Pere Marquette State Park

You and your furbaby are going to love the Pere Marquette State Park! One of the furbulous features of this 8,000 acre park is the beautiful Illinois River, which provides many acres of riverbank to fish from. You can catch a wide variety of fish here at the Pere Marquette State Park including bass, drum, crappie, catfish, carp, and bluegill. Make sure you have your Illinois fishing permit.

When you and Fido arrive at the Pere Marquette State Park, you will be treated to limestone bluffs that you can climb up to get an amazing view of the Illinois and the surrounding area. Fido will not be able to climb the cliffs, but you two can hike in on one of the many hiking and biking paths in the park. Your pooch will need to be leashed in all areas of this pawtastic park.

There are about a dozen miles of trails that meander through the trees, up the bluffs, and across acres of grassland. Watch out for rattlesnakes and other dangerous critters that may not like being disturbed. You may even stumble across one of the 150 Native American burial mounds on site. There are also many picnic areas and BBQ grills available at the Pere Marquette State Park if you and your dog work up an appetite.

There are no clean-up bags available for pups at the Pere Marquette State Park, so you will need to pocket some of your own to use. Always pick up whatever your dog lays down and help keep this park clean and dog-friendly. You will find trash receptacles available across the grounds at the park. 

Make it a vacation and stay overnight at one of the camping sites or cabins. There are 80 campsites that provide electricity, and two that are handicap accessible. Group camping sites are also available with more amenities, such as showers, kitchens, toilets, and potable water supplies. Reservations can be made online at the Illinois park website. 

For a woofderful adventure in the Illinois wilderness, grab your dog and head out to the Pere Marquette State Park today!