Matthiessen State Park Dells

I was the second car in the parking lot at the Matthiessen State Park at 7:20am.  I followed directional signs behind a replica  French fort which took me via a boardwalk and stairs  to the Lower Dells.  The low morning sun made the lighting subdued.  I wanted to get to the water and explore the geology.  There was heavy mud by the bridge that went over the creek, but the rest of the trails were mostly dry.

Water was cool and calm. Reviews that said "You will get wet!" were spot on.  The concrete steppers to help walk across the water were slanted and I didn't feel safe using them to hop across the water, so I just walked right into the cool water to cross the creek.  I should be a pro at this anyway.  To me the steppers were more to maintain a better footing than to keep one's feet dry and came in handy while taking photographs.  I had no plan, no map.  I simply followed signs and explored.

The first hour walking in the Lower Dells was very peaceful.  Walking the Lower Dells is definitely the highlight of this state park.  Standing in the water and looking up at the fern and moss-covered sandstone cliffs and seeing the results of millions of years of water erosion is a sight to behold.  I would not want to be in the canyon during heavy rain. Birds were busy with their morning songs and were the only sounds until human voices later ruined that.  The green moss was highlighted by the sun's backlight, bringing out the green as if photoshopped. There was no one else around until I met another dog walker with a cranky four-year-old pugX who wanted to fight with Zeke.  That peacefulness disappeared two hours later when I got back to the parking lot and a busload of young people from Grace Presbyterian Church ran toward the stairs to the Dells chatting loudly.

After walking the Lower Dells I continued on a trail that turned out to be a mile-long connector trail to the River Trail south of the Dells.  The wide connector up to connecting with the River Trail is a quiet forest path, but once at the official River Trail turns into a grassy path different from the shady Dells. This is primarily a horse trail that loops around a prairie of wildflowers by the Vermillion River.  It's not used nearly as much as other trails and I can see why: most of this trail is exposed to the sun.  I turned around before reaching the Vermillion River because Zeke and I were getting warm.  The ten miles we did yesterday had made us tired. I walked back to the Dells.

I walked around the Upper Dells trail next, a wide trail that went around the canyon.  This was more of a cool, forested walk away from the water.  I went back down into the water one last time before leaving the park, but by now the crowds were too much for Zeke and me and I left the park.  I'm so glad I had started today's hike early, as it was getting warm and forecasted to reach 88F, eight degrees warmer than yesterday.  The park website states that this park closes late in the morning when the parking lot is full and doesn't reopen until 3pm.  I wouldn't want to be here on a weekend!

The Dells hike came to 5 miles.  I had energy to hike a bit more and stopped on IL178, the road that touches Starved Rock State Park to the west, to check out St Louis falls.  This canyon is easily accessible via an abandoned road off IL178 and another 0.3 miles to the bridal veil falls.  This is like a smaller version of LaSalle Canyon.  I stayed long enough to take pictures, let Zeke drink, then left.  By now the crowds were starting to bother me.

I had plans of checking out Buffalo Rock State park, a small picnic area on the north banks of the Illinois River with two resident buffalo behind a fence.  We hiked 0.75 miles here, looping to the bluffs overlooking the river.  A flock of white pelicans flew overhead, migrant birds who make the rivers of the Midwest their home until the fall. I never did see any bald eagles these last two days, but was surprised to see so many pelicans.

Now I was tired.  I cut the hike short because of the heat.  The Buffalo Rock park is a nice park to stop and enjoy the views, have a snack at any of the picnic areas, but even the picnic areas were getting crowded. I was done with hiking for the day and now just wanted to get to Joliet and walk along the historic river district, but Zeke was exhausted.  I had pushed him hard these last two days and his body language was telling me to give him a rest.  I cancelled stopping in Joliet and drove back to Crown Point via I-80, only to get stuck in a traffic jam because of an accident off Harlem Avenue . I can always explore Joliet another day on another visit.  I, too, needed to eat, shower and relax.

I got back to Carols at 4:30pm.  I saw my reflection in the mirror and yes, I looked tired, dirty and needed a shower.  I did just that, making myself some pierogies, had a coffee stout brewed by Devil's Trumpet in Merrillville, and chatted with Carol's aides, Adrene and later Linda and went to bed by 9pm.  The long drive to Starved Rock, the hiking and then the heat really wore me down.


I'll upload photos in a few days

***

Civil rights icon and Georgia Democratic Representative since 1987, John Lewis, died early this morning from pancreatic cancer.  He had announced his cancer when fellow Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) was still alive.  Cummings died October 17, 2019.  He walked across the Selma, AL bridge with others on their way to Montgomery to protest voting rights suppressed for blacks. Photographs of him getting beaten by state troopers on March 7, 1965 made the news.

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