Starved Rock State Park is an Illinois state park located in Utica, Illinois, about 75 miles west-southwest of downtown Chicago, easily reachable by going west on I-80. The park is 2,630 acres (10 km²) in size and includes 13 miles (21 km) of hiking trails, numerous waterfalls (ice falls in winter) and other landforms. The park contains 18 sandstone canyons carved over the last 12,000 years by a combination of surface water runoff and groundwater outflow. Starved Rock was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1960.

The rock derives its name from a story that a band of Illiniwek was trapped in the 1760s on the rock by a band of Potawatomi trying to avenge the death of the Ottawa Chief Pontiac. The Illiniwek then scrambled to the top of the rock, where the Ottawa and allied Potawatomi laid siege until the Illiniwek starved to death. However, the authenticity of the story has never been verified, and the story is now considered to be more legend than truth.

Today, it is visited by hundreds of people everyday and is a great spot for hiking, picnics, boating and just a relaxing afternoon in the wilderness. The multiple canyon's magnitude is truly amazing and as with anything with nature, you truly lose yourself in its awesomeness.