March 30, 2019 Hike Summary written by Chris Drone

Soo, I have a question. What do you call 18 people who decide to hike, when it already Has rained, and, the skies are threatening more rain?? Do you call them “dedicated”, “addicted”, or just what?? I call them “Friends” (hehe, not sure what they call me). Those 18, and our leader, Fred Scott, hiked into Sand Cave, then followed the bluff line, then hit trails 030 & 035 today. Saw several nice shelter bluffs, and then Bill Gilmour showed us the little arch on the way into Sand Cave..as we were finishing up. Yeah, it drizzled off & on, but, so what??. Oh Yeah..we had an extra ‘guide-leader today..the neighboring Black Lab..who Knows..the area. (does that count as 20??). About 40% of us did an ‘after-hike adjournment to the newly re-opened Shawnee Lounge for lunch.

March 30, 2019 Hike Update

March 30, 2019 Hike Update – I have been in touch with hike leader Fred Scott this morning and the plan is still to hike today. The hike will not be the 6 mile loop planned but will feature a shorter route in the area to avoid any weather impacts.

Saturday, March 30, 2019 Hike Announcement

The River-to-River Trail Society announces its third guided hike of the spring, 2019 hiking season, on Saturday, March 30. The hike is free and open to the public. This hike will be in the area between Sand Cave and Millstone Lake, and is of moderate difficulty, intended for people in good health who have done some walking. Hikers should meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Shawnee Mart on Route 145 in Eddyville, Illinois. Boots or sturdy shoes and hiking sticks are strongly recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. No dogs, please. For information or directions, call (618) 499-2337.  It is estimated that this hike will be just over 6 miles.

Submitted by:

Gillum Ferguson, Secretary

River-to-River Trail Society

March 23, 2019 Hike Summary

Yesterdays’ weather was Sooo nice on the hike led by Vicki Mosberger Ferguson & Gillum Ferguson, that some of the 24 hikers started gettin’ nake…shedding outer layers of clothing, 5 minutes into the hike.(NO, nothing to see folks, moving on…) We did “something Old & New”..(was anyone wearing anything blue or borrowed??).started at the Rim Rock parking lot and went the traditional ‘top’ route, down the stairs, to Ox Lot cave (really just a Massive shelter bluff), crossed the creek and up a bank, crossed a rock barrens, then wound our way around Pounds Hollow lake seeing a Natural Arch just above the dam/spillway..ate lunch at the beach area, then took the Beaver Trail back to the lower Rim Rock area. On the way back..we met over a dozen people out for a hike themselves..I think we had at Least 4 New hikers, including an 8 yr. old who was unfazed by anything. .The only ‘bad’ thing of the day..several filled 4 small bags with trash..but, those bags were later retrieved to be disposed of properly..which is a Good thing. Only YOU..can prevent trash in the Shawnee National Forest.

John O’Dell’s Birthday

Thursday, March 21, is the birthday of John O’Dell, educator, minister, outdoorsman, father of the River-to-River Trail, founder of this Society, and much else, a true Renaissance Man, whose contributions to Southern Illinois will long outlive him.  The River-to-River Trail was little more than a dream, lines loosely drawn across a map, until the 1990’s, when John took out his topographic maps, put on his boots, and set out on foot to mark a route across Southern Illinois. With the help of his wife Marilee, who provided his personal shuttle service and support team, as well as of others in the community who caught John’s infectious enthusiasm for the project, John laid the foundations of what has grown into the present 157-mile long hiking and equestrian trail between Elizabethtown on the Ohio River and Grand Tower on the Mississippi.  To help promote and maintain the Trail, John created the River-to-River Trail Society, and its series of free public hikes, which for the past twenty-five years have introduced hundreds of people to the joys of hiking Southern Illinois. Although advancing age and declining health have finally forced John to relocate out of state, his influence still lives on in our area. If you want to celebrate John’s birthday, take a hike!

March 12, 2019 Boston University Event

Download the attached pdf to see a few photos of the group.Download

Boston University students visit to Shawnee National Forrest.

       Today (Tuesday March 12, 2019) I was privileged to meet and talk with 9 individuals from Boston University.   Kelly Pearson (Forrest Service) asked that we (River to River Trail Society) speak with them about our work with the R2R trail and other trails of the Shawnee.  I mentioned some of the work and effort that has been done working with other groups, Friends of the Shawnee and Shawnee Trail Conservancy. We always work with the Forrest Service who coordinates the work.   I also talked about our public hikes in the spring and fall.  Kelly and I talked a little about the Ozark Tours, past and present.

Of course, I referred to the beginning of our Society, founder John O’Dell and John’s early work completing the R2R trail itself, as well as the hosting first public hikes.

This is a very fine group of young people preparing for a bright future, I think they’ll all be successful with their careers.  I believe they will leave us with fond memories of our area and with a high respect for the Forrest Service who is hosting them this week. 

Thank you Kelly Pearson, for all of the work you do and have done.

Fred Scott

Board Member River to River Society.

Saturday, March 23, 2019 Hike Announcement

The River-to-River Trail Society announces its second guided hike of the Spring, 2019 hiking season, on Saturday, March 23. The hike is free and open to the public. Hikers will meet at 10:00 a.m. at Rim Rock Parking lot on Karbers Ridge Road (also known as Pounds Hollow Road), eight miles east of Route 34 and three miles west of Route 1. The hike will make a loop from Rim Rock west to Blackridge Road, then east around the northern side of Pounds Hollow Lake, and back to the starting point. This will be a hike of about six miles, requiring some off-trail hiking and some uphill hiking, as well as at least one creek crossing. The hike is intended for people in good health who have done some hiking. Boots or sturdy shoes and hiking sticks are strongly recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack.  No dogs, please. 

    For information or directions, call (630) 470-7692.

Submitted by:

Gillum Ferguson, Secretary

River-to-River Trail Society

March 16, 2019 Hike Summaries

GOOD GOSH GERTIE…no, she wasn’t on todays’ hike, but her brother, sister & cousins were..WOWZER..45 of You started the hike (yes, a few left early), but, 38 finished..What.A.Day!!.. We Filled the new parking lot by Knights of the Golden Circle!!.Post your pics here..and on your own facebook page. Could not have asked for better weather…with the Sun & Blue skies. Streams were just the right size to cross easily. We had people from KY to the Northern end of IL. (and 1 originally from Hawaii). Lots of New hikers…Hopefully You made a new friend or 2 or 3..We are So Glad to have You join us. We saw Twin Towers, Whiskey Cave, a natural arch, Buzzards’ Roost..and finished at the Knights amphitheater. Welcome to All New Hikers, Great to see all the Experienced hikers. Come On Back next week!! Thanks to Bill Gilmour for his Excellent Leadership…and to those (Fred Scott, Terri Hughes Sutton & David Simmons) who assisted with our 1 injured hiker..and to those 3 (Judy Judith Otterson Lewis, Hugh, & Jane ) who helped her get out..

March 9, 2019 Hike Summaries

Unfortunately both hike events scheduled for this past Saturday ended up being cancelled.

The Crab Orchard Cemetery hike ended up being cancelled about Thursday because of a lack of interest. If you were really interested in this hike idea and want this to be rescheduled in another hiking season, please comment and lets us know your thoughts because we don’t know if the lack of interest was because of weather or for other reasons.

The four waterfall hike wasn’t called off until Saturday morning because of predicted storms and frequent lightening being detected at the meeting point. We did have a few people show up, but for the most part everyone chose to stay home.