Each state park has different check-in and check-out times and each state has their own set of rules.  Once again we are in a State Park campground that says NO ALCOHOL!!! There are  signs everywhere!!!

And the State Park itself (not the campground but the Park where all the trails are...) says "No alcohol between Jan 1 and May 31???"  We are so puzzled by this??  What would that be about?

This state park has "check out at 2:59 and check in at 3:00??

Decided to stay another night and check out the Starved Rock State Park and some of the hiking trails.  Gracie was super happy that they allowed dogs!

She got so much attention on the trails....

You can tell the park gets really busy as there are an insane amount of parking spaces and overflow parking and a huge lineup of porta-potties...but luckily today it was only mildly busy.
There were at least 2 school busses full of Summer Camp Kids...and they must have been on a "Scavenger Hunt"...because when they saw Gracie they were like "Is Dog on the the List????
It was pretty cute!


The waterfalls were not really waterfalls this time of year...I think we are too late in the season...but still a nice hike.

Gracie looks so happy when she is out hiking with us!




There are so many stairs and boardwalks it's crazy!
The trails are so well maintained and marked, there is no way you can get lost.



T....it's still a tree...It's really amazing that this tree could have so many exposed roots and still be alive.

View of the Starved Rock Dam


Not sure if that's a happy face or a combination Happy and Hot Dog Face?

We took a drive over to the other side of the Illinois River to the Locks 
and thought it would be really cool to watch the process of this barge with Benzene aboard travel through the Locks.......well...it was cool alright...but a wee bit like watching paint dry....."we patiently" watched the barge...and glad we did...but man oh man....it was sloooooooowww......




After that we were so ready for a "cold one" so into Ottawa we went....not in Canada...but Illinois...and it was another strange town....the waterfront by the river was dead....looked like it hadn't been used in forever...downtown....only half open... strange...


Love this planter!!! I so want one of these!



"Give me more burger please dad!!!"....

Once again the campsite is empty...there is probably 5 empty campsites between us and the next person....total quiet and privacy...



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