Where to see a Monarch in Illinois
The Monarch is recorded in the counties of 86 Illinois state parks (research-grade iNaturalist observations). Ranked by how often it is observed in each area:
- Mississippi Palisades State Park
- Starved Rock State Park
- Matthiessen State Park
- Buffalo Rock State Park
- Kankakee River State Park
- Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area
- Silver Springs State Park
- Fox Ridge State Park
- Lincoln Trail State Park
- Illini State Park
- Channahon State Park
- Fox River State Park
- Wolf Creek State Park
- Argyle Lake State Park
- Eagle Creek State Park
- Ramsey Lake State Park
- Spring Lake State Park
- Walnut Point State Park
- Gebhard Woods State Park
- Shabbona Lake State Park
- Spitler Woods State Park
- Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park
- Fort Creve Coeur State Park
- Hidden Springs State Forest
- Johnson Sauk Trail State Park
These are county-level records — the species is documented in the area around each park, which is a strong steer rather than a guarantee for the park itself.