River-to-River Trail Society Announces Fall, 2018 Hiking Schedule

Press contact: Gillum Ferguson, Secretary, (630) 470-7692
The River-to-River Trail Society announces its schedule of free guided hikes in and about the Shawnee National Forest for Fall, 2018. All hikes are open to the public free of charge. No reservations are required, except for the October 27 hike in Garden of the Gods Wilderness, for which pre-registration is required in order to permit compliance with the rules of the Forest Service. These hikes are of at least moderate difficulty, and are intended for people in good health who have done some hiking. On November 10, two hikes will be offered, a more challenging one on the Crest Trail and a less strenuous
one at Giant City State Park. 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.

October: 06:
Hike: Cove Hollow (“The Promised Land”). Trail 001T (Pope County)
Leader: Mart Watson
Meet: East Trigg Trailhead, Trigg Tower Road, one mile north of Trigg Tower and three miles northeast of Simpson, Illinois.
Time: 10:00 a.m.

13:
Hike: Dutchman Lake (Johnson County)
Leader: Jim Todd
Meet: Shawnee NF Ranger Station, 602 North First Street, (Route 45), Vienna, Illinois
Time: 10:00 a.m.

20:
Hike: North Benham Ridge and beyond (Pope County)
Leader: Bill Gilmour
Meet: Herod Post Office, Route 34, Herod, Illinois
Time: 10:00 a.m.

27:
Hike: Garden of Gods Wilderness and Indian Point (Saline County)
Leaders: Brian DeNeal and Fred Scott
Meet: By advance reservation only. To register call (630) 470-7692

November: 03:
Hike: Trails 385 & 378, west side of Cedar Lake (Jackson County)
Leaders: Don Monty and Anne Gaylord
Meet: Parking lot at east end of Boat Ramp Road, off Route 127, east of Pomona, Illinois
Time: 10:30 a.m.

10: (Two hikes)
Hike: Crest Trail (Saline County)
Leader: Brian DeNeal
Meet: Tecumseh Statue, Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area (Glen Jones Lake)
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Hike: Giant City State Park (Jackson and Union Counties)
Leader: Ernie Brasher and Jennifer Randolph
Meet: Visitor’s Center, Giant City State Park
Time: 10:30 a.m.

24:
Hike: Rice Hollow (Gallatin County)
Leaders: Gillum Ferguson and Vicki Ferguson
Meet: Backpackers Parking Lot, Garden of the Gods Recreation Area
Time: 10:00 a.m.

The River-to-River Trail Society is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation founded during the 1990’s by John O’Dell to promote completion of the River-to-River Trail, which now runs 157 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.