Pere Marquette State Park

Pere Marquette State Park is an 8,050-acre protected landscape near Grafton, Illinois, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Named for Father Jacques Marquette, who with Louis Jolliet explored the Mississippi in 1673 and mapped the mouth of the Illinois River, the area had long supported Native communities of the Illini Confederacy. Established in 1931 and developed around a Civilian Conservation Corps lodge in the 1930s, the park is known for its historic architecture, scenic bluffs, trails, geology, and river access. It is also a major wildlife destination, especially for winter bald eagle viewing, and preserves a little-known Cold War Nike missile site nearby.

Illinois · United States