On a Bright Sunny Saturday, October 21, Sam Morales gathered  14 other hikers and left the parking area at the Lusk Creek Trailhead, across from Circle B campground and headed East on Stonebottom Road. (1 hiker thinks another name could be “Hard butt” Road). There was already a horse trailer there when we arrived to start our hike. We had 1 new hiker from Norris City, IL. We worked our way down the trail, with much of the day spent on dry, dusty paths. We got to the spot where several Trail Society members have helped load buckets and animals with apparatus to carry rock out to needed spots, and a story was told about a “bucking horse” last spring. Our goal for the day was to make it to Saltpeter cave and the Natural Bridge. We found several shelter bluffs, often with a previously used campfire spot. We did encounter several small equine groups out for the scenery on a beautiful day.  The trees were starting to turn colors nicely. We had no difficulty at all crossing creeks when we needed to check out a rock feature, or bluff wall. We did make it to Saltpeter cave, and we ‘hollered’ at 3 other hikers from Northern Illinois who were camping for a few days, enjoying the scenery and weather. One hiker even found a “horse shoe boot” on a post. We also came upon 1 group of horse riders, who “Thanked” the River to River Trail Society for the picnic table we had put out in a spot on 1 of their rides over the past few weeks. We hiked about 4.5 miles, according to the activity trackers of several hikers. 

Next weeks’ hike will be on the Godwin Trail. For information, call 708-471-7500.  Until then, See Ya’ll On the Trail.