Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Matthiessen State Park
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States
- Season
- May 1 to mid-November
- Showers
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 636 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Utica
- Address
- Box 509, Utica, IL 61373
- Phone
- (815) 667-4726
- Activities
- Camping, Equestrian Camping
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Matthiessen State Park is an Illinois DNR state park in the Northwest region of Illinois. Camping site types: Equestrian camping. Equestrian camping only, adjacent to Starved Rock; day-use trails list equestrian riding among activities. Pets ARE allowed (leashed, with water, never left unattended or in a parked vehicle) - IDNR's general statewide practice, confirmed via Starved Rock State Park's own IDNR FAQ. No online reservation system for this site per IDNR's own live Camp Classifications table (dnr.illinois.gov/parks/camp/camp-classifications.html) - camping here is first-come, first-served, or by calling the park office directly.
Fees
Equestrian camping available (specific class/rate varies by site). Reservation fee $5/reservation (non-refundable) plus first night's camping fee; camping fees refunded if cancelled online 3+ days before arrival. Discounts (about half the listed camping fee, full utility fee still applies) for Illinois residents 62+ or disabled with a Class 2/2A card; Illinois disabled veterans and POWs camp free aside from the utility fee; no entrance fee to any Illinois state park (dnr.illinois.gov).
The park's only camping is the equestrian campground, for horseback riders only, first-come; it opens May 1 weather permitting and closes after the second weekend of November. Call 815-667-4726 for conditions.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 15° | -17° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 36° | 21° | -10° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 49° | 31° | 9° | 77° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 61° | 41° | 24° | 81° | 5 of 11 |
| May | 73° | 54° | 37° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 82° | 62° | 49° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 67° | 58° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 82° | 66° | 56° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 79° | 60° | 51° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 63° | 45° | 28° | 83° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 50° | 33° | 8° | 74° | 7 of 10 |
| December | 39° | 24° | -4° | 67° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Starved Rock State Park · Illinois State Parks · 2 mi
- Illini State Park · Illinois State Parks · 16 mi
- Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area · Illinois State Parks · 29 mi
- Gebhard Woods State Park · Illinois State Parks · 31 mi
- Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area · Illinois State Parks · 31 mi
All public campgrounds in Illinois · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.