Chicago Falls

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A 2-tier tiered on La Salle Canyon Creek.

Scale12/60

Documentation15/20

Character20/20

The details

Tiers: 2 drops
Type: Tiered
Watercourse: La Salle Canyon Creek
Coordinates: 41.3112, -88.9711

Get directions →

About Chicago Falls

Chicago Falls is a tiered in Illinois, on La Salle Canyon Creek. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Chicago Falls 4.7/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Our database calls this one Chicago Falls; everyone at the park calls it LaSalle Canyon Falls — same water, roughly 20 to 25 feet of it, and the only falls at Starved Rock you can walk behind for the full 360.

The trail passes under the overhanging sandstone ledge behind the curtain — the single best photo spot in the park, and in winter the falls freezes into a column you can circle completely.

It's also the park's most reliable runoff-fed falls, running nearly year-round in all but the driest stretches.

Getting there

Trailhead: LaSalle Canyon Trail from the Parkman's Plain lot, Starved Rock State Park
Parking: Parkman's Plain/LaSalle lot — construction-affected in 2026, check before you go
Road: Route 71 — paved
Hike: 3 mi round trip (Moderate — river-bluff trail and canyon floor)
Heads up: Published under both names in various sources; 'Chicago Falls' appears to be a dataset quirk. It's LaSalle Canyon.

When to go

Nearly year-round; winter's walk-behind ice column is the signature version.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Free — Starved Rock State Park charges no entry fee
Dogs: Leashed only
Hours: 7am to sunset
Camping: Park campground and lodge
Warnings: Off-trail hiking is illegal here — fines start at $195 per person. Don't drink from canyon pools. The park's $18M trail overhaul runs through 2026 — check current closures before driving.

Researched from GoWaterfalling — Starved Rock waterfalls · Komoot — Waterfalls in Starved Rock State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Chicago Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.