Saturday, April 4, 2026 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces it 5th public hike of the 2026 Spring hiking season on April 4th.  Hiking: Crest Trail, (Saline County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a moderate, hike approximately 6.5 miles in length from Tecumseh statue at the top of Glen O. Jones Lake, over to Stoneface. Few streams. Hiking time is 4 hours plus shuttle back to parking area. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618-926-3250 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at the Tecumseh Statue. This hike is intended for people in very 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.  Potential hikers can download an Avenza Map of this hike from this page https://rivertorivertrail.net/home/other-snf-info/other-shawnee-maps-for-the-avenza-app/ Check the post on the River to River Trail Society website www.rivertorivertrail.net for the current week’s hike information including driving directions to the meeting area. For a map to the meeting location, click this blue link: Crest Trail, a map will open up, 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 Trail Society website at the following link https://rivertorivertrail.net/ under the Society Information tab. The waiver will be at the meeting place for your signature.

2026 American Discovery Trail Society 250 Relay

The River to River Trail is used by the cross country American Discovery Trail in southern Illinois along their southern route. The American Discovery Trail Societies big project for 2026 is to run a cross country relay event along their entire trail. For more information, please check their website https://discoverytrail.org/america-250-relay. They are looking for volunteers in Southern Illinois to carry the relay paton across the state from St Louis south to the Grand Tower and then along the River to River Trail to Karbers Ridge road and finally along the roads to the Indiana border.

The Society is looking for bike riders, runners, hikers or horse riders to sign up for one of their segments that will occur from October 3, 2026 to October 10, 2026. Their proposed schedule will be extremely challenging and is shown on this website https://discoverytrail.org/adt-relay-calendar.

The River to River Trail Society is looking for folks to share this information within your group and other like minded groups that may want take part in this historic event. Lets help the American Discovery Trail Society meet their 2026 goal.

Saturday March 21, 2026 Hike Summary

On a Well Above normal temperature Saturday morning, Melanie Kasson led a total of 20 other hikers on about a 7 mile hike in and around Ferne Clyffe state park.  3 new hikers joined  us today. We met at the main parking area for the waterfall and headed straight Up the Boy Scout trail. We did “pick up” 1 of the hikers at the top of the trail. We went South down the street for just a few yards, and headed back into the woods. We were on wide, easy lanes to start with…part of the River to River trail then to Happy Hollow trail, and ate lunch and took the group picture at the Lake View shelter. After lunch , we took the Round Bluff nature preserve trail, came by the Lake view shelter again, hit part of the Lake trail, crossed the road, and took the Black Jack Oak trail back to the main parking area. It was a warm, but, gooood day. 

Next week, we will gather, usual time of 10am  at the New Simpson/Tunnel Hill school parking lot on Rt. 45, across the highway from the Dollar General store, to be led by Sam Morales. We will probably carpool somewhat to the start of the hike. 

Saturday, March 28, 2026 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 4th public hike of the 2026 Spring hiking season on March 28th.  Hiking: Easter Basket Arch, (Johnson County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a moderate, loop hike approximately 5.4 miles in length with 0.10 miles of bushwhacking and a stream crossing. Total time is 4.5 hours including shuttle to the actual hiking area. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618-384-1321 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at the New Simpson Hill SD 32 School. This hike is intended for people in very 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.  Check the post on the River to River Trail Society website www.rivertorivertrail.net for the current week’s hike information including driving directions to the meeting area. For a map to the meeting location, click this blue link: New Simpson Hill SD 32 School. A map will open up, 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 Trail Society website at the following link https://rivertorivertrail.net/ under the Society Information tab. The waiver will be at the meeting place for your signature.

Saturday March 14, 2026 Hike Summary

On Saturday, March 14th, 17 hikers, including 1-2 newbies, and a couple of “long-missing” hikers, gathered at the East Trigg trailhead parking lot, to be led by Marcus Owens. We headed East, encountering some good sized muddy areas, due to recent, but needed rains, towards the “Tin Whistle” . The “leading edge” of the group arrived just as a train went roaring through heading North. After it passed, a few scrambled up on top, and most went thru the culvert to observe on the far side. Some had never been there, but had heard of the “tin whistle”. We then headed back, hit Trail 001 T and headed towards the Promised Land/Cove Hollow. Just as we were about to get there, we encountered an equestrian group of about a dozen who were out for the day. Several pauses to observe various flowers starting to emerge & bloom, including Tooth Wart, Trout Lilly and Virginia Spring Beauty were made. We ate lunch, and then took the group picture under the barely dribbling waterfall, and then headed out back toward the parking area. In all, we hiked just a bit less than 4 miles. The weather was almost perfect for the day. 

Next weeks’ hike will be at Ferne Clyffe State park, meeting at the main parking area at the usual time of 10 am. 

Until then “See ya’ll On the Trail. 

Saturday, March 21, 2026 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 3rd public hike of the 2026 Spring hiking season on March 21st.  Hiking: Ferne Clyffe SP. This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a moderately difficult hike including a stream crossing, approximately 7 miles in length, 4 hours hiking time. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618 -791-3086 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at the Ferne Clyffe Boy Scout Trail. This hike is intended for people in very 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. Check the post on the River to River Trail Society website  www.rivertorivertrail.net for this current week’s hike information including driving directions to the meeting area for this week’s hike. For a map to the meeting location click this blue link Ferne Clyffe Boy Scout Trailhead, a map will open up. 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 https://rivertorivertrail.net/ under the Society Information tab. The waiver will be at the Boy Scout Trailhead for your signature.

April 1st through July 1st R2R Trail Reroute in the Max Creek Area

The contractor of the salvage timber sale at Max Creek is scheduled to start April 1, weather pending.  They should be done by July 1, 2026.    We have provided a temporary detour for hikers.  We will be posting this map on the ground and on our social media and web.  Please help spread the word.  Please be careful as the reroute distance is 3.9 miles all on road versus the section of of trail going through Max Creek which is approximately 6 miles to the intersection points.

Public-MaxCkSalvageR2RTrlDetourMapDownload

For background, this is a project to salvage the tornado/storm damaged timber laying in the project area since last year.  For safety reasons, we want to ensure the public avoids the project area during harvesting operations. 

Saturday March 7, 2026 Hike Summary

It was perfect hiking conditions on Saturday for the 2026 kickoff hike. 60 degrees, rain and even a tornado warning blowing up our phones half way through. There were 6 of us on the hike. Chris Drone drove out just to take the group photo, but didn’t want to get wet. It was an in and out hike in the rain and fog made for some amazing views. The waterfalls and rushing water were amazing this time. There were also some great conversations along the trail. It was a great hike. Don’t the next one.

Is this a good time to chat?

River-to-River Trail Society Announces Spring, 2026 Hiking Schedule

The River-to River Trail Society announces its schedule of free guided hikes in and about the Shawnee National Forest for Spring, 2026. All hikes are open to the public free of charge. No reservations are required except where noted on schedule. These hikes are of at least moderate difficulty, and are intended for people in good health who have done some hiking. Boots or sturdy shoes and a walking stick are recommended for all hikes. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. No dogs, please.

R2R2026 Spring Hike ListDownload

The River-to-River Trail Society is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation founded in 1993 by John O’Dell to promote completion of the River-to-River Trail, which now runs 160 miles through the Shawnee National Forest between Elizabethtown on the Ohio River and Grand Tower on the Mississippi River. The Society engages in trail maintenance and advocacy, and it offers free guided hikes to members and the public during the spring and fall hiking seasons. In addition, the Society has a Trail Guide to the entire River-to-River Trail, which can be downloaded for free from the Society’s website: http://www.rivertorivertrail.net/.

Saturday, March 14, 2026 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 2nd public hike of the 2026 Spring hiking season on March14th.  Hiking: East Trigg Equestrian Trail (Johnson County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a moderately difficult hike approximately 4.5 miles in length, 3-4 hours hiking time. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618-534-8139 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at the East Trigg Equestrian Trailhead. This hike is intended for people in very 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. Check the post on the River to River Trail Society website  www.rivertorivertrail.net for this current week’s hike information including driving directions to the meeting area for this week’s hike. For a map to the meeting location click this blue link East Trigg Equestrian Trailhead, a map will open up. 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 https://rivertorivertrail.net/ under the Society Information tab. The waiver will be at the East Trigg Equestrian Trailhead for your signature.