Clear Springs Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Clear Springs Wilderness is a 4,730-acre (19.1 km²) parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. It contains the LaRue-Pine Hills Ecological Area, a National Natural Landmark
noted for a large and diverse population of snake
s.
The wilderness is located within the Shawnee National Forest
in southwestern Jackson County
and northwestern Union County is the U.S. state of Illinois
. The nearest town of any size is Wolf Lake, Illinois
.
, including Clear Springs, which drains into Hutchins Creek and then into Clear Creek
.
As with other wilderness areas within Shawnee National Forest, the Clear Springs Wilderness is made up of second-growth forested areas that were used, until the land condemnations of the 1930s, as agriculture
land. The steep eastern bluffs over the Big Muddy River
were not good ground for agriculture. Most of the soil
that used to be here has eroded into the Big Muddy's bed. Firewood was cut here, and farmers may have tried to use the region's well-watered, temperate climate for livestock
grazing. Shawnee National Forest was created in 1939, and in 1990, the Illinois Wilderness Act set aside seven separate parcels of land within this National Forest as relatively small wilderness areas. The Clear Springs Wilderness, one of these parcels, is a roadless parcel of land within the national forest.
The Clear Springs Wilderness borders the Bald Knob Wilderness
, which lies to the south and east. The two wilderness parcels are separated by Hutchins Creek. Both wildernesses are managed by the United States Forest Service
and are served by the forest's River to River Trail
.
From Wolf Lake, visitors may choose to drive north approximately 3.5 miles (5.5 km) on Illinois Route 3
until they get to the ghost town of LaRue, Illinois. From here an eastward local road, by means of a series of hairpin turn
s, provides motor vehicle access up the bluff to the edge of the wilderness area, which is perched atop the bluff. The local road is officially called LaRue Road, but is widely and unofficially called Snake Road because of the large quantities of snakes that use the road for their seasonal migrations. For this reason the access road is often closed to motorized traffic. Snake species found here include the venomous copperhead
and cottonmouth
.
The LaRue-Pine Hills zone has also been listed as an Important Bird Area of Illinois.
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
noted for a large and diverse population of snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s.
The wilderness is located within the Shawnee National Forest
Shawnee National Forest
The Shawnee National Forest, located in the Ozark and Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois, consists of approximately 280,000 acres of federally managed lands. In descending order of land area it is located in parts of Pope, Jackson, Union, Hardin, Alexander, Saline, Gallatin, Johnson, and Massac...
in southwestern Jackson County
Jackson County, Illinois
Jackson County, incorporated January 10, 1816, is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 60,218, which is an increase of 1.0% from 59,612 in 2000...
and northwestern Union County is the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The nearest town of any size is Wolf Lake, Illinois
Wolf Lake, Illinois
Wolf Lake is an unincorporated community in Union County, Illinois, United States. The community is located on Illinois Route 3 and is about east of the Mississippi River. The nearest incorporated city to Wolf Lake is Jonesboro, which is about southeast....
.
Second-growth wilderness
The steep hills of the Clear Springs Wilderness are drained by many limestone springsSpring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
, including Clear Springs, which drains into Hutchins Creek and then into Clear Creek
Clear Creek (Illinois)
Clear Creek is a southern Illinois watercourse that rises in Jackson County and Union County, and discharges into the Mississippi River in Alexander County.-Upper and lower halves:...
.
As with other wilderness areas within Shawnee National Forest, the Clear Springs Wilderness is made up of second-growth forested areas that were used, until the land condemnations of the 1930s, as agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
land. The steep eastern bluffs over the Big Muddy River
Big Muddy River
The Big Muddy River is a river in southern Illinois. It joins the Mississippi River south of Murphysboro. The Big Muddy has been dammed near Benton, forming Rend Lake.The Big Muddy has a mud bottom for most of its length.-Hydrography:...
were not good ground for agriculture. Most of the soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
that used to be here has eroded into the Big Muddy's bed. Firewood was cut here, and farmers may have tried to use the region's well-watered, temperate climate for livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
grazing. Shawnee National Forest was created in 1939, and in 1990, the Illinois Wilderness Act set aside seven separate parcels of land within this National Forest as relatively small wilderness areas. The Clear Springs Wilderness, one of these parcels, is a roadless parcel of land within the national forest.
The Clear Springs Wilderness borders the Bald Knob Wilderness
Bald Knob Wilderness
The Bald Knob Wilderness is a 5,973-acre parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. It is, by acreage, the largest wilderness area located within the U.S. state of Illinois...
, which lies to the south and east. The two wilderness parcels are separated by Hutchins Creek. Both wildernesses are managed by the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
and are served by the forest's River to River Trail
River to River Trail
The River to River Trail is a 160 mile -long hiking trail that serves Shawnee National Forest in far southern Illinois. Its eastern end is on Battery Rock, overlooking the Ohio River, and its western end is at Grand Tower, Illinois, at the Mississippi River...
.
From Wolf Lake, visitors may choose to drive north approximately 3.5 miles (5.5 km) on Illinois Route 3
Illinois Route 3
Illinois Route 3 is a major north–south arterial state highway in southwestern Illinois. It has its southern terminus at Cairo Junction at the intersection of Interstate 57 and U.S. Route 51, and its northern terminus in Grafton at Illinois Route 100...
until they get to the ghost town of LaRue, Illinois. From here an eastward local road, by means of a series of hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
s, provides motor vehicle access up the bluff to the edge of the wilderness area, which is perched atop the bluff. The local road is officially called LaRue Road, but is widely and unofficially called Snake Road because of the large quantities of snakes that use the road for their seasonal migrations. For this reason the access road is often closed to motorized traffic. Snake species found here include the venomous copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
Agkistrodon contortrix is a species of venomous snake found in North America, a member of the Crotalinae subfamily. The more common name for the species is "copperhead". The behavior of Agkistrodon contortrix may lead to accidental encounters with humans...
and cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma
Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma is a venomous pitviper subspecies found in the south central United States. It is the smallest of the three subspecies and tends to be darker in color.-Description:...
.
The LaRue-Pine Hills zone has also been listed as an Important Bird Area of Illinois.