River to River Trail
Encyclopedia
The River to River Trail is a 160 mile (256 km)-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
. It forms part of the Southern Section of the American Discovery Trail
.
From east to west, the trail serves the following settlements and resources:
A significant spur trail, part of the River to River Trail system, serves Elizabethtown, Illinois
.
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
that serves 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 far southern 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,...
. Its eastern end is on Battery Rock, overlooking the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, and its western end is at Grand Tower, Illinois
Grand Tower, Illinois
Grand Tower is a city in Jackson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 624 at the 2000 census. The town gets its name from Tower Rock, a landmark island in the Mississippi River.-Geography:Grand Tower is located at ....
, at the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. It forms part of the Southern Section of the American Discovery Trail
American Discovery Trail
The American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. It starts on the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and ends on the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean, and is signed on over of trail. This includes the doubled...
.
From east to west, the trail serves the following settlements and resources:
- Garden of the Gods WildernessGarden of the Gods WildernessThe Garden of the Gods Wilderness is a parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. It is located within the Shawnee National Forest in Hardin County, Pope County, Saline County, and Gallatin County in the U.S. state of Illinois...
- Lusk Creek WildernessLusk Creek WildernessThe Lusk Creek Wilderness is a parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. It is located within the Shawnee National Forest in Pope County, Illinois...
- Eddyville, IllinoisEddyville, IllinoisEddyville is a village in Pope County, Illinois, United States. The population was 153 at the 2000 census. The Lusk Creek Wilderness is nearby.-Geography:Eddyville is located at ....
- Ferne Clyffe State ParkFerne Clyffe State ParkFerne Clyffe State Park is an Illinois state park on in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The nearest town is Goreville, Illinois, and the nearest connection to a limted-access highway is at Exit 7 on the Illinois portion of Interstate 24...
- Panther Den WildernessPanther Den WildernessThe Panther Den Wilderness is a parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. It is located within the Shawnee National Forest in Union County in the U.S...
- Crab Orchard WildernessCrab Orchard WildernessThe Crab Orchard Wilderness is a parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. It is located within the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Williamson County, Illinois.-Second-growth wilderness:...
- Giant City State ParkGiant City State ParkGiant City State Park is an Illinois state park on in Jackson and Union Counties, Illinois, United States. Illinois acquired more than in 1927, and dedicated the park as Giant City State Park. A lodge and visitor center welcome state park guests. The park is served by the River to River...
- Makanda, IllinoisMakanda, IllinoisMakanda is a village in Jackson County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 561. In the early 20th Century it used the slogan "Star of Egypt."Makanda is part of the Carbondale, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- Bald Knob WildernessBald Knob WildernessThe 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...
- Clear Springs WildernessClear Springs WildernessThe Clear Springs Wilderness is a 4,730-acre 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 snakes....
- Grand Tower, IllinoisGrand Tower, IllinoisGrand Tower is a city in Jackson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 624 at the 2000 census. The town gets its name from Tower Rock, a landmark island in the Mississippi River.-Geography:Grand Tower is located at ....
A significant spur trail, part of the River to River Trail system, serves Elizabethtown, Illinois
Elizabethtown, Illinois
Elizabethtown is a village in Hardin County, Illinois, along the Ohio River. The population was 348 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hardin County. It the location of the Rose Hotel, an Illinois state historic site built about 1830. The village of Elizabethtown was founded around...
.