Fort Defiance State Park
- Status
- Status not posted
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Not stated — check with park
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- dnr.illinois.gov(618) 776-5689
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 64 acres, Fort Defiance State Park lies in Alexander County, about 2 miles southeast of Cairo.
Fees and passes
Free: 'The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) does not charge an Entrance Fee to any state owned or operated land.' Camping, cabins and shelters are fee-based.
Statewide fee rule from Illinois's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ExploreMoreIL (IDNR camping, cabins, group camps and shelters)
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
See the park’s wording
Pets must be kept on leashes at all times.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Things to do
Fishing
Fishing
Fishing is allowed along the banks of the Mississippi & Ohio rivers. Anglers generally are successful catching catfish and striped bass along with many other species.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Accessibility
Accessibility at Fort Defiance
- There is an asphalt parking lot that leads to a gravel sidewalk to the point of the two rivers.
- Fishing piers - there are no accessible fishing piers; the site is bank fishing only, and the terrain is rough.
- Picnic area - there are no accessible sidewalks or a parking lot to the picnic tables.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- US-60 & US-62
Cairo, IL 62914 - Nearest town
- Cairo — about 2 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 36.9867, -89.1464 (from PAD-US)
- Phone
- (618) 776-5689
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Illinois State Parks (IDNR state parks and recreation areas) — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- IDNR All Parks list (AEM content-fragment list JSON) + each unit's landing page for official title, coordinates, address, phone
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology