Fall Color Along the Illinois River Road

Next to better-known Starved Rock State Park, 5 miles of trails carve into the mile-long canyon at Matthiessen State Park. You'll find rock formations with imaginative names such as Devil's Paintbox, Wishing Well and Giant's Bathtub. Upper Dells trails -- mostly boardwalk, bridges and stairs -- take you through fragrant cedar groves on the ridges to beautiful, sometimes dizzying, vantage points. Rocks and waterfalls make the Lower Dells trails a rambler's dream; you're likely to get wet as you navigate over streams and pools. (815) 667-4868; Matthiessen State Park