Outdoor Adventure

The Great Outdoors!

Playing Outside Is Always Fun!

Since the beginning of 2020, outdoor recreation has skyrocketed in popularity. We have heard countless stories of folks who have taken the time to experience outdoor adventures in ILLINOISouth. The great news is that our area of the state offers everything from spelunking and horseback riding to kayaking, camping, and so much more!

The spillway at Lake Charleston is the perfect way to unwind with good company

For one of the most memorable and unique experiences of your life, plan a trip to the Illinois Caverns in Monroe County. This natural beauty is located outside of Waterloo and features about six miles of mapped passages. After a decade-plus closure due to staffing issues and White-Nose Syndrome in bats, the Illinois Caverns re-opened in 2021. This is a true spelunking experience where helmets, three sources of light, and a group of at least four are all necessary to make the descent. You will want to wear boots, bring a change of clothes, and bring a camera to take a lot of pictures. There are stalagmites, stalactites, and cave salamanders to experience. There are tight passages and slick surfaces, so be prepared for a true caving experience. Monroe County also boasts a handful of hiking experiences that range from easy trails like Paul Wightman Subterranean Nature Preserve to more difficult treks like White Rock, Salt Lick Point Land and Water Reserve, and Fults Hill Prairie. The climb up the stairs upon arriving at Fults Hill is bit of a challenge for some, but visitors like Joe Taylor say the views are well worth the effort. “I can sit out here for hours, watch the world go by, and not see another person,” explains Taylor. “Only few know about it, and even fewer know about a side branch path with inspirational overlooks. Some of the most dramatic views in the Midwest are on top of these bluffs,” added Taylor.

The Illinois Caverns reopened in 2021

Photo Credit: Andrea Schmittling

Just south of Monroe County you can find a couple of other fantastic hikes in Randolph County. Piney Creek Ravine is certainly picturesque, featuring bluffs, creeks, waterfalls and more. Aside from those features, Piney Creek Ravine is also home to the largest collection of prehistoric petroglyphs and pictographs in the state. These centuries-old works of art have landed Piney Creek Ravine

on the National Register of Historic Places. Randolph County State Recreation area is not far outside of Chester, and is an 1,100acre mecca for hiking, fishing, camping and more. The shortest trail that provides some of the neatest views is located at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kaskaskia River Project. The Kaskaskia River Confluence Trail is less than half a mile long one way, but once you get to the end of the trail, you’ll be there a while in amazement. The trail leads right to the Kaskaskia River where you can watch the sun rise from a stone amphitheater and watch large birds like hawks and eagles through a pair of strong binoculars on a stand at the site. You don’t get any closer to a river than this!

For a shorter hike that is fully paved, handicap accessible, and great for families – pay a visit to Silver Creek Preserve near Mascoutah. This one-mile trail has an area specifically for prairie grass and wildflowers, as well as wetlands that cut through the preserve. There is a viewing deck to do some great bird watching across the wetlands as well!

Pyramid State Recreation Area features over 20 different bodies of water to explore

Photo Credit: @theforestchronicles

Kayaking is another adventure that produces some amazing stories, because these boats can give you vantage points of different rivers and lakes that many of us never see. There are three rivers that cut through portions of our territory that have several access points, making for great places to exit each river and explore nearby communities. The Kaskaskia River runs from Carlyle Lake south through parts of Washington, St. Clair, Monroe, and Randolph Counties before converging with the Mississippi. The Kaskaskia has ramps at Fayetteville, New Athens, one near Baldwin, and one more at Evansville. The Wabash River is one of the longer trips for kayakers, providing a half dozen Illinois-based launch points between Crawford, Lawrence, Wabash, and White Counties in the Eastern Region of our territory. The Embarras River is a favorite among explorers, flowing south from Lake Charleston through Cumberland and Jasper Counties. This route features 11 different access points to the Embarras River. A recent visitor known simply as Dale made the 32-mile kayak trip from Lake Charleston down to Greenup.

Enjoy the waterfalls and scenery at Piney Creek Ravine

Photo Credit: Midwest Nomad Family

“I would recommend this trip to anyone,” he starts. “Take a camera because there is a lot of wildlife and some very scenic spots. We saw a lot of heron and sandpipers. We came around a bend and found a very large deer standing in the water drinking. The second day we saw some baby deer that walked right up to our kayaks and spent some time standing beside us, ” Dale adds. There are also some great lakes in ILLINOISouth to break out the kayak and explore. Carlyle Lake is really a boater’s paradise, not only can you kayak, but there are opportunities to paddle-boat and even take out a sailboat! East Fork Lake is a 934-acre lake in Olney that boasts some amazing scenery for kayaking enthusiasts, especially during the fall, and remember to keep an eye out for those White Squirrels! Just south of Pinckneyville you will find Pyramid State Recreation Area, which at 19,000+ acres, is the largest IDNR managed site in Illinois! There are at least 20 different bodies of water to explore on this site, many of which are only accessible by foot, so the adventures are aplenty.

While enjoying the great outdoors, camping is a great way to really get in touch with nature. There are several accommodations at the Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area, ranging from tent and trailer sites to five different cabins. The cabins are quite popular because they feature full-size beds, bunk beds, and a fire grill outside. The Washington County State Recreation Area is just a few miles south of Nashville, and provides a tranquil setting to camp. There are two cabins at this location, both of which have heat and ceiling fans, and there is a shower building on the site as well.

Load up your gear and your best friend for a kayak trip down the Embarras River for the day

Photo Credit: @wagnerct

Swimming is one of the most popular outdoor activities, whether at a lake or at a pool. If cooling off in a lake is more your style, Vandalia Lake has a large sloping sand beach, with a beach house and showers, and there is no fee to swim. For families looking for a pool, the Salem Family Aquatic Center is one of the best venues in our area. This location has everything from water slides to several play areas, including a lily pad walk and a giant bucket that will pour down gallons of water!

There are also a handful of parks and recreation areas in ILLINOISouth that have equestrian trails. Red Hills State Park in Lawrence County is one such location where horses are MORE than welcome. There are designated horse trailer parking spots, horse camping units, a horse arena, and five miles worth of trails. Mill Creek Park and Lake in Clark County is another wonderful spot for those who want to adventure with heir horses. The trails here are over 15 miles in length, making for a long, scenic ride with your four-legged friends.

For more outdoor recreation ideas, visit ILLINOISouth.org/ Play/OutdoorRecreation

Salt Lick Point is an amazing hike no matter the time of year, but it’s always a better experience with a group of friends

Photo Credit: Andy Burns