Autumn in the Midwest is a time for cider and pumpkins, hayrides, and hiking. It serves up a little bit of summer’s past even as hints of winter weather appear. Fresh air fills the lungs, as you hear the sound of crunchy leaves underfoot. Impeccable vistas beckon. Sugar maples and hickory trees deliver their rich golden hues. Oaks, sumac, and sassafras offer their rich reds. In some areas, you’ll even see needle-laden tamaracks turning bright gold.
But late-season hikes deliver much more than colorful foliage. There are the dunes along the Lake Michigan shore, and waterfalls enhanced by fall rains. Ice forms along the edges of babbling brooks. The sublime sights of an early morning hike include frost on prairie grass, a foreshadowing of the winter white to come. When crisp, clean air sweeps in from the north and west, the brilliant blue skies are a bonus. What’s not in the air is of note as well. Summer’s swarming “skeeters” are but a fading memory.
Here are some of the Midwest’s best fall getaways to consider. Enjoy invigorating hikes as you explore the beautiful outdoors. Enrich your experience with a stay at an intimate bed and breakfast or a historic lodge.
Starved Rock State Park
Oglesby, IL
Starved Rock State Park is a two-hour drive to the southwest of Chicago. The 2,630-acre park offers 13 miles of well-marked trails navigating sandstone canyons. Some feature waterfalls that surge after heavy rains. At 80 feet, St. Louis Canyon Falls is one of the highest of the many in the park. Better yet, it is just 1.5 miles from the visitor center. If you’re looking for (almost) instant gratification, head to the 45-foot French Canyon Falls. It’s less than half a mile from the visitor center.
Savor panoramic views at the Beehive or Eagle Cliff overlooks along the Illinois River. Book a stay in one of the cozy cabins at the historic Starved Rock Lodge. During your visit, consider a side trip to Matthiessen State Park, only a couple miles to the southwest. The scenery dazzles, rich with canyons, streams, and a waterfall or two.
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva, WI
Lake Geneva is just 80 miles northwest of Chicago’s Loop. The 26-mile Geneva Lake Shore Path is unique in that it runs through both public and private properties, so avoid the gardens, lawns, gardens, boathouses, and piers of private landowners. The hikers-only path skirts the shoreline much of the time, although it does occasionally wander into the woods. Choose hiking shoes with good tread to minimize slipping.
Enjoy brilliant fall colors on one side and crystal blue waters on the other. Excursion boats, sailboats, and even antique vessels cruise the waters of Lake Geneva, so consider adding a boat tour to your visit.
Indiana Dunes
Porter, IL
The dunes at the southern tip of Lake Michigan are the product of thousands of years of wind and waves. The 15,000-acre Indiana Dunes National Park offers 15 miles of scenic shoreline and 50 miles of hiking trails. Although just an hour from Chicago, it is — in reality — a world away. Hike among dunes, prairies, forests, and wetlands. Enjoy outstanding plant diversity along the moderate 4.3-mile Cowles Bog Trail.
The easy-to-moderate 3.9-mile Little Calumet River and Mnoke Prairie Trail runs through the forest. Basswood, maple, beech, and oak trees take turns serving up colorful foliage for weeks on end.
Indiana Dunes State Park adds another 2,182 acres of “primitive, beautiful, historic and unique Hoosier landscape.” Dunes soar as high as 200 feet. The state park includes another three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.
Kohler-Andrae State Park
Sheboygan, WI
Dunes are also a prominent feature of the topography at the 968-acre Kohler-Andrae State Park. This park and the Windy City have something in common — they both border Lake Michigan’s western shore. Interstate highways take you from the Loop to this popular park 140 miles to the north.
A 17-inch drop in lake levels between July 2020 and September 2021 widened the beaches. These golden thoroughfares of sand are a line of demarcation between the relentless waves and the rolling grasslands. Dune grasses contrast with white-barked birch and blue waters. The boardwalk running up and down the dunes is a real treat. Listen for the calls of the sandhill cranes during your hike.
Shawnee National Forest
Tunnel Hill, IL
Shawnee National Forest offers a great weekend escape to St. Louis residents, 140 miles away. The mile-long Giant City Nature Trail includes a 160-foot elevation gain, yet it is fairly easy to hike. Wears shoes with soles firm enough to handle the rocky stretches. Enjoy the rock formations and marvel at the soaring stone walls. The passing of autumn’s colorful display reveals even more of the intricate sedimentary rock layering. The gigantic and precariously perched Balanced Rock is a highlight of any visit.
White Pines Forest State Park
Mount Morris, IL
The 385-acre White Pines Forest State Park is only about a 2-hour drive west of Chicago. This hidden gem offers serene, picturesque beauty. Consider a stay at White Pines Lodge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Stay in a cabin with one, two, or four rooms. The White Pines Lodge restaurant also has a selection of homemade delicacies.
Interested in even more travel destinations in the Midwest? Read our lists of the top weekend getaways near St. Louis and Chicago.
About Draper and Kramer
Draper and Kramer is a real estate services firm founded in Chicago in 1893. At some Draper and Kramer apartment properties, valet parking speeds your departure from urban life to weekend getaways throughout the Midwest. You’ll find valet parking at various of Draper and Kramer’s Chicago properties. Along Chicago’s magnificent Gold Coast, there’s 61 Banks Street and 1350 North Lake Shore Drive. In Chicago’s South Loop, there’s Eleven Thirty on S. Michigan Avenue, steps from the 57-acre Museum Campus.
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