State Park has this description on its web site:
From hiking & biking to fishing & birding, Moraine Hills State Park is a recreational paradise in northeast Illinois. Located three miles south of the city of McHenry in McHenry County, about half of the state park’s 2,200 acres is composed of wetlands and lakes. The diverse habitats support an abundance of plants and a great variety of wildlife to enjoy along ten-plus miles of trails. McHenry Dam State Park is located along the east side of the Fox River and overlooks McHenry Lock & Dam. The river attracts anglers, waterfowl, eagles, birders and photographers alike.
In 1939, the State of Illinois made the initial McHenry Dam State Park land acquisition of 15 acres on the east bank of the Fox River. Major acquisition of the Lake Defiance area began in 1971, and construction of park facilities took place in the spring of 1975. The present Moraine Hills State Park opened in October 1976. The park name is derived from a geologic formation known as a moraine, which is an accumulation of boulders, stones and other debris deposited by a glacier.
The 48-acre Lake Defiance, located near the center of the park, is one of the few glacial lakes in Illinois that has remained largely undeveloped, maintaining a near-natural condition.
The waters and wetlands of Moraine Hills are home to abundant wildlife; more than 200 species of birds have been identified at the park. Fishing is available on both Lake Defiance and on the Fox River. The McHenry Dam area provides access to the Fox River, and a fishing pier accessible to visitors with disabilities is available. More than 10 miles of trails make Moraine Hills popular for hikers, skiers and cyclists, and provide one of the park’s main recreation features.
The concession stand at the McHenry Dam provides refreshments, bait and tackle, and boat rentals for both the Fox River and Lake Defiance.
