Saturday, April 26, 2025 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 9th public hike of the 2025 spring hiking season on April 26thth. Hiking: Ferne Clyffe (Johnson County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a moderate loop/backtrack hike for experienced hikers approximately 5.5 miles in length, 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 Big Rocky Hollow/Hawk Cave 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. There are some stairs, steep grades and slick rock; and these areas may become slippery if it has rained prior to hike. For a map to the meeting location at the Big Rocky Hollow/Hawk Cave Trailhead click this blue link Big Rocky Hollow/Hawk Cave Trailhead 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. For those tracking the hike using the Avenza app., you can use the River to River Trail map 17 or the Goreville Quadrangle TOPO map. 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 Big Rocky Hollow/Hawk Cave Trailhead meeting area for your signature.

Saturday May 4, 2024 Hike Summary

For our last hike of the Spring 2024 season, we had something new…a new hike leader, Cody Evans,  from Carterville.  We met at the Goreville City park, and  had a few new hikers, a father & son pair, and a dad with his young daughter, who wanted to just see what one of our hikes was like. We vehicle-pooled out to the parking area, southwest of Goreville.  We started out with 17 hikers, but the father & daughter pair soon turned back. We headed to Borks Falls, crossing several streams, but, since recent rains had been on the ‘light side’ we had no real trouble making those crossings..  We headed out on an old roadbed/trail. We were ‘on trail’ a decent portion of the day, but, at times we also bushwhacked along the base of small bluff lines, and streams.  We made it to Borks’ Falls for our lunch stop and the regular group picture.  At the falls,  several  friends of the hike leader joined up with us, to go back to the starting spot, which meant, that for the 2nd time this season, we “gained” hikers as we came back to  the conclusion of the hike. We did take a “straight-line’, bushwhack, shortcut over the last mile getting back to the parking lot. It was a pretty warm & humid day for early May.  We ended up, depending on whose GPS tracking system that was checked, hiking a bit over 6 miles for the day. 

We are Glad to have all the hikers this Spring 2024 season.  I have not yet totaled up the numbers for this spring. We want to say “Thank You” to All the leaders who take the time to plan and “advance scout” each hike. We hope You enjoy your hike time with us enough to tell and bring others to hikes. 

We Do have 1 more “event’ this spring, which is the annual meeting that is held on National Trails Day at the Vienna City park, on Saturday June 1st.  We will have a business meeting, at least 1 guest speaker and then a potluck meal afterwards. You can look for announcements or updates on our Facebook page (River to River Trail Society) or on the website. Some will probably bring bikes to take a ride North or South along the Tunnel Hill bike trail after the meeting. Until then, “See ya’ll On the Trail” and have a safe, enjoyable summer. 

Saturday, May 4, 2024 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 10th public hike of the 2024 spring hiking season on May 4th. Hiking: To Bork’s Falls (Johnson County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a moderate hike, 4 miles in length, 3 hours hiking time. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618-599-0686 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at Goreville Village Park. 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. There are five wide stream crossings which will require hikers to walk rocks in order to cross. If it rains prior to this hike, hiker’s boots/shoes may become wet when crossing the streams. Hiking sticks are highly recommended. There is an area of slick rock. Hikers will also be required to shuttle for this hike. For a map to the meeting location at Goreville Village Park click this blue link Goreville Village Park 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 Goreville Village Park meeting area for your signature.

Saturday October 14, 2023 Hike Summary

On Saturday, October 14th, 12 hikers met at Ferne Clyffe State Park, to be led on a hike by Chris Drone. We had 4 New hikers: a couple from Colombia. Illinois, a son from North Carolina joining his dad, and a woman from right in Johnson County.  The skies were cloudy so we were not going to see any real part of the eclipse. The plan was to do the Happy Hollow trail. A small amount of rain had fallen in the previous 30 hours, but not enough to make any stream flow. We saw 2 small arches in the first couple of miles, such as “Happy Arch” and then “Double Arch”, which several people either clambered on top of, or through it. Then we found a High, but alas, dry waterfall. On the trail we also observed a spot where many decades ago, there was probably a bridge, with many flat rocks stacked on top of each other as supports for either end of the bridge. The trail changed, no longer flat and we started climbing and saw several small “cave/shelters”.  We thought, that, maybe around noon, it seemed to get a bit darker, but were not quite sure.  We ate lunch at the Main arch in the park, and took the group picture at the arch. Then, after lunch, we followed the trail and got up on top of the arch, several walked it. We then made our way to “Crocodile Rock” , (or alligator rock whichever you prefer) and took in the view through the valley to the Southeast. Then, began the long hike on the River to River trail. We got back to a junction, and 3 split off to get home and do some work. Several continued on to go to the “back entrance” to Hawks’ Cave. Once we got close, Bob Mulcahy took 2 to go “on top’ of the cave and the rest continued to the cave. Coming away from the cave, and going to the main parking area, the general area was pointed out as to the possible location of Mrs. Rebmans’ cabin, the woman who originally donated the land to the State of Illinois for a park. We hiked about 6.5 miles today. Next weeks’ hike is in the Lusk Creek area.. You Will need to call (618-384-1321) and Register for the hike, Please.. 

Until then, “See ya’ll On the Trail”. 

Saturday, October 14, 2023 Hike Announcement

The River-to-River Trail Society announces its 3rd public hike of the 2023 fall hiking season on Oct. 14th. Hiking: Happy Hollow Trail, Ferne Clyffe State Park (Johnson County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a hike of moderate difficulty, 4.6 miles in length, 4 hours hiking time. This will be a loop hike. The leader of this hike can be reached at 618-926-3250 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at Ferne Clyffe State Park, State Park Road, Happy Hollow Trails Parking area. 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. There are 8 stream crossings and hikers may need to walk rocks when crossing streams if it has rained. For a map to the meeting location of the Happy Hollows Trail parking area click this blue link Happy Hollows Trail 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 Happy Hollows Trail Parking meeting area for your signature.