Royal Ambassadors Hike

Pere Marquette State Park

June 2001

Pere Marquette State Park, located in Grafton, Illinois, is famous for the exceptional beauty of its fall colors, its bald eagles during the winter, and the spectacular views of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers from several points atop the bluffs. One of Illinois' largest state parks, this 8,000-acre preservation area was named for Father Jacques Marquette, a French missionary who was among the first group of Europeans to reach the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in 1673.