Two Illinois State Parks Named Among America’s Biggest Tick Hot Spots

If you're planning an outdoor adventure in Illinois before summer comes to an end, you should know that two Illinois state parks recently landed on a national list of the biggest tick hot spots in the United States.

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The Worst Thing About Summer in Illinois

I think it's safe to say that the majority of Illinois residents would say summer is their favorite season in this state. I, however, have one big problem with summer: the bugs.

Honestly, I have an extreme dislike for pretty much every bug Illinois summers have to offer, but ticks are at the very top of my hate list.

Mosquitoes are annoying. Wasps sting, but ticks? It grosses me out how they quietly hitch a ride on you potentially spreading illness.

READ MORE: Illinois Resident Nearly Loses $11,500 to Scammers

Naturally, I was fascinated and slightly horrified to learn that two Illinois state parks have landed on a new list of the biggest tick hot spots in America.

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State Parks with the Most Tick-Borne Illness in America

WorldAtlas recently published a list of the state parks with the most tick-borne illnesses in America, and it's not great news for Illinois nature lovers.

Two Illinois state parks made the top ten list:  Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby and Mississippi Palisades State Park in Savanna.

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Both of these parks offer gorgeous hiking through wooded areas, bluffs and tall vegetation, but unfortunately, that is the exact kind of environment where ticks thrive.

According to WorldAtlas:

Illinois has seen a steep rise in tick-borne illness over the past decade, and Starved Rock, the state's most-visited park, puts more than 2 million people a year into its wooded canyons and river trails. The blacklegged tick, the primary Lyme carrier in Illinois, thrives in the park's forested terrain, which supports a large deer population.

Then there's Mississippi Palisades State Park which sits along the Mississippi River featuring 15 miles of hiking trails with beautiful overlooks and rock formations.

WorldAtlas says:

The park's shaded ravines and river-edge forest hold moisture and leaf litter well, the conditions ticks depend on to survive between hosts.

Here's the important thing to remember: while these two Illinois parks may be literally crawling with ticks, it doesn't mean you should never go there. It just means you need to take tick protection seriously.

Wear insect repellent containing DEET, along with long sleeves, and light-colored clothing. Tuck your pants into your socks so ticks can't sneak in, and absolutely DO NOT forget to check yourself, your clothing, and your pets for ticks after being outdoors.

Be safe out there and have fun!