Cache River State Natural Area Hikes

Explore the Cache River State Natural Area that has a swamp, where water surrounds huge tree trunks and you can cross a bridge near the confluence of two streams.

HISTORY

Native Americans found the swamp area perfect for hunting and fishing while the first Europeans found the wet soil bad for farming but good for lumbering.

Some of the area was drained but the Cache River State Natural Area remained and the state bought this land in 1970 for conservation purposes.

**Map of the Cache River State Natural Area**

Where We Hiked

Our family hiked two different parts of the almost 15,000-acre natural area. The map shows the Section 8 Woods Nature Preserve which we did first. It is located off of Illinois Highway 37. The second area we went to was the Herron Pond Access off of Belknap Road.

SECTION 8 WOODS NATURE PRESERVE

You can begin your time learning more about the area by going to the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center. Although closed on the day we were there.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday; Closed, Monday-Tuesday

Address: 8885 IL-37, Cypress, IL 62923

*My son checking out the information board at the start of the boardwalk*

Boardwalk Trail

The 475-foot boardwalk passes through a cypress-tupelo swamp and floodplain forest. It is also handicapped-accessible. The boardwalk is not located by the center but at a separate pull-off area south of the center along Illinois Highway 37.

At one time you could see the state champion water tupelo tree, 23 feet wide and 1,000 years old, sadly destroyed by a storm.

*Sign along the boardwalk talks about the trees in the swamp.*

Identified are ten tree species in the swamp.

My son Andrew enjoyed running along the boardwalk and checking out the water tupelo trees with their huge wide bottom trunks.

We also kept a lookout for fish, snakes, and other wildlife in the water.

Final Thoughts

It was a short walk, but you really gained a feel of a swamp with the trees and shrubs growing in the watery depths.

The boardwalk is right off Illinois Route 37, so it was really easy to get to.

Details:

Drive: Take Interstate 64 from St. Louis and then south of Mount Vernon turn onto Interstate 57 South and then at exit 45 turn onto IL-148 and go south. It becomes Illinois 37. Continue on Illinois 37 for 23 miles and look for the pull-off on the left side of the road after you cross the Cache River.

Hours: Sunrise to Sunset

Address: Rest Stop, Karnak, IL 62956

*My son checking out the information sign.*

HERON POND ACCESS: TODD FINK-HERON POND TRAIL

A 1.5-mile trail along flat terrain includes a bridge and boardwalk along streams and swamp areas.

Heading Here

The drive here includes a narrow gravel road. Be prepared for some large puddles and potholes as you drive up to the parking lot.

Sign at the parking area showing where the trail starts.

Start of the Hike

From the parking lot, you head a bit downhill.

Then you come to an iron truss bridge crossing a stream.

Look to the north and you’ll see the Dutchman Creek flowing into Cache River.

You can see the exchange of water as they flow into each other as one will be darker than the other depending on the silt concentration.

*The turtles, snakes, and frogs that live in the swamp.*

Along the trail is information on the wildlife in the area. You will find the signs along the walk.

Stepping Stones

Now we head further into the swampy area. Here we walk near the creeks. It rained recently so the brooks are filled with water.

The first cement stepping stones we came to were tricky since they had shifted.

*My son enjoys jumping from one to another.*

Then we came to more but here all of the stepping-stones were in place.

*A sign pointing out the plant life along the trail.*

U-Turn

We had hiked earlier in the day so our son Andrew was tired, so we walked a little way further but did not make it all the way to the floating boardwalk. Since we had done the Section 8 hike earlier, we decided to call it a day, maybe next time.

*Recent rains create a small waterfall along the walk.*

Final Thoughts

It is a bit of a way to the boardwalk, so this is not a short hike with kids.

I liked the fact they had interpretive signs along the way showing the different plant life and animal life here.

I want to go back someday to do a longer hike.

Details:

Drive: Take Interstate 64 from St. Louis and then south of Mount Vernon turn onto Interstate 57 South. Take Exit 14 make a right onto U.S. Highway 45 and go south. Next, make a right onto Belknap Road then a right onto Heron Pond Lane which ends at the parking area.

Hours: Sunrise to Sunset

Address: Heron Pond Ln, Belknap, IL 62908

MORE CACHE RIVER STATE NATURAL AREA HIKES

Located throughout the natural area are the trails below. Refer to the website for information on parking and location.

Little Black Slough Trail

It is a 5.5-mile trail with access to Wildlife Bluff, Marshall Ridge, and Heron Pond areas. Bald cypress and tupelo swamps, sandstone bluffs, floodplain forests, and hillside glades make this a moderately difficult hike.

A rock ford on the Cache River, difficult to cross during high water, must be negotiated 1.5 miles west of the Wildcat Bluff access.

Lookout Point Trail

A 1-mile trail with access east of the Wildcat Bluff Access area takes visitors along the edge of hillside barriers and provides an overview of the Cache River and the swamps.

Linkage Trail

The 2.4-mile trail with access via Heron Pond, Wildcat Bluff, and Marshall Ridge areas. It links Heron Pond Trail and Little Black Slough Trail and is an easy hike.

Marshall Ridge Trail

Marshall Ridge Trail is a 2.8 mile with access via the Marshall Ridge Area and goes through forested fields and is easy.

Tupelo Trail

A 2.5-mile trail with access via the Marshall Ridge Trail area. It is moderately difficult and begins a quarter-mile north of the Marshall Ridge Access area and goes through rolling upland forest to the southern shoreline of Little Black Slough.

Lower Cache River Swamp Trail

It is a 2.5-mile trail with access to the Lower Cache River area. It parallels Cypress Creek and Cache River on a high earth berm and takes hikers to a cypress and tupelo swamp.

Big Cypress Tree Trail

It is a 250-foot trail with access via the Big Cypress Area on the Lower Cache River. This short flood-plain forest trail takes visitors to one of the bald cypress trees older than 1,000 years and whose base circumference is more than 40 feet.