Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Matthiessen State Park
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States
- Showers
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 636 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Utica
- Address
- Box 509, Utica, IL 61373
- Phone
- (815) 667-4726
- Activities
- Camping, Equestrian Camping
About
Matthiessen State Park is an Illinois DNR state park in the Northwest region of Illinois. Camping site types: Equestrian camping. Equestrian camping only, adjacent to Starved Rock; day-use trails list equestrian riding among activities. Pets ARE allowed (leashed, with water, never left unattended or in a parked vehicle) - IDNR's general statewide practice, confirmed via Starved Rock State Park's own IDNR FAQ. No online reservation system for this site per IDNR's own live Camp Classifications table (dnr.illinois.gov/parks/camp/camp-classifications.html) - camping here is first-come, first-served, or by calling the park office directly.
Fees
Equestrian camping available (specific class/rate varies by site). Reservation fee $5/reservation (non-refundable) plus first night's camping fee; camping fees refunded if cancelled online 3+ days before arrival. Discounts (about half the listed camping fee, full utility fee still applies) for Illinois residents 62+ or disabled with a Class 2/2A card; Illinois disabled veterans and POWs camp free aside from the utility fee; no entrance fee to any Illinois state park (dnr.illinois.gov).
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 15° | -17° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 36° | 21° | -10° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 49° | 31° | 9° | 77° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 61° | 41° | 24° | 81° | 5 of 11 |
| May | 73° | 54° | 37° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 82° | 62° | 49° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 67° | 58° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 82° | 66° | 56° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 79° | 60° | 51° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 63° | 45° | 28° | 83° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 50° | 33° | 8° | 74° | 7 of 10 |
| December | 39° | 24° | -4° | 67° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Starved Rock State Park · Illinois State Parks · 2 mi
- Illini State Park · Illinois State Parks · 16 mi
- Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area · Illinois State Parks · 29 mi
- Gebhard Woods State Park · Illinois State Parks · 31 mi
- Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area · Illinois State Parks · 31 mi
All public campgrounds in Illinois · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.