Illinois' Under-The-Radar State Park Has Gorgeous Lakes, Trails, And Scenic Campsites

If you live in Illinois, then you're lucky enough to have the opportunity for year-round adventures, depending on how much you enjoy trekking through snow. When it comes to the state's must-visit outdoor destinations, Rock Cut State Park is right up there with the best in Illinois. Sprawling across more than 3,000 acres in the city of Loves Park, Rock Cut State Park is a lovely place to get outdoors, whether you want to spend time on a lake, hike through forests, spot wildlife, or simply escape it all while camping amongst pristine nature.

While Illinois' Lowden State Park is known for its river adventures, Rock Cut's two focal points are its lakes: Pierce and Olson. These two beauties cover a combined area of over 210 acres and offer an idyllic setting for fishing, swimming, and boating during the summer. Come winter, the lakes transform into ice fishing and skating hotspots. Rock Cut caters to anglers of all types and ages. It has a dedicated pond for kids to cast a line, as well as docks for those who prefer fishing from the shoreline.

Olson Lake's beach has a decent setup for a family day out of swimming and sunbathing. Unfortunately, according to some Google reviews, recent beachgoers have complained about the state of the water, while others have said the beach needs some proper maintenance. You also have to pay $5 to use the beach (at the time of writing). If you want to skip it entirely, there are other ways to enjoy the lake, including volleyball areas, beach toys, and a concession stand selling ice cream and other snacks. You can also always go to Pierce Lake instead and swim off your boat if Olson doesn't appeal.

Rock Cut State Park has scenic walking trails that provide ever-changing environments throughout the year. During summer, you can hike, mountain bike, or ride horses along more than 75 miles of trails. All the trails are open to hikers, but bikers need to choose blue trails, and horse riders can only use yellow trails. Once the winter snowfall comes, the state park grooms some of the hiking trails around the Lions Club Picnic Area for cross-country skiers. You can still hike elsewhere, but you'll probably need snowshoes. You can rent these and skis at the park.

Staying overnight at the state park means booking a site at the campground north of Pierce Lake. You can choose from almost 200 campsites with electricity hookups, but if you want to camp close to the water, you'll need to go for an unpowered site. These are only available for tents, not RVs or campervans. The sites are pretty bare-bones, but they are the most scenic of the bunch thanks to their lake views. You just need a permit to camp here. If you want to have a fire, you'll also need to buy wood from the on-site shop. Tent and RV sites are typically $20 a night, at the time of writing. You could also book a hotel 20 minutes away by car in Rockford, a city of gardens with endless outdoor recreation.

If you want to fish, Pierce might be the better option. The bigger lake has two boat ramps and allows motorized boats of any engine size. Olson only allows non-motorized vessels and electric boats. Pierce is also well-stocked with various species of fish, including largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, and northern pike. Another good fishing spot, albeit much further south, is Sangchris Lake State Park, which also boasts scenic camping.