National Parks in Illinois receive over two hundred thousand visitors a year and include National Historic Trails, National Historic Sites, and a National Monument.
Illinois is Known as the land of Lincoln and you can learn a lot about our 16th president of the United States.
National Parks in Illinois
Illinois also plays a big role in american history with Historic Route 66 which begins in Chicago and heads all the way to the West Coast. Why not hop in a car and check out a road trip adventure you will soon not forget?
You can also follow the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail which follows part of the Lewis and Clark expedition and also passes through Illinois.
If you have already explored the best national parks in Illinois, make sure to check out the best Illinois State Parks That include over 60 state parks.
Starved Rock State Park, Matthiessen State Park, Pere Marquette State Park, and Ramsey Lake State Park.
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Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
Top Things to do - Visit the exterior of Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ
Lodging - There are no lodging options within the park
Camping- There are no campgrounds within the National Monument
Park Address - Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, 4021 South State Street, Chicago, IL 60609
Pullman Visitor Center, 610 E. 111th Street, Chicago, IL 60628
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Top Things to do -Tour the Lincoln Home, Watch a Film, Explore the Neighborhood, Participate in Events or a Living History Demonstration
Lodging - You can find hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, and vacation rentals in Springfield, which is convenient for exploring the historic site and other attractions in the area
Camping- There are no camping options within the Historical Site
Park Address - 426 S. 7th Street, Springfield 62701
Located in Springfield, Illinois the Lincoln Home National Historic Site protects the home and area that Abraham Lincoln lived in from 1844 to 1861. The homes in the area have been restored to show what life was like when Lincoln lived in the area.
Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln purchased a six-room cottage in Springfield, Illinois in 1844. They chose Springfield because Abraham Lincoln was practicing law.
In 1855 they doubled the house size to 12 rooms. By this time Mary Todd had given birth to four sons. They lived in this house when Abraham Lincoln was elected President in November 1860. This was the first and only house that Abraham Lincoln owned.
Today visitors can tour the restored home that looks like it did in the 1860s. Tours begin at the visitor center. Abraham Lincoln donated the house to the state in 1887 with the condition that it always be free to visit.
New Philadelphia National Historic Site
Top Things to do - Take the ¼-mile augmented virtual reality walking tour of the site, Start at the information kiosk, Visit Lucy’s Butterfly Garden, Visit the pollinator plot, visit the Barry Museum
Lodging - There are no lodging options within the park
Camping- There is no camping within the Historic Site
Park Address - Corner of 306th Lane and County Highway 2, Barry, Illinois 62312
This new National Historic Site was established on December 29, 2022. It is the 424th park in the National Park Service.
New Philadelphia holds the distinction of being the first town in the United States to be officially planned and registered by an African American. Frank McWorter, a formerly enslaved individual from Kentucky, founded and legally documented the town in 1836. He went a step further by purchasing the freedom of 15 family members.
By 1865, New Philadelphia reached its zenith with a population of up to 100 residents, with 30% of them being Black. Located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, the town faced a decline when the railroad bypassed it in 1869, and nearby communities grew.
By the 1950s, only one family remained on the town site, which eventually vanished as agricultural plowing covered any remaining traces. Despite this, New Philadelphia's remarkable history lives on through historical records, oral traditions, archaeological investigations, and dedicated organizations.
The NPS is collaborating with community stakeholders and existing site partners to develop plans for the New Philadelphia National Historic Site. Throughout this process, the New Philadelphia Association will continue to care for and manage the site.
Pullman National Historical Park
Top Things to do - start at the Administration-Clock Tower Building, Visit the National Park Service Pullman Visitor Center, View the Hotel Florence, visit Pullman Exhibit Hall, or the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, Become a Pullman Junior Ranger
Lodging - While there are no lodging facilities within the park itself, you can find various lodging options in and around the city of Chicago, which is conveniently close to the park. Some popular areas to consider for lodging include downtown Chicago, the South Loop, and neighborhoods near the park, such as Pullman itself.
Camping- There are no camping options within the park
Park Address - 610 E. 111th Street, Chicago, IL 60628
Pullman National Monument in Chicago, Illinois shares the lives of residents in a planned community. This was the first planned community not only in Chicago but the entire United States.
President Barack Obama designated Pullman as a National Monument on February 19, 2015. It became the first unit of the National Park Service in Chicago.
Railroads were turning into a major mode of transportation in the 1860s. George Pullman built a factory to begin manufacturing train sleeping cars on the south side of Chicago. These sleeping cars became synonymous with luxury travel.
In 1881, residents started moving into the planned town of Pullman. George Pullman dreamed of having a community for workers. Starting in 1894 the workers striked due to labor concerns.
This strike was a catalyst in the American labor movement. In the 1920's the African-American porters, waiters, and maids who worked for Pullman banded together to form the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. This was the first labor union led by African Americans to receive a charter from the American Federation of Labor.
Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site
This park was established on February 6, 2002. The National Park Service considers it an authorized unit that is not yet established. They are waiting on land acquisition.
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Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Lewis and Clark NHT is approximately 4,900 miles long and crosses sixteen states following the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail includes the Lewis & Clark State Historic Site in Hartford.
Additional stops along the trail include:
- Shawnee National Forest
- Cave In Rock and Tower Rock Recreation Areas
- Rose Hotel Historic Site
- Fort Massac State Historic Park
- Fort Defiance Park
- Fort Kaskaskia Historic Site
- Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
List of Illinois National Park Sites
- Lincoln Home National Historic Site
- New Philadelphia National Historic Site
- Pullman National Monument
Affiliated Sites
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (ID, IL, IA, KS, MO, MT, NE, ND, OR, SD, WA)
- Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail (IL, IA, NE, UT, WY)
- Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (AL, AR, GA, IL, KY, MO, NC, OK, TN)
There are 2 National Parks in Illinois which receive over 203K visitors a year. These visitors provide an estimated $18 million dollar economic benefit.
Illinois National Parks include 2 National Heritage Areas, 1 wild and scenic river managed by the National Park Service, 1 National Trail managed by the park service, and 1,901 National Register of Historic Place Listings.
National Parks found in Illinois also include 88 National Historic Landmarks, 18 National Natural Landmarks, 1 World Heritage Site (Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site), and 975 places recorded by the Heritage Documentation Program.
There are over 458K pieces in the National Park Museum Collection in Illinois along with over 20 Archeological Sites.
If you have dreamed of working in the National Parks make sure and check out our article on How to Become a Park Ranger. Working in the parks is one of the most amazing jobs you can find. There is just something special about waking up and knowing you are going to work in a beautiful park.
East Coast National Parks
Although Illinois does not have any designated National Parks, there are several states along the East Coast. Some of these parks include:
Indiana Dunes National Park - On the South Banks of Lake Michigan of the Great Lakes lies Indiana Dunes National Park! Here you will see epic sunsets, amazing sand dunes, numerous beaches, and some really fun 1933-century of progress homes.
Gateway Arch National Park - Get lost in the massive visitor center with tons of information! Ride to the top of the arch, take a guided tour of the Mississippi River, and soak in the scenic beauty
New River Gorge National Park - a great place for hiking and mountain biking trails!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - One of my favorite national park service sites with tons of hiking trails, and some of the best wildlife viewing on the east coast including bears and fireflies!
Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Farmers markets, waterfalls, miles of trails, and epic fall leaves! Don't forget to take a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad on your next trip to this incredible National Park.
Mammoth Cave National Park - Take a guided tour of the largest cave system known in the world, go for a walk on a hiking trail, or go kayaking.
Additional National Park Travel Resources
Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful/National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.
The park pass covers everyone in the car for per vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy on REI.com and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
For a fun adventure, check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built-in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando
National Parks in neighboring states
For an entire list of US National Parks head over to our list of US National Parks in Alphabetical Order. We also have a printable checklist of all 419 National Park properties in the United States available.
