Starved Rock State Park

What Starved Rock State Park does

Starved Rock State Park is a state-owned recreational park located in Oglesby, Illinois, operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Acquired by the State of Illinois in 1911 as the state's first recreational park, the property spans 13 miles of trails and 18 canyons along the Illinois River, with seasonal waterfalls and Native American historical significance. The park was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966, and its Lodge and Cabins were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

The park operates a vertically integrated hospitality business through the historic Starved Rock Lodge, offering lodge rooms, cabin accommodations, 133 premium campsites with electricity hookups, and five dining venues (Lodge Restaurant, Back Door Lounge, The Veranda, The Cafe, and Trailheads Snacks). Adjacent revenue streams include guided activities (trolley tours, river cruises, guided hikes), weddings and corporate events, gift cards, and merchandise. The concession-style lodge operations appear to be run by a private hospitality company under state authorization.

Distribution is direct-to-consumer across three channels: self-serve online booking (book.b4checkin.com for lodging, camp.exploremoreil.com for campsites), toll-free and local phone reservations, and walk-in on-site sales. Marketing is concentrated on the lodge website, an email newsletter managed via Constant Contact, and organic social media with the #starvedrocklodge hashtag. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or named enterprise customers are disclosed; the business model is essentially a destination hospitality and nature-based recreation franchise monetized through lodging, F&B, camping, activities, and event rentals for day visitors, overnight guests, campers, wedding parties, and corporate groups across Illinois.

Name

Starved Rock State Park

Legal name

Starved Rock State Park

Website

https://starvedrockstatepark.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Starved Rock State Park is an Illinois state-owned recreation park in Oglesby, IL, operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and offering historic lodge rooms, cabins, 133 premium campsites, five dining venues, guided activities, and event hosting for day visitors, overnight guests, campers, wedding parties, and corporate groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Park & Outdoor Recreation Hospitality

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

National Park & Conservancy Lodges (THAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

National/State Park Campgrounds & Public Campgrounds (THAMAJAI)

Keywords

• State park recreation
• Lodge accommodations
• Outdoor hospitality services
• Guided nature activities
• Event venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Oglesby

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Lodging Accommodations: Revenue from lodge rooms and cabin accommodations offered to overnight visitors.
2. Campground Fees: Revenue from 133 Class-A premium camp sites with electricity hookups (20-amp, 30-amp, and limited 50-amp options).
3. Dining Services: Revenue from multiple dining venues including Lodge Restaurant, Back Door Lounge, The Veranda, The Cafe, and Trailheads Snacks.
4. Guided Activities: Revenue from trolley tours, river cruises, guided hikes, and other organized outdoor activities.
5. Retail and Merchandise: Revenue from gift shop, campground store merchandise, and gift cards (shopstarvedrock.com).
6. Event Venue Rentals: Revenue from hosting weddings, corporate meetings, retreats, reunions, and special events with catering services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Starved Rock State Park operates a 13-mile trail, 18-canyon outdoor recreation destination managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It sells overnight lodge rooms, cabin rentals, and 133 Class-A premium campsites, multiple dining venues (Lodge Restaurant, Back Door Lounge, The Veranda, The Cafe, Trailheads Snacks), guided activities (trolley tours, river cruises, guided hikes), and event hosting services for weddings, corporate meetings, retreats, and reunions.

Product overview

Starved Rock State Park operates as a recreational destination managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The park offers lodging through the historic Starved Rock Lodge (featuring lodge rooms and cabin accommodations), diverse dining options (Lodge Restaurant, Back Door Lounge, The Veranda, The Cafe, and Trailheads Snacks), outdoor activities (guided hikes, trolley tours, river cruises), camping facilities with 133 premium campsites, and event services for weddings and corporate meetings. The property was established as Illinois' first recreational park in 1911 and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lodge Accommodations Hotel-style rooms within the historic Starved Rock Lodge offering overnight stays to park visitors.
• Cabin Accommodations Cabin-style lodging options within Starved Rock State Park for extended overnight stays.
• Campground 133 Class-A premium camp sites with electricity hookups (20-amp, 30-amp, limited 50-amp), showers, flush toilets, and a campground store.
• Lodge Restaurant Full-service restaurant located within the Starved Rock Lodge offering sit-down dining to park guests and visitors.
• Back Door Lounge Lounge offering beverages and casual dining within the lodge.
• The Veranda Outdoor dining area at the lodge offering views of the park.
• The Cafe Cafe-style dining option within the lodge.
• Trailheads Snacks Snack concessions available at trailhead locations within the park.
• Trolley Tours Guided trolley tours providing transportation and narration through Starved Rock State Park.
• River Cruises Boat cruises on the Illinois River offering scenic views and park exploration.
• Guided Hikes Professionally guided hiking tours through the park's 13 miles of trails and 18 canyons.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase for use at the lodge, dining venues, and park activities.
• Weddings & Events Wedding ceremony and reception services including venue rental, planning, catering, and trolley rental with the historic lodge as backdrop.
• Meetings & Corporate Retreats Meeting spaces and corporate retreat services including catering, reunion and party planning.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Illinois Department of Natural Resources operates all state parks in Illinois, including Starved Rock State Park and neighboring Matthiessen State Park and Buffalo Rock State Park. IDNR manages park operations, visitor services, and park maintenance.
• Starved Rock FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Starved Rock Foundation is associated with the park as a supporting organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of Starved Rock State Park.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Big Sur Lodge: Lodge and cabin accommodations inside Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park with on-site dining and trail access. Comparable state-park-embedded lodging operator with similar trail-centric hospitality offering.
• Xanterra Travel Collection: Operates lodging, dining, and activities concessions inside U.S. national and state parks (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, etc.). Directly comparable to Starved Rock as a multi-venue park-concession hospitality operator with lodging, F&B, and guided activities under a government concession framework.
• Mohonk Mountain House: Historic Victorian castle resort in New York's Shawangunk Mountains offering lodge rooms, dining, and extensive guided outdoor activities. Comparable as a heritage lodge with bundled lodging, F&B, and activity programming in a nature setting.
• Delaware North (Parks & Resorts): Major U.S. national/state park concessionaire operating lodges, cabins, dining, and retail inside properties such as Yellowstone, Sequoia, and Niagara Falls. Same business model of bundled lodging, F&B, and activities within publicly owned parks.
• Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island): Iconic historic American resort with lodge-style rooms, multiple dining venues, and event programming. Comparable as a heritage hospitality property with diversified lodging, dining, and group-event revenue.
• Aramark (Destinations): Operates lodging, dining, and guest services in national park and resort destinations (e.g., Yosemite, Denali, Olympic). Comparable as a third-party concession operator delivering multi-revenue-stream hospitality inside protected lands.
• Custer State Park Resort: Historic lodge, cabin, and campground resort inside a South Dakota state park offering lodging, dining, and trail-based activities. Closest direct comparable in the state-park-lodge category with similar mixed lodging/camping/F&B model.

Emerging players

• Pioneer Yosemite History Center / Wawona Hotel: Historic park-embedded lodge and cabin accommodations in Yosemite managed by concessionaire Aramark. Comparable historic-park lodging within a National Historic context, though at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Galena (Illinois) resort operators (e.g., Eagle Ridge Resort): Illinois-region resort with lodge rooms, dining, and outdoor recreation competing for the same Illinois/Chicago-drive tourism demand. Comparable Midwest regional resort with multi-revenue-stream hospitality.

Broad incumbents

• Boyne Resorts: Multi-property U.S. resort operator (Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, Crystal Mountain) with lodge lodging, dining, and outdoor activities in the Midwest. Comparable bundled lodging/F&B/activities resort model in the broader Midwest tourism market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starved-rock-state-park

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starved Rock State Park