Castle Rock State Park

About Castle Rock State Park

Castle Rock State Park is located on the west side of Castle Rock, New Jersey, north of New York City.

The park is one of the largest state parks in the United States and the second largest in North America. It is the only state park in New Hampshire with an altitude of more than 1,000 feet above sea level. Due to the hilly topography of the park, the Rock River flows into its hills, and there are no hills. It is located south of North Carolina's capital Charlotte, NC, and is also just a short drive from the state's largest city, Charlotte.

The sandstone cliffs that surround the river give the park its name, and the acquisition of Castle Rock State Park was based on natural resources that are unique in Illinois, such as the Rock River and its tributary, Lake Michigan.

The region was covered by a thin layer of glacier growth, and 27 different ferns were identified in one valley. Some of them still exist, such as the Castle Rock, a rare grass species with a long history in the region.

Most of the outstanding natural features are located within the protected nature reserve, which is protected by state law. The park is the only one of its kind in the state of New Mexico and its use as a 710-hectare reserve will be limited to scientific studies and interpretative activities.

Native Americans named the river Sinnissippi, which means "rocky water," and named it the "SinnISSippi River" after its origin in the Mississippi. The Illinois Indian tribes inhabited the region until the 1730s, when the Sauk and Fox tribes, pushed west by colonists, invaded and inhabited it. In the early 19th century, Blackhawk, a Sauk leader, led his people back to Illinois to reclaim the land of their ancestors and push the Native Americans back west to Iowa.

The following battles were called "Blackhawk Indian Wars," and Chief Blackhawk was captured in 1832 and sent to a reserve.

In the early 19th century, New England settled the area around Castle Rock, and in 1921 it was proposed as a national park. The Friends of the Local Landscape Association, a non-profit association dedicated to preserving the natural landscape, held a public fundraiser in 1964 to preserve part of the castle rock. In addition to the land it describes, it is also responsible for acquiring a number of other historic sites in the region, including the Old Town Cemetery and New York State Historic Park.

In 1965 Castle Rock was recognized as an outstanding area of great scientific importance by the State of Illinois. In the 1970s, the acquisition of land from the states began, and projects were established in the area for the construction of the Illinois State Museum and the University of Chicago.

The area was inaugurated as a national park in 1978 and currently covers about 2,000 hectares, 710 of which are designated as Illinois Nature Preserve. Castle Rock has no campsites, except for a primitive canoe campground, and access to this area is only possible by canoe or boat.

There are three picnic areas, each equipped with a picnic table, picnic chairs and picnic tables, and picnic benches. A picnic area offers a beautiful view of the Rock River Valley; there are also scattered tables that can be used along the river.

The two refuges in the park can be reserved for a fee, and over the years over six kilometers of marked hiking trails have been created. The trails provide a great opportunity to observe the forest animals and birds that inhabit the parks. Picturesque views along the paths also offer photographers many opportunities to refine their skills.

Cross-country skiing and tobogganing are also possible in good weather, and further hiking trails are planned in the park.

Castle Rock State Park is located in Rockford, Illinois, north of Chicago and south of the Illinois River.

I-39 will take you 20 miles from Rockford to south of IL Hwy 64, then south on ILHwy 2 and turn right at Oregon Exit. Exit 104, Highway 64 West to Oregon, then turn right, Oregon Exit and turn right onto Illinois Highway 2.

I-39 will take you 20 miles from Rockford south of IL Hwy 64, right onto ILHwy 2 and west on Highway 64 for 15 miles to Oregon. Heading west from I-88, take Exit 97, I / 39 to Rochelle and turn left onto Illinois Highway 2.

Take IL Highway 2 south of the park and drive to Dixon North for 12 miles to another park. From Dixon, take Highway 26 South to IL Highway 2 and then Illinois Highway 64 for 15 miles.

Take IL Highway 2 to Dixon North for 12 miles to another park and then take the Dixon Exit to go east on I-88 and west on Dixon for 15 miles.