White Pines Forest State Park
Summary
One of the best places to visit near Chicago for those, er… pining to see some evergreens. In winter, if you’re tired of the bare contours of the deciduous trees —much more common in Northern Illinois— the towering white pines in this state park will be a sight for sore eyes.
There are several well-marked hiking trails along the banks and ridges overlooking Pine and Spring Creeks, two good sized streams which traverse the park before emptying into Rock River. The trails form interconnected loops, which makes it easy to string them into a longer hike without retracing your steps.
The trails are not long or particularly demanding, but they can be combined, and variations in terrain as they climb over several ridges add interest and challenge. The ridge-top trails on both sides of the creek have overlooks where visitors can enjoy wonderful views of the water and a picturesque railroad bridge below. There are a couple long sets of stairs leading to bridges over Pine Creek, and a few crossings of Spring Creek over concrete stepping stones.
In addition to camping, White Pines offers three-season cabins and a lodge, which were built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The cabins were closed when we visited, but may be on the agenda for a future visit.
Illinois DNR White Pines Forest SP page.
White Pines Inn and Cabin page.