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…
Hike along farm fields and by a rocky stream on the Jones Farm Multi-Purpose Trail located on the outskirts of Waterloo, IL. I hiked 1.4 miles doing a loop on a natural surface combined with some gravel road walking. Elevation gain was 89 feet. The area is supposed to have five miles of trails in total. Start of the Hike I parked in the pull-off…
Hike over 100 feet above the Meramec River and through dolomite woodlands on the Deer Run Trail at Onondaga Cave State Park. This hike is listed at 2.5 but starting directly from the parking lot and with lookout stops I clocked in at 2.8 miles with 351 feet of elevation gain. The surface is a mixture of gravel, rock, and dirt with some hill climbing,…
Hike above sandstone canyons and along rocky streams deep in the woods at Storment Hauss Nature Preserve south of Waterloo, Ill. This is a 1.3-mile hike that includes the single track before the loop and stops along the way with 128 feet of elevation gain. It is rated moderately difficult due to its primitive natural tread surface and alignment that traverses ridges, ravines, and small…
Explore Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, an ancient six-square-mile city of 20,000 people and filled with huge man-made mounds. These mysterious mounds were abandoned around 1400 A.D. This walk includes Monks Mound which rises 100 feet above the surrounding land. A massive building once stood on the summit where a principal chief would live, conduct ceremonies, and govern. Located near Collinsville, IL. and the intersection…
Hike the Confluence Trail in Alton along the Mississippi River where you can search the sky for eagles and watch the barges ply the river. This is a 5.2-mile out-and-back walk on a paved trail that starts near the Melcin Price Lock and Dam and ends on the riverfront in Alton. It has only 69 feet of elevation gain and is stroller-friendly. The full Madison…
Hike by a pond then down through the woods to a creek ending at the Nickel Plate Trail in Greenspace North and Schon Park in Glen Carbon, Ill. This is a 2.3-mile hike on a paved trail that has a large hill with 144 feet of elevation gain. It took me about 52 minutes to complete. I walked the trail system that goes through the…
Rim Rock National Recreation Trail has cliffs, views, and canyons to explore. It is near the Garden of the Gods and is worth exploring. Overview Purchased for the Shawnee National Forest in 1936. Designated a national recreation trail in 1980 because of its exceptional scenic beauty and historic values. To early settlers, this unique formation was known as “the Pounds,” an old English term meaning…
The 2023 Top Ten Hikes include a former train tunnel, a white sand lake, unique rock formations, and cliff-top river views. I chose them based on length, how much I enjoyed them, and what natural beauty I saw. (Blog Photo- Don Robinson State Park) Fall Hikes: Don Robinson State Park See a sandstone canyon with its cave-like rock shelter and cross-clear trickling streams at Don…
In 2023 I read not only books on hiking but also what you can forage in the woods along with hikes in the Midwest. Word of Warning: Be careful foraging since some edibles in the woods can be toxic. Foraging the Ozarks: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods in the Ozarks by Bo Brown Bo Brown is a wilderness expert and shares hundreds of…
