Looking For Spring Amongst The Snow
- by Gary Marks Spring is Here, Enter Snow The calendar has finally rolled over to spring, the time for change in the Shawnee Hills. This is the season that trees come back to life and the cooler temps give way to warmer breezes. Yeah, right! I started off my last article Looking for Fall Amongst the Brown in a similar way, but even though the calendar says spring, we are still experiencing winter’s bitter chill. It’s odd to... Read More
The Isolation of Winter in the Shawnee Hills
Winter, Winter, Go Away? - by Gary Marks Winter is a time that can make us scurry inside, trying to get away from the bitter cold temperatures. For some of us just the saying “winter” is a dirty word, but there are some people that wait patiently for the cooler temps so they can explore the frozen world outside. Here in Southern Illinois we rarely stay cold for any length of time. It can be in the 60′s like this past weekend,... Read More
Looking for Fall Amongst the Brown
Fall On the Western Side of the Shawnee National Forest - by Gary Marks Exit Fall, Enter Winter The calendar has finally rolled over to November, the time for change in the Shawnee Hills. This is the month that trees become silent and the cooler temps blow swiftly from the north. Winter will be quickly approaching giving rise to collisions of warm and cold fronts making November rains and waterfalls a very high possibility. There is one thing... Read More
Looking for Fall Amongst the Green
- by Gary Marks Exit Summer, Enter Fall The calender has finally rolled over into October, the time of change in the Shawnee Hills. This is the month that the forest gives a final bold pop and a confetti of leaves comes raining down by the end of the month celebrating another successful growing season. The bold pop is not quite here as we enter the first week. Green is still the primary color, but that does not stop me from grabbing my gear... Read More
Cache River State Natural Area – Tupelo Trail
Cache River State Natural Area – Tupelo Trail - by Gary Marks When you think of a wetland what does your mind conjure up? Is it the deep green duckweed that is laid out like a natural carpet over the still shallow water? Maybe, the giant cypress trees that have made their home here for hundreds of years, with their gnarly knees poking out from around their exaggerated buttresses. Alligators! Oh wait a minute, scratch that one off the... Read More
Video Hike – Round Bluff – Ferne Clyffe State Park
Ferne Clyffe State Park – Round Bluff Nature Preserve Hike Has the great weather got you itching to escape the workplace and head out for the trail? You’re not alone. This week’s mid-week hike takes us to one of the best state parks in Illinois, Ferne Clyffe State Park. Ferne Clyffe is home to many great hikes, but one of my favorites is the one-mile loop trail called Round Bluff. Enjoy! Click on the following link to read a... Read More
Heron Pond Trail – Cache River State Natural Area
Heron Pond Trail – Cache River State Natural Area - by Gary Marks Giant cypresses some over 1,000 years old, brilliant green swamps, an ancient long ago abandoned riverbed, and over 100 endangered or threanted species, these are just a few things that make the Cache River Wetlands well worth a visit. Wetlands are not what one usually envisions when thinking about the Land of Lincoln, but as much as skyscrapers and prairie land dominate our... Read More
Ferne Clyffe Lake Trail – Ferne Clyffe State Park
- by Gary Marks Have you ever been to Ferne Clyffe and drove right past the lake on your way to the popular Ferne Clyffe Waterfall Trail? You are definitely not alone. Many often overlook the Ferne Clyffe Lake trail that is tucked away on the edges of one of the few lake hikes in Southern Illinois. Where to Go? When coming to the first stop sign in the park make a left and head downhill. Near the bottom of the road is a small parking area... Read More
Devils Standtable – Giant City State Park
Devil’s Standtable Trail – Giant City State Park - by Gary Marks Look across a topo map of Southern Illinois and you might see a trend in the names of some of our best natural landmarks. It has always amazed me that places that seem strange and bizarre take on sinister names. Here we have two Devil’s Backbones (one in Grand Tower, one at Bell Smith Springs), one lake (Devil’s Kitchen), and a Devil’s Standtable that... Read More
3 More Awesome Videos of Southern Illinois Waterfalls
3 More Awesome Videos of Southern Illinois Waterfalls Did you explore the waterfalls of our 5 Cool Videos of Southern Illinois Waterfalls article and wonder if there were anymore waterfalls to discover in Southern Illinois? The answer is a resounding, YES! Southern Illinois is the capital for intermittent waterfalls in Illinois. The make up of the Shawnee Hills, with it resistant sandstone bluffs and hilly topography, makes it a treasure-trove... Read More
