A Hiker's Path: Sandstone scenes at the Garden of the Gods in Illinois
I recently drove out to southern Missouri to visit some of my family. I planned on stopping at a couple places along the way to do some hiking.
One such place was the Garden of the Gods Recreation Area. Located in the beautiful Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, the Garden of the Gods section of the forest features ancient sandstone cliffs and stunning rock formations. This beautiful forest was established in 1933 and contains 289,000 acres. The Garden of the Gods Wilderness Area contains 3,018 acres of land. The recreational area is part of this.
The Garden of the Gods is one of the most photographed areas in the state of Illinois. It’s very popular with hikers.
I had decided to hike the Observation Trail. The trail is only 1/4 a mile in length but provides some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the forest. The trail features unique sandstone rock formations. The trail itself is made up of natural sandstone. There are interpretative signs along the way to explain the geological history of the area. This trail features steep grades and steps and takes about a hour to hike. I was looking forward to it!
It was a perfect fall day in Illinois when I hiked this trail. The temperature was right around the 70 degree mark. I drove to the parking area where the trailhead was located. I stepped onto the trail and was off to enjoy another mini adventure.
I love observing rock formations so I was in my happy place on this trail. One of interest to me was the “Devil’s Smokestack.” This sandstone pillar stands 30 feet in height. It was one of my favorites. Another well known rock formation on this trail was the “Camel Rock.” It gets its name as it kind of looks like a camel.
I came to a great observation deck along the trail where the views were fantastic. Especially with the beautiful fall colors.
I could have spent a long time at this place, but time constraints bid me to travel on. It was time well spent and I recommend a visit if you get the chance. This area is open from dawn to dusk. It’s free to visit and there is a campground nearby. There are more trails and rock formations than I can mention in the space of this column. And many nearby places to explore as well!
To get to this place: From Harrisburg, Illinois, take Highway 145 south for 5 miles to Highway 34. Then take Highway 34 for 10 miles. Turn east onto Karbers Ridge Road. Travel 2.5 miles to Forest Road and then turn north. Drive 1.5 miles to the recreational area entrance.
A quote for your day: “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.” — Norman Maclean, professor, author, 1902-1990
Until the next trail,Susan
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Hiker stops to take in forest views at Garden of the Gods Recreation Area
