Matthiessen State Park

Welcome to Matthiessen State Park!

Park History: Matthiessen State Park was named in honor of Frederick William Mathiessen, a prominent Philanthropist and Industrialist from the LaSalle County area. He was once the owner of the land and operated it as a private park for years. It was initially a 176 acre property known as Deer park but when Matthiessen passed the land was transferred to the state of Illinois and became Matthiessen State Park in 1943. It has grown to 1,938 acres in size and boasts landscapes of canyons, rivers, and forest.

Flora and Fauna: The park provides habitat for numerous species of plants and animals. Some of the parks plants include red cedar, black oak, and the yellow partridge pea. Some of the parks animals include flying squirrels, rabbits, and red-tailed hawks. Please treat their home with respect.

For the lover of the outdoors Matthiessen State Park boasts over five miles of trails, primitive undeveloped campgrounds, and so much more. Come on out and explore! To contact the park office please call 815-667-4868.