As Chicago’s blazing hot days yield to breezy afternoons and leaves begin their slow melt into fall’s fiery colors, Mother Nature is practically pleading that you free yourself from the shackles of fluorescent light and spine crushing office chairs—it’s time to frolic in the great outdoors. Suffice it to say, now is the perfect time to start scheming your next leaf peeping expedition or all-day hiking excursion at one of Chicagoland’s many parks and arboretums. Before you take our mandate and run with it, we’ve got one recommendation for you—and it’s backed by some major data.

According to a recent report released by Google Maps, Starved Rock State Park has been declared the fourth most visited state park in the country. The ranking of this summer’s most popular state parks—ho

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