Saturday, October 17, 2026 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 1st public hike of the 2026 Fall hiking season on October 17th.  Hiking: Ferne Clyffe State Park (Johnson County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a moderately difficult hike, approximately 4 miles in length, 3-4 hours hiking time. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618-759-1924 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at the West Loop off Turkey Ridge Road. For a map to the meeting location click the link, then click Directions. 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. Prior to participating in any hikes, the River to River Trail Society requests that hikers read the 2023 Trail Society Waiver which can be found on the website at the following link https://rivertorivertrail.net/ under the Society Information tab. The waiver will be at the beginning of the hike.

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

The River-to River Trail Society announces its schedule of free guided hikes in and about the Shawnee National Forest for Fall, 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.

2026 Fall Hiking DatesDownload

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/.