March 27, 2021 – Cedar Creek Wonders Hiking Summary

With a Sunny sky, and Well above average temperatures, Bill Gilmour led 27 hikers in the Cedar Creek wonders hike. We met at New Simpson Hill School, and then moved to the trailhead on Gum Springs Road. We again, had probably 5-6 new hikers, and then several who we had not seen in almost 2 years. Hikers were from Eddyville to almost Effingham, IL. We saw highlights such as the Easter waterfall, and then the Easter Basket Arch, and ate lunch at John D. Falls along with a Banded water snake who sunned itself on a log, all while we ate lunch and then took our group picture. We moved on down the trail, crossing creeks several times. Many did have to backtrack, at one point, because a creek was flowing just a bit too deep and fast, before the “Buffalo on the Rock” area. Several did go back to find the “Buffalo”. We covered just over 6 miles.

Next weeks’ hike is at Millstone Bluff, led by Mark Motsinger, with a large portion of the hike off the trails at Millstone Bluff.

Just a reminder, to any/all of your friends who are interested in hiking with us, be sure to tell them about our ‘online’ home, at www.rivertorivertrail.net, and to find the box to enter their email, to receive any notices and hike updates.

See ya ‘out on the trail”.

Saturday, April 3, 2021 Hike Announcement

The River-to-River Trail Society announces its fourth guided hike of the Spring, 2021 hiking season, on Saturday, April 3,  at Millstone Bluff, in Pope County. This hike is free and open to the public. No pre-registration will be required for this hike. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Millstone Bluff parking lot, along Route 147, near Simpson, Illinois.  Social distance will be maintained whenever possible, and hikers must bring a facemask capable of covering the nose, mouth, and chin. No mask, no hike. While hikers need not wear masks while hiking, they must wear them when bunched up or when passing on the trail.  This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, intended for people in good health who have done some walking. A significant portion of the hike will be off-trail.  Hiking sticks and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. No dogs, please. For information or directions, call (618) 269-0369.

River to River Trail Stewards Program

In an effort to continue maintenance of the River to River Trail, the Trail Society is reinstituting the trail stewards program. As a result, the Society is seeking volunteers to agree to take responsibility for and maintain sections of the trail. The goal of this program is to hopefully prevent trail users to experience the image associated with this post. This trash was observed along the trail between Iron Furnace and Big Creek. For more information, please see this page linked on the Trail Information page of our website.

Trail Stewards Page

March 20, 2021 – Jackson Hole & Peter Cave Falls Hiking Summary

20210320_Jackson_Hole_Group_Photo

Saturday March 20th, turned out to be a Great day for a hike, in the Jackson Hole/Peters’ Cave area.  A total of 26 hikers met at Boulden Church on Ozark Rd. Todd Carr was our leader for the day. We hiked completely ‘in & out’, so we trekked south on Mustang lane, eventually hitting Trail 497. We then started working our way west. We were ‘on trail almost all day, crossing a few streams, which were running, but nothing too deep. Many warmed up quickly and shed an outer layer or jacket. We used trails 497, 496 and 496a much of the morning. We stopped  for lunch at a horse tie-up area where trail 497 crosses Jackson Hole creek, then proceeded on to Peters’ Cave, coming into it from the south. Many had never been to this large area so we spent some time there for people to explore. Leaving there, we followed the bluff line around, to the area nicknamed “Middle falls”, then again followed the bluff line back east, eventually to Jackson Hole falls. We were able to take our 1st Group picture in over a year!!!  The “Triple/side” falls just a few hundred feet west of Jackson Hole falls was also flowing. Of course, working our way up from Jackson hole was, as usual, an interesting task. Everyone pitched in to assist new hikers. And then we all trekked back North on 497 and Mustang lane. We again, had over a half dozen new hikers, and, we were glad to welcome back  some veteran hikers who we had missed for over a year. Another Great Day out on the trail. Next Up…Gum Springs & the Easter Basket Arch formation.

Respectfully sumbitted

Chris Drone

Saturday, March 27, 2021 Hike Announcement

The River-to-River Trail Society announces its third scheduled hike of the Spring, 2021 hiking season, on Saturday, March 27, in the Gum Springs area of Johnson County. This hike is free and open to the public. Hikers will visit two waterfalls and the unusual “Easter Basket Arch.” No pre-registration will be required for this hike. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the New Simpson-Tunnel Hill School, on Route 45 between Ozark and Vienna, Illinois. Social distance will be maintained whenever possible, and hikers must bring a facemask capable of covering the nose, mouth, and chin. No mask, no hike. While hikers need not wear masks while hiking, they must wear them when bunched up or when passing on the trail.  This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, covering about six miles, and intended for people in good health who have done some hiking. Hiking sticks and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. No dogs, please. For information or directions, call (270) 331-1553.

March 13, 2021 – Camp Ondessonk Hiking Summary

Sat, March 13th, was The River To River Trail Society’s 1st hike of the 2021 Spring hiking season, We gathered at Camp Ondessonk. After signing in, for both the Society and the Camp, we listened to leader Greg Santen talk about the camp; when it started; what can be done there; and where we were going to ‘try’ to go for the day, depending upon water levels. Greg led 23 other hikers. Approximately 25% were ‘new’ to the Trail Society hikes. We went into Phantom Canyon, where the water was flowing well, then to several other waterfalls including Chabenal Falls hidden behind groups of cabins that I had never known of prior to this hike; Cedar Falls and Lake Echon Spillway Falls. The day turned out to be very pleasant, with no rain at all. The only ‘drops’ were from water trickling off sandstone cliffs. We ate lunch at a shelter area out near Kane lake. We also tried to cross the Lake Echon dam, but the water was flowing too deep and swift, so many walked alongside the creek and took pictures/observed the Lake Echon Spillway Falls. We covered a bit over 6 miles today. Another Good Day out on the Trail.

Submitted by

Chris Drone

Saturday, March 20, 2021 Hike Announcement

The River-to-River Trail Society announces its second public hike of the Spring, 2021 hiking season, on Saturday, March 20, between Jackson Hole and Peter’s Cave waterfall, in Pope County. This hike is free and open to the public. Because State of Illinois has recently changed the requirements for group outings, we have eliminated the previous limit for 20 hikers and the call in requirement. If you desire more details on the hike like length you can call Todd the hike leader at (618) 499-9629. The meeting point for the hike is Boulden Church across from Mustang Lane on Ozark Rd west of Eddyville at 10:00. (https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5225419,-88.6044307,18.44z) This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, intended for people who are in good health and have done some hiking. The hike will cover four between four and five miles, requiring some scrambling up rocky ground. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. Hiking sticks and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended. No dogs, please.   

    Because of the public health emergency, all hikers must come provided with a face mask. While hikers need not wear masks while hiking, masks are required when bunching up or when passing on the trail. 

Saturday, March 13, 2021 Hike Announcement

The River-to-River Trail Society announces its first public hike of the Spring, 2021 hiking season, on Saturday, March 13, between Phantoms Canyon and Cedar Falls, in Pope County. This hike is free and open to the public. Because the size of the group is limited to twenty, those wishing to take part must register in advance, by calling (630) 470-7692. This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, lasting about four hours, requiring some hiking over broken ground and at least one creek crossing. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. Hiking sticks and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended. No dogs, please.   

    Because of the public health emergency, all hikers must come provided with a mask. While hikers need not wear masks while hiking, masks are required when bunching up or when passing on the trail. This hike will be on private property, and the Society is grateful to Camp Ondessonk and the Catholic Diocese of Belleville for permission.

River-to-River Trail Society Announces Spring, 2021 Hiking Schedule

The River-to-River Trail Society announces that this spring it will once again offer a schedule of guided hikes in and near the Shawnee National Forest. All hikes are free and open to the public. Although the hikes vary in level of difficulty, all are intended for people in good health who have done some hiking in the past. Hiking sticks and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended. All hikers should bring their own water and a snack. No dogs, please.

In order to protect the health of leaders and hikers, a number of temporary special procedures will be in effect during the coronavirus emergency and are mandatory. All groups will be limited to no more than twenty hikers. In order to achieve that goal, all hikes will require advance registration with the hike leader. Further information will be available a week before the scheduled hike in the press, on the Society’s website rivertorivertrail.net, and on the Society’s Facebook page. Please do not call hike leaders before the Monday preceding the hike. Starting times and meeting places will be communicated to registrants over the telephone. All hikers must bring a face mask capable of covering their nose, mouth, and chin. NO MASK, NO HIKE. While hikers need not wear face masks while hiking, they must wear them when standing near other hikers or when passing on the trail. Proper social distance must be maintained whenever possible. Because the route of all hikes will be either a loop or out-and-back, the Society will not provide any transportation. All hikers will be responsible for transporting themselves to the trailhead, where all will be expected to sign a waiver of
liability. Any other conditions required by executive order of the Governor or recommendations of the CDC must be complied with.

For those that are interested, you can download a PDF version of the schedule to print out by clicking on this link:

Press-Release-20210304Download

The Society’s first hike will be on Saturday, March 13, from Phantoms canyon to Cedar Falls, in Pope County. This hike will be on private property, and the Society appreciates the generous permission of Camp Ondessonk and the Diocese of Belleville for this hike. The leader will be Greg Santen, Guest Services Director, Camp Ondessonk. To register, call (630) 470-7692.

On Saturday, March 20, Todd Carr will lead a hike on the Jackson Hole to Peter’s Cave waterfall loop, in Pope County. To register, call (618) 499-9629 on or after March 15.

For the Society’s third hike, on Saturday, March 27, Bill Gilmour will lead a hike in the Gum Springs area, in Johnson County. To register, call (270) 331-1553, on or after March 22.

On Saturday, April 3, Mark Motsinger will lead a hike at and near Millstone Bluff, in Pope County. To register, call (618) 269-0369, on or after March 29.

The Society’s fifth hike will be on Saturday, April 10, on the Snake Road, in Union County. The leader will be Shawn Gossman. To register, call (618) 694-7034, on or after April 5.

On Saturday, April 17, Gillum Ferguson will lead a hike at Ferne Clyffe State Park, in Union County. To register, call (630) 470-7692, on or after April 12.

The Society’s seventh hike of the season will be on Saturday, April 24. Bob Mulcahy will lead a hike at Kinkaid Lake in Jackson County. To register, call (708) 471-7500, on or after April 19.

The Society’s eighth and final scheduled hike of the season will be on Saturday, May 1. Fred Scott will lead a hike on Trail 146 in Gallatin County. To register, call (618) 841-4838, on or after April 26.

The River-to-River Trail is a hiking and equestrian trail which stretches 157 miles through Southern Illinois between Elizabethtown on the Ohio River and Grand Tower on the Mississippi. The River-to-River Trail Society is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation, founded by John O’Dell in 1993. All its work is done by unpaid volunteers. Besides its program of free public hikes, the Society engages in trail maintenance and advocacy, and publishes an online guidebook to the entire River-to-River Trail, which can be
downloaded free of charge at the Society’s website: rivertorivertrail.net. Patches for the Society can be purchased for $5.00 during the Society’s public hikes. Because the Society is a federally recognized charitable organization, donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law,

John O’Dell Monument Appeal

The River-to-River Trail Society announces that, in conjunction with the Saline County Tourism Board and the Shawnee Trails Conservancy, it is raising funds for a monument to honor John O’Dell, educator, outdoorsman, minister, community leader, and father of the River-to-River Trail. The idea of a hiking and equestrian trail across Southern Illinois and joining the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers had languished for over half a century, until John assembled his maps to find a route, put on his boots, and went out on foot to mark the whole length of the trail. Although portions of the Trail have been changed over the years, either to make them more sustainable or to address private property issues, the Trail today stretches 158 miles from Battery Rock and Elizabethtown on the Ohio River to Grand Tower on the Mississippi. Thanks to John, the River-to-River Trail is one of the premier hiking and horseback trails in the Midwest, and is enjoyed daily throughout the year by locals and visitors alike.

To honor John, the Society and its partners propose to erect a granite monument setting out some of his achievements at a visible place along the Trail. (See included concept design) Donations in any amount are requested from those who love Southern Illinois or the outdoors. The fund-raising drive will run through April 30, 2021. Please mail your donation, payable to the River-to-River Trail Society, to William Gilmour, 2998 Massac Creek Road, Metropolis, IL 62960. Please indicate that the contribution is for the O’Dell Monument. Because the River-to-River Trail Society is a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization, all contributions are tax-deductible. Please forward or share this message with anybody who might be interested.