Matthiessen Hike
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- Lake Falls drops 40 feet from the top of a dam to the floor of the canyon.
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- On the canyon floor, gingerly step through a mix of sandstone, rock, and mud to get a better view of the falls. Mosses, liverworts, and ferns grow on the damp, shady, 30- to 40-foot walls of the canyon.
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- Solid sandstone channels the stream over a small waterfall that empties into the pool called the Giant’s Bathtub. Geologists say these pools develop and grow larger by the action of rocks and pebbles getting swirled around.
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- The stairs, footbridges, dams at the park were built by a local industrialist who created the park as a private refuge for his family and friends.
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- The walls of the canyon are sometimes smooth and flat, sometimes rough and pitted.
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- Visitors can hike to the southern section of the park where they’ll have big views of a river valley.
Learn more about hiking at Matthiessen State Park in 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Chicago. Buy the book on Amazon.com or pick up this individual chapter on Trails.com.
