Saturday, April 12, 2025 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 7th public hike of the 2025 spring hiking season on April 12th. Hiking: Snake Road (Union County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be an easy hike out and back approximately 6 miles in length 4 hours hiking time. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618-694-7034 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at the LaRue Pine Hills North Parking Lot. This hike is intended for people in good health who have done some hiking. Hiking sticks and boots or sturdy shoes are recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and snacks. No dogs please. This hike is along a rock road and a narrow stream of water may be flowing across the road in one area. For a map to the meeting location at the  LaRue Pine Hills North Parking Lot click this blue link LaRue Pine Hills Parking Area and a map will open up, and then click the Directions button and a driving map will be created which will allow you to plan your driving directions to the meeting area. Prior to participating in any hikes, the River to River Trail Society requests that all hikers read the 2023 Trail Society Waiver which can be found on the River to River website at the following link River to River Trail Society Information and then sign off on this waiver prior to the beginning of the hike. A copy of the waiver will be at the LaRue Pine Hills North meeting area for your signature.

Saturday March 29, 2025 Hike Summary

On a cloudy Saturday morning, March 29th, 17 hikers, with leader Chris Drone, left the Shawnee Mart parking lot and went to the west edge of Eddyville, to take off on their weekly hike. There were no new hikers for this particular week. Everyone was an experienced hiker.  We steadily moved out, and work our way “down” for a bit, crossing a few small streams.  The trail had a few small muddy spots, but, nothing too major. We made sporadic stops to look down at Hayes creek, then eventually crossed it. Water was flowing, but, not heavily, so it was easily crossable. We got to Petticoat Junction, where there were horse tie-ups and 1 of the picnic tables put out by the River to River Trail Society and Backcountry Horsemen of Illinois chapter. We stopped for an early lunch bite, then proceeded on down the trail. We had heard thru social media to be on the “lookout’ for a lost sandal, and, sure enough, we found it. One hiker took it to get it back to its owner. We continued down wider trails/old roadbeds, until we came to Crow Knob, where there was yet another picnic table put out by the 2 aforementioned groups. We took the group picture there in front of the rock formation. We also picked up almost 25 lbs. of trash along the way…it was carried out by 1 hiker, David Simmons. We got out of the woods juuusst in time for sprinkles to start. Prior to the start of the hike, 3 pickups had been situated along Cedar Grove church road to return the hikers to either the start of the hike or to Shawnee Mart. 

Next weeks’ hike, on Saturday April 5th will be meeting at Wildcat Bluff, southwest of Vienna, Illinois and led by Megan Henderson. 

Until then, “See ya’ll On the Trail”