^Looking north from the entrance to Starved Rock State Park at the bridge over the Illinois River, November 2023.

Illinois Route 178 is essentially a state-maintained access road to Utica and LaSalle County's triad of state parks. Those state parks, popular destinations of Chicagoland natives looking to experience some nature, are Starved Rock, Buffalo Rock, and Matthiessen (the last of which is my favorite).  The southern end is at the unincorporated community of Lowell, where drivers can divert southwest on a county road to access Interstate 39.

Illinois 178 has its northern terminus at Interstate 80 between Ottawa and LaSalle...

Less than a mile from Interstate 80, Illinois 178 meets US Route 6 at a roundabout:

After passing through the heart of Utica (officially "North Utica") and the entrance to Starved Rock State Park, Illinois 178 crosses Illinois 71:

Illinois 178's southern endpoint is not at any state-maintained highway, but at LaSalle County Highway 14 in Lowell.  Drivers can use County Highway 14 westward to access Interstate 39.

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