Dad Hikes: Larue-Pine Hills and Snake Road

Larue-Pine Hills boasts stunning views and features Snake Road, a migratory route for snakes in spring and fall.

This area is part of the Shawnee National Forest and has a diverse habitat to explore.

Sign at parking area for the Snake Migration area. — Sign at the parking area for the “Snake Migration” area.

Snake Road Migration

This area is perhaps most famous for the biannual “Snake Migration” across the Larue Road at the base of the bluffs, adjacent to LaRue Swamp. This road is closed to vehicles every spring and fall to help protect thousands of reptiles and amphibians during their migration between their summer and winter habitats.

About 66 percent of the amphibians and 59 percent of the reptiles known to occur in Illinois are found here (approximately 35 species of snakes).

Snake Road information sign by the parking area

Closure Dates

The road closure is from March 15 to May 15 in the spring and September 1 to October 30 in the fall. Collecting of any kind is prohibited.

My Snake Road Hike

Easy to walk gravel road — Easy to walk the gravel road

Hiking the Road

I parked in the small parking lot at Winters Pond. This lot can accommodate up to 15 vehicles. Hiking here is along a gravel road and easy since it is level. The total section is 2.5 miles long.

I took a moment to look up above the trees, I would soon be up there for the views from Inspiration Point.

Walking up into the boulder area below seeing if there were snakes just off trail. — Boulders along the way.

I looked to the left and right of the road for snakes in the woods near the trail. Signs discourage you from leaving the trail and disturbing the snakes or possibly causing one to attack you.

I was mindful of this as I hiked. Sometimes you can see snakeskins in areas like this, but I did not come across one.

I still had more hiking to do today so I did a mile of the trail.

When I noticed I had walked this distance I turned around and headed back looking into the grass and cliffs for snakes as I retraced my steps.

Looking for reptilian life in Winters Pond. — Looking for reptilian life in Winters Pond

At the Parking Lot

When I came back to the parking area I walked towards Winters Pond to see if I could spot any reptiles near the water but I didn’t see any.

A man came down the road soon after me and said a gentleman he talked to the day before said he has seen quite a few snakes along the road but none today.

Final thoughts

For whatever reason, they were not active. I’ve spotted a few over the summer in the woods and in the water in the streams that I’ve hiked, but of course none on Snake Road. Maybe next time!

Geological History of Larue-Pine Hills

The geology of Larue-Pine Hills took millions of years to form its bedrock before nature’s erosive forces took over and created the 150-foot limestone bluffs that now rise out of the Mississippi floodplain.

Lewis & Clark Connection

These massive bluffs extend roughly five miles near Illinois State Highway 3 and are as impressive today as they were to explorers Lewis and Clark in 1803.

Capt. Merriwether Lewis wrote in 1803: high cliffs the summits of which are crowned with pitch-pine and cedar, these rocks are nearly perpendicular in many places sixty feet, and the height of the hills appear about to be about 120 feet above the banks which forms their base..

Trailhead at McCann Springts — Trailhead at McCann Springs

Inspiration Point Trail

It is a .7 out and back trail with two trailheads. One is at the bottom of the hill at the McCann Springs picnic area.

I drove up the hillside to the second trailhead. I wanted to spend extra time on the cliff instead of hiking up to the lookout. The second trailhead is closer to Inspiration Point.

Hiking to the Point

You start out hiking some uphill before going through an area filled with bushes and the day I was there white flowers were everywhere.

The trail curves along the bluff and stays back behind the cliffs, small trails lead down to bluff views that can be steep at times.

Views of the valley, ponds, distant hills, and the road to the area from above

Cliff Time

Views along the cliffs include the ponds and swamps below, distant hills, and large forests.

Gnarled windswept evergreens border many of these cliffs. It was windy today so I had to put my cap in my pocket.

I went from cliff to cliff sometimes looking at neighboring cliffs or looking out in the distance.

One cliff stood out from the others and came to a pinnacle high in the air.

Turkey Vultures

Above me, turkey vultures flew around in circles of each other. I watched them and noticed they seemed to be coming from someplace nearby.

Following the cliffs, I came behind a few evergreens and saw five of them on a rock outcropping. I tried to stay quiet to not disturb them. I had never been this close to a turkey vulture roost in my life. They are huge blackbirds and amazing to admire.

I hit a branch when I positioning up my iPhone for a photo and that was enough to startle them and they flew off wings wide all at once. Even though I missed out on the snakes, it was neat to see these huge birds close up and below them and seeing them fly right over my head.

Switchback trail going down to McCann Springs

Walking the Trail Down

I took some of the trail down to the lower parking at McCann Springs area but didn’t go all the way down since I saw that it went to switch back and I could see most of where it led from above.

One last walk along the cliffs before heading back to the trailhead.

I decided to take some more time walking along the cliffs to where they came to an end and admiring more of the view.

Final Thoughts

It was a quick walk back to the car. The parking is a bit tricky up here since you come into at a slant. If the lot is full I would recommend parking below where it is flat and easy to get in and out of.

The Inspiration Point Trail lived up to the hype and I enjoyed the panoramic view. It was an easy hike with plenty of cliff views.

With the Snake Road trail below you can spend a good part of the day here checking out two very different areas close together.

DETAILS

Drive: Take Interstate 255 south from St. Louis to Highway 3 south. Take Highway 3 south until you pass the outskirts of Grand Tower. Look for Muddy Levee Road on your left directly after you cross the Big Muddy River. Turn east (left) onto Muddy Levee Rd. and go 3 miles to LaRue Road where the road T’s. Here, turn right for the Winters Pond parking area and the ‘Snake Road’ or turn left and proceed 0.6 miles to Pine Hills Road for parking for Inspiration Point Trail.

Hours: Area is open from sunrise to sunset all year round. Forest Road #345 (the Snake Road) is closed to vehicles twice a year from March 15 -May 15 and Sept. 1 – Oct. 30 for the snake migration.

Admission: Free

Inspiration Point Address: Larue Rd, Wolf Lake, IL 62998

Snake Road Address: 475E, Wolf Lake, IL 62998