Hike leader Bob Mulcahy reported that he lead a courageous group of 5 hikers (including himself) on a five mile hike today in the rain at Kinkaid Lake. All five hikers came prepared to hike in the rain including rain coats. Bob’s plan was to hike out a couple of miles on trail 382 toward the waterfall and then return by bushwhacking back along a ridge farther from the lake. Bob also reported that he didn’t get any photos due to the rain.
Next weeks hike is the last one of the season and at High Knob.
The River-to-River Trail Society announces its eighth and final scheduled hike of the 2021 Spring hiking season, on Saturday, May 1, on Shawnee National Forest Trail 146 in Gallatin County. The hike is free and open to the public. This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, about five miles in length, intended for people in good health who have done some walking. A hiking stick and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack In addition, face masks will be required when gathered together or when passing on the trail. No dogs, please.
Hikers should meet at 10:00 a.m. at the parking area atop High Knob, north of Karbers Ridge, Illinois. The access road to High Knob runs through a busy horse camp, so hikers are requested to drive slowly and carefully as they drive through the camp. For information or directions, call (618) 841-4838.
This past April Kevin attempted to beat the unsupported FKT on the River to River Trail. Take a look at the trail story he created and shared with the Society for the benefit of other future hikers. He had an interesting adventure with his friend Buck he picked up near Eddyville. Enjoy the story.
On Sat. April 17th, Gillum & Vicki Mossberger Ferguson led 11 other hikers on several trails in the Ferne Clyffe State park area. We used several trails, including the Black Jack Oak, Lake and Round Bluff Trails. We again had a new hiker with us, from Edwardsville, IL. Many hikers took pictures of flowers, as many species are starting to bloom. Trees are well into their “leafing-out” stage, with the various shades of green showing well in the views across the valleys of the park especially on the Black Jack Oak trail.
Many, after the main part of the hike was over, walked down to the big waterfall, which was almost dry, or, took in other short trails, such as the Rebman trail, or the Hawks’ cave trail. A lot of other visitors were also using the park.
Next weeks’ hike, is at Kinkaid Lake, West of Murphysboro,, IL, with Bob Mulcahy leading us on our adventures.
The River-to-River Trail Society announces its seventh scheduled hike of the 2021 Spring hiking season, on Saturday, April 24, at Kinkaid Lake, in Jackson County. The hike is free and open to the public. This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, of more than five miles in length, with some uphill walking and some off-trail hiking. A hiking stick and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. In addition, face masks will be required when gathered together or when passing on the trail. No dogs, please.
Hikers should meet at 10:00 a.m. To reach the trailhead, take Highway 149 to Spillway Road and proceed north to the parking lot. For information or directions, call (708) 471-7500.
River to River Trail Guide Version 5.4_202104 has been uploaded to the Societies website. Updates included in this release include:
Added a chapter on planning a thru hike with the help of Bob Ellis of Two Bob’s Adventures. This also includes info on resupply options along the trail including using the U.S. Postal Service.
Added long term parking guidelines at the Elizabethtown and Grand Tower trailheads
Included a section with GPS coordinates of water (H2O) and camping spots along the trail and shown in the guide on the maps.
Included a page dedicated to Bart Lane’s transportation service.
Added a new advertiser. Thank You Shot Gun Eddys in Eddyville.
Added several other POIs, H2O and camping spots along the trail.
Also added information on some lodging options along the trail.
There were 20 hikers led by Shawn Gossman last Saturday at Snake Road in Union County. The weather started off a bit cool, with a light, short rain shower, not really conducive for snake movement, but, later the clouds cleared and the sun popped out. The trek South only revealed 2 cottonmouth snakes…1 juvenile curled on a tree branch, and another adult in the middle of the road. 1 pair of hikers came all the way from Carmi. Many of the participants were on the hike to view amphibians & snakes. We met quite a few other hikers, not with the Trail Society group, heading South…as we were heading back North.
The trek back North on the road, given that the Sun was out, and temps were slightly warmer, did give a chance to view a few more migratory organisms….a ringneck snake, a large bullfrog sunning on a small log and several other small snakes.
The River-to-River Trail Society announces its sixth scheduled hike of the 2021 Spring hiking season, on Saturday, April 17, at Ferne Clyffe State Park, near Goreville in Johnson County. The hike is free and open to the public. This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, combining three shorter trails, the Black Jack Oak Trail, the Lake Trail, and the Round Bluff Trail, into a single hike. There will be some uphill climbing at the beginning and end of the hike, as well as a creek crossing. A hiking stick and boots or sturdy shoes are strongly recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. In addition, face masks will be required when gathered together or when passing on the trail. No dogs, please.
Hikers should meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Boat Rock parking area near the main waterfall. The parking area can be expected to fill up, so early arrival is recommended. For information or directions, call (630) 470-7692.
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.
On Saturday April 3, 2021 Mark Motsinger lead a group of 14 hikers on a 3 mile hike throughout the area. The weather was sunny and ideal for hiking. The group included mostly returning hikers. Mark lead the group lead the group up the trail to the top of the bluff stopping at each of the sign posts explaining the history of the spot. Upon reaching the top Mark provided a long discussion on the history of prehistoric rock walls and Mark also had placed a bunch of orange ribbons in the ground the day before to showing the layout of the rock wall as determined by several archeological digs. Mark even took effort to bring a pair of divining rods and demonstrated that the divining rods showed the edges of the rock walls by detecting the differences in the soil between the rock walls and the native unexcavated soil.
Upon leaving the rock wall and old grave area, Mark lead the group to all three locations of the Millstone Bluff petroglyph groups. He provided a short discussion about the petroglyphs at all three locations. Mark referenced that most of the information he was talking about could be found within the Wheels Within Wheel report written by Mark Wagner and found at this link. http://esrara.org/files/Millstone_Bluff_Cosmogram_2007.pdf
Upon leaving the petroglyphs, Mark lead the group around the remainder of the bluff top and then proceeded around the base of the rock bluffs clockwise. While working his way around the bluff Mark pointed out 2 partially shaped millstones in all of the rock around the bluff. After lunch, Mark lead the group down to the revolutionary war Capt Isaac Rolston Grave which is located near Bay Creek. After leaving, the group proceeded around the base of the bluff and back to the parking lot. Before reaching the parking lot Bill Gilmour showed the group an old building site a short distance from the parking lot that Mark had not been to before. The site shows up on the following 1917 historical map of the area.
Following the hike, Gillum Ferguson made an announcement about next weeks hike at Snake Road.
