A new getaway spot recently opened near Starved Rock State Park. To get there, you make a turn off Route 71 and drive about 1,000 feet.

And then look up. Your getaway is in the treetops.

The Treehouses at Starved Rock is a 26-acre retreat carved into Starved Rock’s border. There are two treehouses available for short stays and two more under construction, with availability beginning in February.

“We’re right along the same sandstone bluff that goes into Illinois Canyon and, of course, all the canyons in Starved Rock. [The Illinois canyon] connects to us and we’re building along that,” owner Mike Ambrose said.

There’s also a bridge across a creek where guests can walk to the Starved Rock trails.

“They’re seeing the treehouse for what it is. It’s very much in nature. The idea is you feel safe away up in your little getaway in the tree and people are liking it.” he said.

Ambrose said he grew up building forts and treehouses, was a general contractor for about 20 years, and has seen every episode of Animal Planet’s “Treehouse Masters,” which followed a treehouse builder. The property was purchased in 2021 and the design has been in the works for years.

“There’s a lot of engineering involved with these. It’s taken a couple of years — so many drawings, working with my architect, structural engineers, and tree engineers,” he said. “We’re not attached to the trees. We didn’t want to kill them. We built around the trees. The trees go through the deck, so they will survive.”

Careful planning went into digging holes to support the structure while not killing the trees’ roots, he said.

A resident of Downers Grove, he always enjoyed visiting the popular park in La Salle County.

“We love the area. We’re campers and we love nature and water,” he said. “I really wanted to build somewhere out here. We lucked out on this property and couldn’t believe it was available.”

“I really wanted to get into hosting and finally jumped on it.”

He and a crew were working on the third treehouse nearby and could hear guests singing — each unit has a guitar.

“I just heard ‘Margaritaville’ from Jimmy Buffett being played, someone strumming a guitar and this group of 60- and 70-somethings were just all singing along to it. That’s why we built this place.”

A treehouse sleeps up to eight people, with two enclosed bedrooms and a lofted third bedroom, one full bath, a screened-in porch, a full kitchen, wifi, a fireplace and a fire pit. There’s a 600-square-foot deck, the second deck is 20 feet off the ground and the first is about 12 feet off the ground. Ambrose said the treehouse is kid-safe with no ladders.

For more information, visit starvedrocktreehouses.com.

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