Pere Marquette State Park: Goat Cliff and Ravine Hike

Pere Marquette State Park has Illinois River lookouts, rocky cliffs, and springs among technicolor trees in the fall.

Along with trails, it has a lodge with an indoor pool, cabins, campgrounds, horse riding, a restaurant, rock climbing, a gift shop, a winery, a tennis court, volleyball courts, shuffleboard courts, and a marina.

You could easily spend a long weekend here not only hiking but doing the other many activities.

Parking At Visitor’s Center

Outside the Visitor's Center — *Outside the Visitor’s Center*

I parked in front of the Visitor’s Center near where the trail begins. My son was with me for the walk.

In the Visitor’s Center, you can learn about the area.

Displays include one about Native Americans who lived in the area.

Wildlife skeletons and antlers along with feathers fascinated my son.

A fish tank has a turtle swimming about and in another tank below is a snake curled up by the glass.

You can also watch a short informational video in the media room.

See a beehive in the Visitor's Center. — *See a beehive in the Visitor’s Center.*

Hours: 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday – Saturday

Goat Cliff Trail begins near the highway.

Start of the Hike

After checking out the Visitor’s Center I walked to the left of the parking lot going around a pond with native fish fronted by a historic log cabin with a stone fireplace. The trail begins near the hillside and to the west of the cabin. ( Main photo)

About the Goat Cliff Trail

The Goat Cliff Trail is 1.5 miles of the hike with elevation gain as it goes to the top of McAdams Peak. Marked by yellow squares.

Fault Line

Near the beginning, as the trail enters the wooded area, hikers can see rock formations rise sharply out of the ground.

Best seen during the colder months, this is visual evidence of the Cap-au-Gres fault, a 60-mile fracture line that runs in an east-southeastward direction from Lincoln County, Missouri into northwest Madison County, Illinois.

When the water flow of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers hits the hard and shifted bedrock produced by this fracture, it is deflected east and is one reason the two rivers flow in the easterly direction that creates the area’s Riverbend region.

Next, we came to a muddy area and people had placed large rocks to go through it.

Then we came to my first stop along the trail, Twin Springs.

The springs flow below the trail and in front of Illinois Highway 100.

They come out below large dark grey rocks. It was not a large flow the day we were there, so you have to look closely. We could see that the springs come down from two different directions. However, there is a small flow between them.

Going Up

We started to go up elevation from the springs. Next, we came to wooden steps heading up.

Then we came to a large jumble of uplifted rocks which my son and crawled around on.

If you look along the cliffs you can see small caves and narrow openings.

My son took a moment to check one out.

Then we came to where the side of the trail looked like you were passing an ancient rock wall before coming closer to the cliffs.

Then the trail looked like it was blocked by huge gray rocks, but once we were up there it was easy to get through.

Finally, the trail came to the end of the hillside with the lookout. The view can be obscured by trees outside of winter.

Lookout Walk

We came to the one-mile marker and nearby was a sign for the Overlook. I decided to take this trail to the overlook. It eventually loops back to the Goat Cliff Trail once more.

This is a narrow slightly overgrown side trail. I came to the lower overlook and looked out over the Illinois River and past Bundy Lake.

*Look out over Illinois and Bundy Lake.*

The upper overlook provides for more distant views into Calhoun County.

Then we turned to my left and headed back to the Goat Cliff Trail.

Main Trail to McAdams Peak

We didn’t go far before we came to the next overlook for McAdams Peak which is 791 feet above sea level.

Reached by a short trail to the right off of the Goat Cliff Trail. It is an out-and-back short hike.

From this view on a clear day, you can see the distant Mississippi River hills in Missouri.

Intersecting Trails

We walked back to the Goat Cliff Trail and went right for a short way coming to a major intersection. The 1/2 mile easy Hickory Trail goes towards the Twin Mounds and Twin Shelter and meets other trails.

Following the recommendation of the park ranger at the Visitor’s Center, we took the 1/2 mile Ravine trail with moderate difficulty.

Another option is to take the 1/4 mile Ridge Trail and part of the 1.2-mile Dogwood Trail back to the Visitor Center

Ravine Trail

I first passed by a field of bright red plants on a field.

Then came to stone stairs leading down.

View of the Ridge Trail from a winter's walk. — *View of the Ridge Trail from a winter’s walk.*

Along the way, I came to a connector trail that goes to the Ridge Trail but kept going on the Ravine.

As you go further down it really lives up to its name as the pathway becomes narrower.

Finally, we were by the Visitor’s Center once more.

McAdam's view in winter — *McAdam’s view in winter*

Final Thoughts

According to my calculations, we hiked 2.2 miles, but the map lists it at 2.5 miles. It is a moderately difficult hike with 423 feet of elevation change.

The best time of the year to do this hike is in the fall when the leaves are changing.

Model of an eagle nest in the Visitor's Center — *Model of an eagle nest in the Visitor’s Center*

Although, in winter you can spot bald eagles in the area, and in spring wildflowers are blooming.

OTHER TRAILS

Dogwood Trail: A ½ mile moderately difficult loop trail marked with dark blue triangles and reached by the west of the Visitor’s Center.
Ridge Trail: A ¼ mile difficult one-way trail connecting the Goat Cliff Trail to the Dogwood Trail and marked light blue.
Hickory Trail: An easy ½ mile one-way trail marked with red hearts going from McAdams Peak to parking for the Twin Shelter and connecting with the Hickory North Trail.
Hickory North: A one-mile moderately difficult one-way trail marked with a red and white bar going from the Twin Shelter to the north of the Flagpole parking and connecting with the Fern Hollow Trail.
Hickory South: A 1 ¼ mile moderately difficult one-way trail marked with a red and white circle and going from Flagpole parking and heading back to near the Visitor’s Center.
Fern Hollow: A 2 ¼ mile moderately difficult loop trail marked with an orange start that goes from a connection with the Hickory North trail near the Flagpole area going around the park to Lovers Leap and then back to the Flagpole area once more.
Rattlesnake: A ¼ mile moderately difficult one-way trail marked with an orange and white bar going around Lovers Leap and connecting to the Fern Hollow Trail.
Oak: A ¼ moderately difficult one-way trail marked pink going from Twin Mounds and connecting to the Hickory South Trail.

Pere Marquette Lodge and Conference Center

After hiking I took the short walk over to the lodge. Behind it are cabins.

The lodge is worth checking out including the life-sized chess set in the middle of the main room and the high stone fireplace. Wooden rafters are overhead.

Much of the woodwork in the lodge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression along with the trail system.

DETAILS

Drive: Take I-270 East to the MO-367 North exit. Stay on 367 N until you cross the Clark Bridge into Alton, Illinois. Turn left onto U.S. 67 and then use the two left lanes to turn onto W. Broadway / Illinois Highway 100. Look for the entrance to the park after you pass by the Brussels Ferry. Parking for the Goat Cliff and the Ravine Trail is on the left in front of the Visitor’s Center.

Hours: 5:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily

Address: 13112 Visitors Center Ln, Grafton, IL 62037