Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/9009
STARVED Rock In 1673 when Pere Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary, came upon the Illinois River he wrote, “We had never seen anything like this river…for the richness of the soil, the prairies and woods, the buffaloes, the elks, the deer, the wild cats, the bustard, the wild geese, the parquets, and even the beavers.” The river is nestled between 18 tree-covered sandstone canyons; a water-lover can find nature’s paradise here. Whether you want to cruise, fish, relax or even stretch your legs and hike on one of the many nearby trails—the options seem unlimited on this 273-mile-long river. The Illinois River is located about an hour southwest of the Chicago suburbs and is home to Starved Rock Marina. This body of water joins with the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan, allowing a large capacity of water for many cruis- ers, pontoons, houseboats and PWCs to play, explore and Marina Nature’s wonderland found on the Illinois River By: Erin Hong relax on the river. Though it is as shallow as the Mississippi River, the Illinois River has been known to be one of the most studied rivers in the entire world. One reason it is highly studied could be because it has one of the richest habitats in the Midwestern United States for fish and waterfowl. Fishermen alike will enjoy casting their lines into the Illinois River for the astounding variety of fish. The lake houses world-class sauger, many varieties of bass, catfish, striper and walleye, to name a few. At the Illinois River the sensation that you haven’t seen enough after your week-long vacation is a common feeling that keeps vacationers coming back at all times of the year. Take a break from fishing by exploring nearby state parks, such as Starved Rock or Buffalo Rock. Historic towns and amazing bluffs are other sites you won’t want to miss. Or hike around the unique design of the 18 sandstone canyons that comes from glaciermelt and stream erosion. While hiking up the trails, you can find one of the many glistening waterfalls that cascades from the top. These wa- terfalls are often created after winter or after a heavy rainfall. In the colder months these waterfalls become ice falls which prove nature’s beauty still exists in the winter. The full vegetation of black and white oak, white pines and red and white cedar line the Illinois River, creating a colorful 20 Houseboatmagazine.com