Forget Niagara Falls, Illinois Has Plenty of Waterfalls

Now, to be fair, if you're looking for mega-waterfalls, you should probably stick with Niagara Falls, or Angel Falls in Venezuela if a long road-trip doesn't bother you. However, if you're willing to sacrifice the height in favor of the picturesque, Illinois has several waterfalls that are well worth checking out, and you won't have to drive far to enjoy them.

During a trip with my dad to Norway a number of years ago, we were told multiple times by locals that Norway is the waterfall capital of the world. I didn't do an actual count, but I will gladly admit that Norway has an abundance of waterfalls. We saw them constantly on our trip through the country, and they are very impressive.

Kevin Hoffman, writing for Reboot Illinois, has a piece up called "12 Awesome Illinois Waterfalls That You Probably Don't Know About," and I found that I hadn't heard about most of them.

For those who enjoy an Illinois-centric summertime road trip, here are a few from Kevin's list that are worth the drive:

Wildcat Canyon Falls can be found at Starved Rock State Park, and features an 80-foot plunge.

Ferne Clyffe Falls has a 50-foot drop and can be found in Shawnee National Forest.

St. Louis Canyon Falls is beautiful, tucked away waterfall in Starved Rock State Park, with a drop of about 50 feet.

Cascade Falls, is misty and beautiful, with a drop of about 45 feet. The falls can be enjoyed when you visit Matthiessen State Park.

For the rest of the list, including photos and locations, check out Kevin Hoffman's article by clicking here.

And, if you're looking for something that's just a wee bit more adrenaline-producing (and involves some travel), there's this: