Lake Falls - Matthiessen IL State Park
Posted by: 
cldisme
N 41° 17.939 W 089° 01.505
16T E 330454 N 4573925
Lake Falls is the upper-most part of the Upper Dells section of Matthiessen Illinois State Park.
Waymark Code: WM23MY
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 08/29/2007
Views: 91
The Upper Dells portion of
Matthiessen Illinois State Park begins with Lake Falls.
Normally, Lake Falls is just a
trickle compared to the all the water seen in the submitted photo. I just happened to visit after a week of heavy rain.
Do not even attempt to climb the ledges behind the falls regardless of the rate of discharge. First of all, it is just plain stupid, and, furthermore, rock climbing is prohibited here anyway.
There are stairs which lead from the basin up to the bridge over the falls, although the best view is at the bottom. The tree canopy does not allow very good views from the top.
Other notes for visiting:
- Bring plenty of water. It may feel cooler down in the dells area, but with all the stairs you will need some extra water. Plus, the stream water is high in mineral content and not recommended for drinking.
- Wear clothing you think can get permanently stained. If you bump against on one of the colorful sandstone walls, the color may not wash out of your clothing.
- Wear good hiking shoes that can get wet. Not only do you need good footwear for the stairs, but also for the creek crossings. Many creek crossings are stepping stones and not bridges, so if your foot slips it will get wet.
- Leave a change of clothes in the car. After long afternoon of hiking, our family usually needs to change out of our hiking clothes, whether or not we have fallen into the water. The bathroom facilities by the main parking lot (N41d17.757' W89d01.549') are large enough for you to clean up a little and change. Sorry, no showers.
- Is it hunting season? If your are visiting during the fall or winter, check the
IDNR website to see if the park is closed for hunting.