A Forest Primeval

by Chris McKinley

The Shawnee National Forest encompasses more than 270,000 acres in Southern Illinois and is home to outstanding natural areas which offer numerous outdoor experiences. Bordered on the east and west by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, the Shawnee National Forest flourishes with vegetation, wildlife, and recreational opportunities.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, pioneer farmers settled this area, clearing a great deal of the native forest for crops. This caused extensive erosion, which eventually led to unproductive farmland. By the 1930s, something needed to be done. As a result, the Shawnee National Forest was designated in 1933.

**Camel Rock at Garden of the Gods.**

Through years of replanting, much of the eroded cropland was restored to forest. The Shawnee is managed today by the U.S. Forest Service and is divided into four Ranger Districts.

Forested hills, towering bluffs, meandering rivers, emerald springs, and clear lakes are a few of the backdrops the Shawnee provides to those who visit.

One way to enjoy the beauty of the Shawnee National Forest is to hike any of its 1,250 miles of trails. Whether you want to experience a blufftop panorama, delve deep into ancient woods, or take a lakeside stroll, a trail will get you there.

Campgrounds are located throughout the forest for those wishing to sleep under the stars. Some sites come equipped with modern conveniences such as running water and electricity. Others offer more primitive tent camping. Those wishing to get a little more remote can backpack into one of the Shawnee’s seven wilderness areas.

**The lush valley beneath the Garden of the Gods trail.**

Wilderness areas were designated in the forest by Congress in 1990. About ten percent of the total forest area was set aside as wilderness in order to preserve natural ecosystems and protect the Shawnee’s wilderness character for future generations. As per the Federal Wilderness Act of 1964 and the Illinois Wilderness Act, the use of motorized and mechanized equipment is prohibited in wilderness areas. Wilderness areas in the Shawnee include Bald Knob, Bay Creek, Burden Falls, Clear Springs, Garden of the Gods, Lusk Creek, and Panther Den.

Horseback riding is a tradition in this part of the state. Generations of equestrians have enjoyed the splendors of the forest on horseback. Trail of Tears State Forest and Lusk Creek Canyon are good places to pack a horse and set off on the trail to see the sites. Johnson Creek Recreation Area and Camp Cadiz also have equestrian campgrounds.

Rock climbing is becoming an increasingly popular sport throughout the world, and Southern Illinois is no exception. High sandstone bluffs and rock outcroppings at places such as Jackson Hollow and Cedar/Draper's Bluff make the Shawnee one of the nation's most desirable climbing destinations.

**A looong way down: LaRue-Pine Hills.**

A few of the more magnificent areas in the Shawnee include Garden of the Gods Recreation Area, Bellsmith Springs Recreation Area, LaRue-Pine Hills Ecological Area, and Little Grand Canyon National Natural Area. They offer some of the most outstanding scenery in the Midwest.Garden of the Gods, located in the Elizabethtown Ranger District, is one of Southern Illinois’s premier attractions. Impressive rock formations were created when an ancient sea receded, leaving compressed sand that hardened, forming sandstone. During millennia, wind and water erosion sculpted the sandstone into beautiful formations such as Camel Rock, Anvil Rock, Mushroom Rock, and Devil’s Backbone.

Expansive blufftop views make Garden of the Gods a spectacular place to view fall foliage. Picnic sites and the Pharaoh campground provide facilities for visitors. For more information, call (618) 287-2201.

**Deep in the bottom: the swampland inside Little Grand Canyon.**

Bellsmith Springs is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the state. Visitors can picnic under towering shade trees, hike to a natural stone bridge, or take refreshing dips in an ice-cold spring. The Hunting Branch picnic ground provides a day-use area with picnic tables, grills, and restrooms. The Redbud and Teal Pond Campgrounds are located just up the road and provide overnight camping for nominal fees. To find out more, call the Vienna Ranger District at (618) 658-2111.

LaRue-Pine Hills Ecological Area features the the state’s greatest vegetative diversity. The massive Pine Hills bluffline borders the Big Muddy River and towers three-hundred feet above the LaRue Swamp. Prehistoric-looking great blue herons soar silently above the swamp waters, hunting fish. Views from atop Pine Hills are awe-inspiring. Inspiration Point is a popular locale for viewing panoramic sunsets.

Foot trails lead east from the blufftop gravel road into Clear Springs Wilderness Area and Hutchins Creek. Picnic sites are scattered throughout, and a campground is located at the south end of the natural area. For more information, contact the Jonesboro Ranger District at (618) 833-8576.

Looking out from atop Little Grand Canyon. The Big Muddy River
flows below. Those are the foothills of Missouri in the distance;
the Mississippi River runs behind them.

Visitors to Little Grand Canyon National Natural Area soon realize it has been given an appropriate name. A physically demanding 3.6-mile loop trail takes hikers through all of Little Grand Canyon’s ecotypes, from hilltop oak and hickory forest to lowland sycamores and poplars. The inner canyon is a world of its own, where water is the driving life force. A creek flows over rocks to the Big Muddy River, cutting through the sandstone and continually forming the canyon walls. A blufftop scenic overlook offers an outstanding view of the Big Muddy River and the hills of Missouri seven miles in the distance.

Little Grand Canyon is truly a natural wonder and a national treasure. For more information on the area, contact the Murphysboro Ranger District at (618) 687-1731.

These are only a few of the many places within the Shawnee National Forest, and there is much more to see and experience. Information about the Shawnee is available at the Supervisor’s Office at (800) 699-6637 or by visiting the Shawnee’s website at <http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/shawnee>.