River to River Trail Maps now available in Avenza Map Store

For all that may be interested in using the new 2017 River to River Trail maps on your smart phone, you can now download all 28 maps from the Avenza Map Store for free.  Just open up the Avenza App on your phone, proceed to the Apps Map Store and search on “River to River Trail Bundle” which will download all 28 maps to your phone and make them available for use.  This is a 44 MB download.

 

Individual maps can also be downloaded by searching for “River to River Trail Map ??” where “??” is “01” through “28”.

 

Remember to turn your phone in airplane mode to save you battery if you are going to use the Avenza app and maps on your phone.

 

Please be safe and enjoy the Shawnee National Forest and the River to River Trail.

Work Day on R2R Trail in GOG Wilderness

For those that may be interested, the Shawnee Trail Conservancy (STC) will be packing gravel to work on areas on the R2R in the Garden of the Gods wilderness.  This will be happening on Saturday May 12, 2018 between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.  We will be parking at the Herod hitching post trail-head parking area. If anyone is interested in helping we could use volunteers on the ground crew.

Volunteers are needed to help dump gravel from the horses and spread gravel after it is dumped. Volunteers are also needed to help fill buckets and dump buckets in the gravel bags on the horses.  It is hard work but everyone enjoys it and always has a good time.

2018 Spring Hiking Season Summary

Warning: Long Post. I just want to say a Huuuuge “Thank YOU”, to All the hike leaders this spring..Vicki Mosberger Ferguson & Gillum Ferguson, Bob Mulcahy, Steve Ryder, Steven Mitchell, Marcus Owens, David Cooper, Jim Todd, Bill Gilmour, Eric Johnson, Steve Gariepy, Don Monty, & Ann Gaylord. They gave us, the ‘regular’ hikers, their time & Expertise.
To the people who continue to work on the new rivertoriver.net website.Todd Carr & Bill Gilmour…it looks Great, lots of Gooood info there..check it out, print out some maps.
To the people who have worked on the New & Updated Signage of the River to River Trail..Fred Scott, Bill Gilmour, Jim Todd, & Bob Mulcahy (and I have probable left someone out).
To New Hikers..Glad you came out..Hope you enjoyed, and come back this fall…
And then, last, but Not least…to YOU…the hikers, sightseers, & funseekers…who continue to come out, Season after season to support the hikes, and tell others (your friends) about your good (Great??) Experiences. Our next event will be the National Trails Day picnic/Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sat. June 2nd, at the Harrisburg, IL. city park. An exact time, and hopefully a speaker, Is being worked on, and will be announced soon. Chris

Saturday May 5, 2018 Lusk Creek Hike Summary

Well, we finished up the Spring 2018 hiking season in Fine Style. Marcus Owens & Steven Mitchell led 15 other hikers, divided into 2 groups, over trails in the Lusk Creek Wilderness. The original route had to be ‘scrapped’ and revised due to recent rains & high, fast-moving water on Lusk Creek. The 2 leaders were well-prepared. We Did get down to the edge of it several times. Everyone found Lots of wildflowers & plants blooming, since Spring 2018 has Finally arrived IN Force. Other people were out enjoying nature today also…1 group visited with a couple from Sturgis, KY., out celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary.