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There’s an app for that!
Visitors to Starved Rock State Park can now take a guided hike on the park’s most popular trails by using this new smartphone app. Download the Prairie State Hike App for just 99 cents.
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Throwback Thursday straight from the Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Park archives.
14 hours ago
The interurban stations still exist in most of the communities along the former path. The most notable is in Morris, where the building is now a BBQ restaurant
The station in Marseilles used to sit at the SE corner of Main and Broadway. It was moved to Aurora St. where it still stands.
Water we talking about this Wild Fact Wednesday? The northern water snake!
The northern water snake is a medium to large non-venomous snake native to North America. This is a common species and often encountered by humans. Due to their color and pattern, they are commonly mistaken for the venomous copperhead or cottonmouth. The northern water snake ranges in color and can be gray, brown, or tan. As they get older, their color will darken, and some specimens become solid brown or black.
At Starved Rock State Park, the northern water snake can be found near the Illinois River and canyon streams, with a preference for open areas that provide basking spots and relatively still waters. Their diet mainly consists of fish and amphibians, but they will also eat small mammals, birds, insects, turtles, carrion, and even other snakes.!
In warmer months, the northern water snake leads a solitary lifestyle. However, they become more social in the fall and spring and can be seen coiled together and basking in the sun.
2 days ago
Thanks for the info.