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
3 Easy Ferns You Can Identify On Your Next Hike In Southern Illinois
3 Easy Ferns You Can Identify On Your Next Hike In Southern Illinois - by Gary Marks Imagine a fern. Not hard to do, right? Now try to write down exactly what that fern in your mind looks like or try to describe it in detail to a friend. Just got a little harder, didn’t it? The land of ferns tend to be a quiet bunch. No brilliant colors, no showy flowers, no edible fruit, just a lot of green foliage. If you look closer though you will... Read More
3 Great Places To Spend A 3 Day Weekend In Southern Illinois
3 Great Places To Spend A 3 Day Weekend In Southern Illinois Are you getting ready for 3-day weekend this week? If so, here are some great places in Southern Illinois to spend 3 days exploring the natural side of the Shawnee Hills. 1. Giant City State Park This 4,000 acre state park is one of the best places to visit in Southern Illinois. It boasts 7 hiking trails that explore varied areas of the park. Here’s a couple of my favorites: Trillium... Read More
Photo of the Week: Cicada Emergence at Ferne Clyffe State Park
Photo of the Week: Cicada Emergence at Ferne Clyffe State Park - by Gary Marks What a treat this week to see this 13-year cicada at Ferne Clyffe State Park. This newly emerged insect was perched upon a brick wall near one of the restrooms. I had recently read on the Trail and Tales Blog about the recent infestation in Saline County, but had not personally seen any until this week. After seeing several along this wall, we started to notice... Read More
Ghost Dance Canyon – Dixon Springs State Park – Best Cascade in Southern Illinois ?
Ghost Dance Canyon – Dixon Springs State Park – Best Cascade in Southern Illinois ? If you could see only one cascade in Southern Illinois, would this be the one to visit? This article presents one of the best, located in a great Illinois State Park – Dixon Springs. In a previous article we visited Burden Falls – The Best Waterfall in Southern Illinois? You may be asking yourself, what is exactly the difference? Cascade: ... Read More
