Photo: hakkun · CC BY-SA 3.0Tonti Canyon Falls
Worth a detour
Is it plungeworthy?
A plunge on Tonti Canyon Creek.
The details
- Type
- Plunge
- Watercourse
- Tonti Canyon Creek
- Coordinates
- 41.31153, -88.97383
About Tonti Canyon Falls
Tonti Canyon Falls is a 60-foot plunge in Illinois, on Tonti Canyon Creek.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Tonti Canyon Falls 6.7/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Know what this listing is before you drive: Tonti Canyon — home to a confirmed 60-foot falls, and famous for running twin falls off both walls after big rain — has been closed for more than a decade, and it's still closed now.
There's finally real movement: the canyon is part of Starved Rock's $18 million trail overhaul that began in February 2026, and state closure notices list it as scheduled for trail repairs with a possible late-2026 reopening. Possible is not open.
Hiking into a closed canyon at Starved Rock is illegal — fines start at $195 a head — and the closure exists because the access trail was genuinely falling apart. When it reopens, this page gets a rewrite and Tonti likely jumps straight into our top three.
Getting there
- Road
- Starved Rock State Park — canyon closed to all entry
- Heads up
- Adjacent LaSalle Canyon remains the legal stand-in — same drainage character, walk-behind falls.
When to go
When it reopens — watch the park's official closure page, not social media rumors.
Rules & fees
- Warnings
- Closed canyon — entering is illegal, $195+ per person.
Researched from IDNR — Starved Rock trail improvement closures · Hoodline — Starved Rock $18M trail makeover. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Tonti Canyon 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.
Common questions
How tall is Tonti Canyon Falls?
Tonti Canyon Falls drops about 60 feet, in Illinois.
Where is Tonti Canyon Falls?
Tonti Canyon Falls is a waterfall in Illinois, at 41.31153, -88.97383.
Is Tonti Canyon Falls worth visiting?
Worth a detour — Plungeworthy rates it 6.7/10.
Gear for the trip
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