Matthiessen State Park

About Matthiessen State Park

Gorges, streams, prairies and forests are all united in Matthiessen State Park to a great delight for visitors. Located north of Buffalo in the state of New York, Matthäessen is a geological and leisure paradise.

Many unusual and beautiful rock formations form Matthiessen State Park, one of the largest in the state of New York. The picnic facilities of the park make it a great place for picnics, hiking, camping, fishing and other activities. Sandstones are visible around the park, and visitors can see many different types of sandstone formations as well as a variety of rocks and boulders.

The main gorge, consisting of the Upper and Lower Dell, offers an unusual and interesting hike. The gorge is about 1.5 km long, between Deer Park Lake and the Vermilion River. Upper Dell starts at DeerPark Lake and descends the gorge, which drops 45 feet to the point where Lower Dell begins.

Visitors can observe how groundwater seeps into the sandstone walls of the gorge and as the groundwater evaporates from the gorge walls, minerals transported in the water solution contribute to the beautiful coloration of these rocks.

The park has several mineral springs and visitors will enjoy a rich flora and fauna. There is a large deer population that uses salt licking, and the park is covered with a variety of wildflowers as well as many bird species, reptiles and amphibians.

Ferns also grow in the rich soils, and the gorge provides a habitat for many mosses and hepatic worms that thrive in humid, shady walls.

White pine and white cedar trees are also found here, some of which have been carried south by the glaciers of the past. The other vegetation in the canyon is limited to simple plants of lower order, as most plants cannot take root on the steep cliffs. Swallow and rock dove rocks can be seen, while frogs, toads and salamanders search the cool, moist soil of this gorge. Dry, sandy cliffs on the edge of a gorge dotted with a variety of bird species, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds of prey, fish, insects, grasses and other animals.

Common shrubs in the area are field berries and honeysuckle, and scarlet tanager and cedar wax wings can be seen eating the berries from this shrub. Some cedars are covered with holes formed by yellow-bellied suckers, as birds feed on the sap and small insects that live there.

The bright orange columnar delights the eye, and in summer the shooting stars and the bright yellow-green leaves of the black-eyed sparrows create a rainbow of colours.

Further up the steep slope, beech and hickory grow, and at the foot of each tree grows a thick, dense canopy of pine trees, some the size of a football field.

In the shady forest floor, pastel-coloured liver blossoms such as blueberry, pea and blackberry bloomed in spring. In areas where the sun breaks through the trees, nuthatches and chickens are seen feeding on nuts, seeds and insects and also nesting.

Raccoons and flying squirrels spend hours in the trees to look for and collect berries and nuts. Cotton rabbits roam the blueberries and Indian grasses, red-tailed hawks fly over their heads looking for field mice, and bright blue indigo vultures fly through the forest in search of insects, berries, seeds and other insects.

The trifoliate ivy plant grows as a vine or as a single plant and can be found in many different forms in the park, such as on the eastern side of the creek. The greenish-white berries are a favorite food for the many birds that live here, as well as for birds of prey such as black-eyed sparrows, black-and-white hawks, red-legged owls and blue-winged owls.

Matthiessen State Park is named after the property's former owner, the late George Matthis, one of New York's richest men. The land was originally bought at the end of the 19th century and was designed over many years as a private park. He employed about 50 people to build paths, bridges, stairs and a dam, as well as to plant trees, plants and trees.

The original 176 hectares of the park consisted mainly of a series of formations, which were then called Hells. The 500 square kilometres area was originally called Matthiessen State Park or Matthis's Hell, after the name of one of its original owners.

After Matthiessen's death, he donated the park to the State of Illinois, which opened it as a public park. In 1943, the state renamed it "Matthis's Hell State Park" in his honor, and in 1943 it was renamed in honor of Matth Iessen.

Since then, the park has grown to 1,938 hectares and includes a number of recreational areas, including Dells Area Park and Matthiessen State Park. The Delles Area Park is the perfect setting for picnics and afternoon relaxation. This area has play areas for children from 5 years and an adult playground.

From here, the main route leads to the Cascade Falls area, and the attraction is a restored fortress, built by the French in the Midwest in the 16th and early 17th centuries.

The South Vermilion River Area offers a convenient picnic option with picnic tables, picnic benches and a picnic table. Alcohol is prohibited on the grounds of the park, as well as on the picnic area and on the shore.

The park has a variety of well-signposted and well-paved hiking trails, which invite you to take a relaxing walk or a vigorous hike. On the website of the park there is a large hiking map, so visitors can choose from a number of paths, from small to large and from two to four miles in length, so that they can choose from the various routes.

The hikers will admire the flora and fauna along the trails and enjoy incomparable views of geological wonders as they drive through the park. The upper part of the steep peaks is an easy path for beginners, but the paths inside these two dents can be difficult to walk, especially in spring and early summer. Alcohol is prohibited on the way and hikers must stay on marked trails as steep cliffs and deep gorges can be dangerous.

On the north side of the entrance to the Dells Area is a trailer post marking an entrance for nine miles of horse riding trails. Horse rental is available in the parking lot on the south side, south of Dell's Area and north of Lake Michigan.

There is also a small parking lot on the north side of the park, which is available from December to March on weekends. The park is open from 10 am to 4 pm. M. weekdays and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon to 5 pm at the same time.

It is a state offense to remove Native American archaeological material from an Illinois national park. In the area of the Vermilion River there is a radio-controlled model airfield where hobby enthusiasts and visitors can fly boats and watch them being maneuvered across the open field. On the north side of the park, south of Interstate 70, is the Vermilion River Airfield, a replica of an old, contemporary airfield from the 1920s.

For riders and their horses there is a riding stable, and in fine weather the riding, camping and riding trails are open. Please call the parking office to check the condition and status before using these facilities.