Trails
I live in Illinois. Yes, Illinois not the most hiker friendly state or region but there are some gems in the rough. So if you find yourself in the area here are some worth while camping and backpacking locations nearby.
Some of my favorites In Illinois:
- Sand Ridge State Forest (over forty-four miles of marked trails, ranging from 1.5 to 15 miles each, and 120 miles of fire lanes offer unequaled opportunities to the hiker or back packer)
- Jim Edgar Panther Creek (A 3- mile hiking and jogging trail opened fall of 1999 around the lake shore at Gridley Lake. Seventeen miles of new hiking and mountain bike trail opened April 16, 2001 around Prairie Lake. Seven more miles of mountain bike/hiking were opened in 2003 around Drake Lake and connecting to the Prairie Lake trail. There are 26 miles of Equestrian Trails in three loops. The trails have a lot of elevation changes)
- Siloam Springs State Park (Hiking the Siloam Springs trails brings you closer to the many wildflowers found throughout the park, including wild roses, snapdragons and black-eyed Susans. There are about 12 miles of scenic hiking trails that go from valleys to flatlands throughout the park, including a combination 6-mile hiking and backpacking trail. Most trails are easy, but Hoot Owl at 1.5 miles and Red Oak backpack trail at 4 miles are moderate. Four primitive camp sites are also available for those who wish to hike to them)
- Clinton Lake State Park (If just getting out and about is your interest, try the park’s three hiking trails. The 5 mile Houseboat Cove Trail north of the beach is easy to moderate in difficulty and follows the shoreline and comes back through the woods. The 9.3 mile North Fork Trail is more challenging, running through the steeply wooded banks of the lake, and providing unparalleled views of the lake and opportunities to view wildlife. There are no exits anywhere, so be prepared for 4.2 miles up and 5.1 miles back. There’s also a 40-acre restored prairie along the North Fork, but beautiful wildflowers can be seen along both trails. A ten mile equestrian/hiking/cross-county ski trail is located on the north side of the lake east of the Parnell Access Area. Horse trailer parking is at that location. The area is now equipped with a wheelchair ramp for mounting horses. All equestrian trails are closed to horses from Oct. 1 to the end of archery deer season.)
Some of my favorites In Illinois:
- Sand Ridge State Forest (over forty-four miles of marked trails, ranging from 1.5 to 15 miles each, and 120 miles of fire lanes offer unequaled opportunities to the hiker or back packer)
- Jim Edgar Panther Creek (A 3- mile hiking and jogging trail opened fall of 1999 around the lake shore at Gridley Lake. Seventeen miles of new hiking and mountain bike trail opened April 16, 2001 around Prairie Lake. Seven more miles of mountain bike/hiking were opened in 2003 around Drake Lake and connecting to the Prairie Lake trail. There are 26 miles of Equestrian Trails in three loops. The trails have a lot of elevation changes)
- Siloam Springs State Park (Hiking the Siloam Springs trails brings you closer to the many wildflowers found throughout the park, including wild roses, snapdragons and black-eyed Susans. There are about 12 miles of scenic hiking trails that go from valleys to flatlands throughout the park, including a combination 6-mile hiking and backpacking trail. Most trails are easy, but Hoot Owl at 1.5 miles and Red Oak backpack trail at 4 miles are moderate. Four primitive camp sites are also available for those who wish to hike to them)
- Clinton Lake State Park (If just getting out and about is your interest, try the park’s three hiking trails. The 5 mile Houseboat Cove Trail north of the beach is easy to moderate in difficulty and follows the shoreline and comes back through the woods. The 9.3 mile North Fork Trail is more challenging, running through the steeply wooded banks of the lake, and providing unparalleled views of the lake and opportunities to view wildlife. There are no exits anywhere, so be prepared for 4.2 miles up and 5.1 miles back. There’s also a 40-acre restored prairie along the North Fork, but beautiful wildflowers can be seen along both trails. A ten mile equestrian/hiking/cross-county ski trail is located on the north side of the lake east of the Parnell Access Area. Horse trailer parking is at that location. The area is now equipped with a wheelchair ramp for mounting horses. All equestrian trails are closed to horses from Oct. 1 to the end of archery deer season.)
