Nice park with great scenery. Been up here for Eagle Watching while a kid. They had a giant human sized chess board in the lodge, not sure if it still exists. read more

Pere Marquette is the place to experience the beauty of fall foliage. The rich colors of; orange, yellow and red on all the trees makes it a sight to behold. Enjoy the colors by walking/hiking the many trails. You can get real adventurous and go horseback riding. Or be like me and sit on the deck at the lodge and enjoy a bottle of wine while enjoying the beauty of nature. No matter the season, you cannot go wrong exploring the 8000 acres of Pere Marquette State Park. read more

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This park is a nature's lovers paradise. Located in Grafton Illinois at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. We took the main circle drive thru the park which had many pull offs for you to get out and enjoy the views. Unfortunately we never made it back to see the main Lodge. A great park for camping and hiking. The visitors center open daily from 8-3pm. Plenty of parking as well as public facilities thru out. read more

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The Pere Marquette Lodge is such a historic treasure! That 700-ton stone fireplace in the lobby is even more impressive in person, and my family loved the giant floor chess set. We ate at the lodge restaurant and the family-style fried chicken did not disappoint. The rooms have a rustic, CCC-era vibe--very cozy and clean. Perfect for a quiet weekend escape! read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Pere Marquette State Park Grafton, IL - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

Very nice views. Quiet park with a drive through trail. Peeve of stop areas for you to get out and explore nature. Highly recommend. read more

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Great hike, particularly in the fall when all the leaves are a "glowing cornucopia" at their best. The aroma of the different flora is amazing! Trails are clearly marked and colour coded, with plenty of vistas from which to marvel at nature's wonder, including the convergence of two rivers at one point. In the lodge, life sized chess set, and super cosy ambience. Fun for the whole family, or group of any type! Love this place! read more

We absolutely loved our hike here and will be back again with friends. The trails weren't overcrowded and the views were spectacular. Trails are clearly marked and I loved the variety of routes throughout the park. Even though it looked like the parking lots had a good amount of people parked, the trails were not too crowded. I do wish they did a bit more upkeep on some of the routes (like the pink oak route) to prevent dirt drifts/mud sliding that causes extremely uneven paths. read more

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Even in the winter you can see some beautiful views along with the wildlife. The visitor center was great and had many an item to view along with live bees! I will say our trip had some mud but even the trails marked as easy on the map were hard depending on the direction you're going. (Uphill) Biggest issue we had was the wash out ruts some trails had, hopefully a round of pebble in the future can help alleviate this issue. Additionally liked that there were look out spots to park if you want to get away from the busyness of the visitor center. The boot cleaner was a nice touch but unfortunately wasn't attached to anything so was hard to use. read more

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Lots to explore at Pere Marquette. Be sure to stop in the Visitor's Center, which also houses a small museum. Great display including some hand's on items that kids will really enjoy. Excellent videos, especially liked one about the Civilian Conservation Corp and its role in developing the region. read more

I came here this morning to check out this state park, and by the looks of it (I have not done any of its hiking trails, just the scenic views), it is a massive park with plenty of hiking trails to see and do. The next time I come here, I'll be hiking with my pup starting early in the morning. It's totally worth checking out and exploring. read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

Pere Marquette was unexpectedly a combination of tough hikes that reward with beautiful views of nature and the Mississippi. A stop first at the well-stocked and staffed visitor center provided a great trail map. Not all parks have well-marked trails but this one certainly did and it was easy to track exactly where we were during our 2+ hour hike. Even though it was a holiday weekend, there still wasn't alot of people around so trekking on some narrow paths was alot easier when not having to navigate around others. My only disappointment was not seeing an eagle or eagle's nest but I understand that the best time for eagle sightings is Jan-Feb. read more

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What a view! Totally worth climbing a little. If you dare, there is 7 miles option Totally worth the view at look out point. I'd suggest going there very early in the morning. And try to take the Grafton Ferry to get here, if you are coming from Missouri. read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Look out - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

If hiking is your thing, definitely come pay this place a good visit. Lots of great trails and it's especially beautiful in the fall. They have a small visitor center with some decent information on the area and a cute lodge and restaurant on site. The views are gorgeous and it's HUGE. A must do in the area. If you're a history buff, some of the old lookouts and structures are from Roosevelt's projects on the 1930's. Family and dog friendly. The hiking can be anywhere from novice to difficult with lots of gain in elevation. There are plenty of trails that weave in and out of each other and you can tailor your trip according to your preference. read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

Just an exquisite visitors center! Incredible taxidermy and exhibits. And of course my favorite, a cute little gift shop. Staff is soooooo helpful and knowledgeable! Save some time to enjoy the visitors center or retreat here when it's hot. read more

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Great place to hike. If I am hiking in the Midwest I prefer to go before or after mosquito season. Today (3/1) we definitely were before the mosquitoes but the snakes were evidently just starting to come out and sun themselves. They were not right in the trail so it was not a big deal except I don't even like to see them. The trails were exceptionally well marked - like some of the best I've ever seen. Kudos to them. We puzzles however as to why the visitor center was not open on a Sunday afternoon. Be aware that the trails may be very muddy. We had fair amount of mud on the Goat cliff trail (name??) and the Hickory and Hickory North trails but Hickory South was great. No mud at all. A few spots on all trails were in need of maintenance but it is so early in the season I'm sure they haven't had time. read more

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Scenic state park and amazing lodge along the great river road. One of my favorite day trips is taking the private Golden Eagle ferry across the Mississippi then the IDOT free Grafton Ferry across the Illinois River to get here from St. Charles County. Another scenic way to arrive ia the river road from Alton along the bluffs. Either way is cool! Bald eagles are plentiful some times in the Winter. The lodge is heavy timbers and really amazing inside. One of my favorite trips! read more

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Beautiful colors today at Pere Marquette State Park. read more

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Lovely park with grand lodge, hotel and cabins for rent. The restaurant in the lodge is very good. You get large portions too. This gorgeous historical lodge is great to visit for a day or weekend trip! Look up it's history before you go - the office staff were not very versed in its history. It's also right off of the Great River Road Hwy journey if you're interested. Don't forget to drive up through the park to top of the bluffs and view the Mississippi River and Missouri on the other side! This is a low key, relaxed adventure that I highly recommend. read more

Pere Marquette's a great State Park with a good amount of trails and views. Heck, the drive up there from St. Louis was pretty, especially along the Mississippi past Alton. In the middle of November, my wife was out of town so I took my two dogs up there early in the morning in hopes of getting a good hike in (see my Keystone Colorado list to understand...). That early in the morning (7:30am), the only people I was seeing were crazy runners that were bounding up and down the trails, but it was cool to see people there. The trails were pretty good for anyone in decent shape. To put things into perspective, my pekingese walked most of the way around the fern hollow trail, with the exception of any stairs (I'm one of THOSE people with the doggy backpacks...). Seriously. My understanding, though, is that Goat Cliff is by far the most scenic of the trails. They're all pretty short so you can probably spend the better part of the day there and see most of what the place has to offer. I will definitely be back with the dogs (and wife...?). read more

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I rarely ever make it across the river to illi(noise). I feel like you need a passport to cross the river into a foreign land, but one reason to visit for us Missouri folks is to check out pere marquette. I'm a city girl, but love me some hiking & mother nature. You get acres & acres of that here. Yes, it's a hike to get here, but the drive is beautiful along the river road, & you have quaint stops along the way like alton & grafton. If hiking is your thing, the trails are clearly marked w/ visible colored spray paint on trees (color coded for whichever trail you're on). The trails link up at various points so you can trek for as little as a mile up to a half days hike. There are stops along the way to have a snack, rest, & catch amazing views of the river. If hiking isn't your thing, you can drive through the park, again various places to park your car & take in the scenery. Cmon Missourian's, I dare you to cross that river & explore pere marquette read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Trail map - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

I love this park! It has been a part of my world for quite some time. The ride along the great river road is one of the best around and is most beautiful in the fall when the leaves have changed colors. They have a nice trail system and beautiful scenic views along the way. You can also drive back up the hill and stop at different scenic views. They have a ton or areas to have a picnic lunch and the lodge is great to hang out if it's cold and play chess. The visitors center is really cool too and has a lot of really great info. I love riding from the argosy casino to this park and back for a 44 mile ride on my bike. Love everything about this place except that there is almost no reception so checking in or getting anything on your phone is really difficult. But than again that may be just what you want to happen. I couldn't find the lodge on Yelp so I will talk about it here. They have rooms and cottages for you to stay in (not sure on nightly cost) if you want to make it an over night stay. There is also a really great restaurant also that I have been to many times and has a really great Rubin sandwich. All in all a great time can be had here. read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

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Beautiful trails and look out points that sit up in the hills. Great views of the Mississippi. My family loves to go out here and just spend the day. They also have a lodge that has good food. Great family place to visit. read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

Mighty large and in charge. Eagle watch in November highly suggested. Drove through and took multiple stops for soul searching and picture taking. A few destinations for beautiful scenery of billion colors and types of plants. Horse back riding equipped. Hiking trails with lightly crunching leafs underneath your feet, smell of wood and wild flowers, and soothing biophony beats a day at the office! read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

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Incredible customer service from Ciara! The power was out and she went way out of her way to make us as comfortable as possible. The Lodge is lovely, the restaurant is great, and the trails are wonderful. An amazing experience even with the power outage. read more

Just an hour from St. Louis city, Pere Marquette is a great getaway. This park can be a day trip or can take the whole weekend. Nearby grafton has many restaurants, a couple of wineries and even ziplining - plenty of activities to engage you for the weekend. Pere Marquette has a lodge and restaurant as well. But what's truly fantastic here are the hiking trails. Stop by the visitor center and get a map of the trails and ask for the best hikes suited to you. In relatively short moderate hikes, you get to see a lot of diversity in the plant life, some excellent rock formations and views of Swan lake, Illinois river and beyond that are very impressive. The drive on the river road itself is grand! The bluffs next to the road are high and colorful and make the drive very enjoyable. Watch for motorcycles and bicycles. Share the road. Occasionally in the right season, you might even see a bald eagle soar by. read more

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I am a city girl. There is a reason why I no longer live in the country. I am a city girl. However, when my extended family wanted to take me on a hike while I was visiting, I wasn't reluctant per se, and I rather enjoyed my hike through Pere Marquette State Park. I don't have a lot of hiking experience, so I don't have anything to compare it to, really, but I can say that the trail was relatively easy (my four- and six-year-old cousins were able to do it with as much ease as my aunts and uncle), and the scenery was beautiful! The view from one of the summits was absolutely breathtaking, overlooking the Mississippi, into the Wild Blue Yonder (pics to come). I'm still a city girl, and I don't plan on moving to the Midwest ever, but Pere Marquette's a great experience for people who like outdoorsy things and people who don't. read more

It is a nice place to visit, even during the off season. We rested in the picnic area near the campground. The bathrooms at the picnic area did not have indoor plumbing, as it was more of an outhouse style. I did see an outdoor water source. Plan on bringing anti-bacterial wipes or soap, if you visit this area. read more

Pere Marquette State Park - Pere Marquette picnic area near campground. - Parks Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

This place is beautiful! Took an afternoon trip over to Grafton from STL this past Sunday and was blown away by how pretty the trails were during fall. They have a few trails that lead to an overlook of the Illinois/Missouri rivers. They have 12 miles of hiking, a Lodge with a restaurant that has great fried chicken, and cabins you can stay in in the park. The drive along the great river road makes the hour drive go by quickly. Definitely a great day-long getaway during the fall! Pros: great views of Illinois/MO rivers, hiking trails Cons: nothing read more

Such a beautiful place to visit. It has hiking suitable for just about everyone. You cant really describe the beauty in words you'll just have to check it out yourself! We has a nice little 2.5 hour hike up here! read more

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Drive was pretty if you take Great River Road... the lodge is beautiful and the chicken dinner is to die for.

This historic Lodge is beautiful. We stayed in the Lodge room up the stairs. The rooms were large and had a great view of the Illinois river. We say eagles flying from our window! The food in the restaurant was good. we had one dinner and one breakfast. the portions were large. we enjoyed the large indoor pool and fireplace in the main lodge. we definitely will go again. read more