Knobeloch Woods Nature Preserve Hike

A short hike through the woods leads to wooden stepping stones and a homemade bridge at Julius J. Knobeloch Woods Nature Preserve.

Overview

This 0.7-mile hike is found just off Illinois 158 between Mascoutah and Belleville.

This area features upland woods of white oak and hickories alongside a wet floodplain. The water from this ravine flows into Hazel Creek.

At the Trailhead

We parked near the nature preserve sign. Parking is limited to a gravel area along the road, accommodating only a few vehicles for parallel parking.

*Sign for the preserve and trail at the start of the hike*

Starting the Trail

We ascended widely spaced wooden stairs and then ventured into the woods.

My son is balancing himself on a log. — *My son is balancing on a log.*

My son found a large fallen tree and walked across it like a balance beam.

We arrived at a fork in the trail. My son wanted to go left, so we decided to take that path first.

Bridging the Creek

We crossed a wooden bridge made of logs with a stick railing. (Main blog photo) My son walked back and forth across it a few times.

Stump Crossing

We went up another hill before coming to a brook with sawed-off stumps that could be used to cross through the wet terrain.

My son enjoyed jumping from stump to stump.

Up from the stumps was a large fallen log that he walked across and then crawled on.

Going Up

Once again, we faced wooden steps going up into the hillside, and now we walked across hills through the forest.

*Finding mushrooms growing out of a log.*

He discovered more fallen logs to balance on and play around with. Since it was late November, finding logs like this in the area was easy. This made the outing feel more like an adventure than just a hike in the woods.

Heading Back

We finally curved back to where the loop began and headed to the road. We took a moment to enjoy snacks and water before going home.

*Sign thanking people who supported the development of the preserve.*

Final Thoughts

The trail isn’t long, but it has log stepping stones and plenty of fallen trees, which can entertain a young child. My son had a great time here, and if we’re in the area again, we might stop by. Although it’s a short hike, it offers plenty of fun for a kid.

DETAILS:

Drive: To reach the nature preserve, take Interstate 55/64 east of downtown St. Louis. Then, use the right two lanes to exit 3 for Interstate 64. Next, take exit 19A to merge onto IL-158 W towards Scott AFB. Make a right turn onto IL-161 W, then turn left onto Radio Range Road. After that, make another left onto IL-158 and right onto Retchler Road. The nature preserve will be on your left.

Hours: Sunrise to Sunset

Admission: Free

Address: 3018 Rentchler Rd, Belleville, IL 62221