Meet the neighbors
Four counties, four personalities, one big backyard. From the Mississippi River bluffs to restored prairie roamed by bison, each county of Northwest Illinois has its own story to tell.
VisitNW Illinois, sandwiched between the Rock and Mississippi Rivers, is home to small towns, and immense natural beauty
Castle Rock, art colonies & the Eternal Indian
The free spirit.
Paddle the Rock River past Castle Rock, wander Oregon’s historic art colony, and look up at the Eternal Indian statue keeping watch from the bluff above the water.
257 places to explore
Dutch windmills & the Great River Road
The old soul.
Climb inside a working Dutch windmill in Fulton, then trace the Great River Road through river towns where main streets still hum and the Mississippi is never far away.
251 places to explore
Palisades, river towns & Timber Lake Playhouse
The river romantic.
Limestone bluffs tower over the Mississippi at Palisades State Park, Savanna keeps its river-town grit and antique shops, and Timber Lake Playhouse raises the curtain all summer long.
155 places to explore
Bison at Nachusa & Reagan’s boyhood home
The storyteller.
Stand on the front porch of Ronald Reagan’s boyhood home in Dixon, follow the Lincoln Highway through Franklin Grove, then watch a wild bison herd roam the tallgrass at Nachusa Grasslands.
151 places to explore
Let the River Lead the Way
Before hitting the open water, take a look at current river conditions.
Normal flow — within the typical range for this date
Observed Nov 11, 9:30 PM
Normal flow — within the typical range for this date
Observed Nov 11, 9:15 PM
Normal flow — within the typical range for this date
Observed Nov 11, 9:15 PM
Observed Nov 11, 8:45 PM
Normal flow — within the typical range for this date
Observed Nov 11, 9:15 PM
Elevated flow — above the 75th percentile for this date
Observed Nov 11, 8:45 PM
Data: U.S. Geological Survey
