Plan Ahead: Survey Names Illinois’ Very Best Spot For Fall Colors

I know. It's still summer, and here I am writing about the best spots to catch the Fall colors in Illinois. Shouldn't I just stick to what's happening right now?

In my defense, having lived in Illinois my entire life, I know that the switch between summer and fall in Illinois gets flipped pretty quickly, and we go from trees of green to trees of red, yellow, and gold really fast. Why not have your fall colors viewing already planned out for when that happens so you'll know where the best spots are?

Plus, this piece deals with Illinois' "hidden gems," or put another way, places to check out some amazing fall colors without (if you're lucky) fighting the crowds that sometimes overwhelm and clog up the better known fall colors spots in the state.

Before We Cover The Hidden Gems Of Fall Colors In Illinois, I Want To Share My Favorite Spot To Visit When The Leaves Turn

It's the drive down Route 2 along the Rock River from Rockford to Byron, then on to Oregon and Dixon. Having always lived in this area of Illinois, it's my pick for one of the best ways to enjoy the colorful spectacular that Fall in Illinois really is.

3,000 People Were Asked To Share Their Pick For The Hidden Gems Or Under-The-Radar Spots They Head For To See The Leaves Change In Fall

You'd think that a company that makes photo books would know a thing or two about colorful and photogenic spots around the country, and you'd be right. Mixbook.com recently released the results of their survey, and out of the 150 spots named around the country, Illinois has three of them.

Coming in at number-one in Illinois (and 24th overall in the entire country), is Starved Rock State Park. (By the way, click here to learn the horrifying reason Starved Rock got its name to begin with.)

The other two Illinois locations to make Mixbook.com's list are Castle Rock State Park in Ogle County (#2 in Illinois and #66 nationwide), and Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton (#3 in Illinois and #98 nationwide).

WGNTV.com:

Per the Mixbook survey, here are the Top 5 “under-the-radar” destinations around the country:

1. Sterling Forest State Park, New York
2. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Michigan
3. Bear Creek Lake State Park, Virginia
4. Mount Greylock State Reservation, Massachusetts
5. Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Maine