Rock Pile Mountain: A Great Place To Get "Lost"

A "Link" Between Gaming And Hiking...

Growing up I loved playing The Legend of Zelda. The hero Link, in all of his 8-bit glory, began his journey when you led him into a cave and met a kindly old man positioned between two flickering flames. As he entered the cavern, the screen scrolled up and text formed over the elderly man's head revealing infamous words that stick with me to this very day, "IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS." Then Link was presented a wooden sword, the first weapon I would use on my epic elementary school quest to defeat the Evil Gannon. Later I would begin to explore dungeons in the game, here two items were of great importance; a compass and a map. Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness reminded me of this piece of my childhood, as it really can be dangerous to go alone, especially into a wilderness area and when you head out into these protected areas you should always take a compass and a map and know how to use them.

4,238 Acres And This Is A SMALL Wilderness?

Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness holds the distinction of being Missouri's smallest wilderness area, weighing in at 4,238 acres of beautiful forest located outside of Fredricktown. The trailhead is located off of County Road 406 on Forest Road 2124 in Madison County. I can assure you, finding the trailhead for the wilderness may provide you a journey in itself! We traveled easily enough south, down Highway 67 from Fredricktown and turned right onto Highway C. Next we turned right on County Road 406, using the directions provided by the Mark Twain Forest recreational opportunity guide, however we found the very last portion of the directions very difficult to find... The left turn on Forest Road 2124. This road does NOT have a traditional style street sign, instead it is a very small, skinny, brown stake-like sign, that is off on the left side of County Road 406 by at least 5-8 yards. We passed this turn twice before finding it. Unfortunately, I didn't measure the distance, but if you turn on County Road 406 from C, it is approximately 2 miles down the dirt road and will be on your left, it does look like it is fairly well traveled.

Road Conditions May Vary...

Some reports on other websites and resources put Forest Road 2124 in a nearly complete state of disrepair, some have tales of ditches large enough to swallow cars, mud so deep that the Swamp Thing dwells somewhere in their depths, and trees the size of Redwoods have fallen over the rural gravel road. When we visited on April 18, 2014 the road was in very good condition. In fact, I was a bit disappointed that the road wasn't a challenge to be overcome, I wasn't going to be able to use the drive as a badge of honor to earn. However, I will say this, I can CERTAINLY see how this road may fall into a state of utter decay, signs of downed trees did litter the ditches and clear ruts were left by water as it cascaded over the road in spots during previous rains, cutting portions of the road away. But we easily made it, in an old four cylinder, two-wheel drive RAV4, that was born in 1998. We didn't even need the extra clearance the aging RAV4 provided over a standard car on our trip. The small ruts were easily avoided and we putted right on up Forest Road 2124 to the trailhead at the top of Little Grassy Mountain.

Be Sure To Bring Your Own Map.

As we neared the peak of Little Grassy Mountain, we were surprised to find another car parked just off the turnaround at the trailhead. Of all the reports I had read, none had ever mentioned bumping into another hiker while out on the trail. We pulled on in next to the other car (another, far newer RAV4), parked and began to stretch our legs, exploring the trailhead and reading the postings on the information board. I filled out a quick registration card and placed it in the collection box, near the information board. Honestly, there isn't much information available at the information board, and sadly I've become used to this in the Mark Twain National Forest. Please don't take this as a "knock" against the National Parks, but I've found them to be far more lacking in upkeep than our local State Parks, perhaps it is just that the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) does such a fantastic job of maintaining our local parks and trails that it makes the National Parks in Missouri look worse in comparison, but that is enough of a side tangent. There are NO maps available at the trailhead information board and some information seemed to have been torn off, but as I stated before, I expected this and in anticipation of finding another mapless information board, I had printed out two copies from the internet at home, marked them both up and brought them along with a compass.

Just a few steps from the information board is a great place for a photo opportunity. A large stone with Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness boldly chiseled into it just begs for you to hop in front of it and snap a selfie! However, be careful near this rock, as it seems that this trailhead may also be a popular late night spot to do a bit of "celebrating", as broken shards of glass are as plentiful here as tile in a bathroom  and on the topic of bathrooms, there are no facilities here, as it is a wilderness area. Also, be especially vigilant as you explore the trailhead if you have a dog, no matter how tough their pads are, they are no match for the slivers of broken glass here. Once we snapped our photos by the rock, we unloaded our packs from the car, strapped up,and were ready to embark upon our backpacking adventure through the Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness. We caught a quick view of a pseudo rock pile in a clearing, just before reaching the official trail and that made us a bit excited to see the real rock pile, for which the mountain and the wilderness area have been named.

Into The Wilds We Go!

As we pass the patented National Forest sign, indicating the entrance to the Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness, the trail begins as a well worn dirt and stone trail, curving into an elongated C on our map as it winds down the Little Grassy Mountain. The "maintained" portion of the trail stretches for two miles and can be difficult to spot from time to time. As we hiked I noticed many false and game trails that lead to the east and west that could easily trick an unsuspecting hiker into following them for yards, or possibly miles. Because of all the false trails, I checked my compass frequently and compared my surroundings to the map I had packed and marked before venturing out. At approximately the one and a half mile mark on the maintained trail you reach the summit of a small hill, the rock formations and pines here provide a perfect place to take a quick rest, snatch a snack, enjoy a breeze and breathe in the lightly pine scented air. It is also a great place to find yourself veering off trail, completely by accident. It was here that we met a local hiker, out to enjoy the weather and a crisp hike through the wilderness. As we hiked, I corrected his path a few times, as he nearly went off course here at the top of the hill.

We Meet Another Trekker.

Given the difficulty of being assured we were following the trail, our new found hiking partner let us in on some great bits of insight pointing out a few local landmarks by which I could triangulate myself on my map should we become very lost. In fact, on the map, as we descended down the hill, he noted the way the "maintained" trail bent, to the southeast, just before ending and then pointed at purple markings on the trees. Those purple markings indicated the private property lines of the adjacent landowners, and also provided a great way to know that we were quickly approaching the backwoods trail in less than a quarter of a mile or so. It also helped me to gather a specific measurement of how far we had hiked and the near exact point of our location on the map. He also pointed out orange blazes on trees noting they had been left there by the local fire department who had been called out to Rock Pile Mountain to rescue lost hikers the year before.

Watch Out For Obstacles, Remember That Map?

Scribbling on your map is a'ok!
I had to remind myself of downed trees and other landmarks.

We continued hiking with our local partner for about a mile or so, until we hit another navigational hazard, downed trees. Lots and lots of downed trees. These obstacles had been somewhat more frequent than we were used to and began to get even worse and more frequent as we left the "maintained" portion of the trail. The downed trees could not have come at a worse place either, unknown by us, the trail splits here. Hidden underneath these trees was the actual split, and we originally headed to the east in order to get around them and back to the trail. When we skirted around the trees and picked back up the trail, I noticed that we were heading due east, opposed to southwest as the map indicated and after about 25 yards I stopped, knowing that we had either picked up a false or game trail. We all doubled back and decided to look for the trail again. At this point, our hiking partner, who was heading to a different destination than us, decided to simply head due west, confident that he would pick up the trail soon enough and we decided to navigate back toward the northwest to find the original trail and last known good location instead, and so we all bid farewell and happy trails.

Remember: Getting Away From It All Is Only  Fun If You Get Back...

Where we were actually at was the first of three official splits in the trail, shown on the map. Once we navigated back to our last known good location we opted to circle the downed trees to the west this time and sure enough, we were able to pick back up on the trail. With a quick check of the compass and glance at the map, we knew we were back on course to make it to the summit of Rock Pile Mountain. We were also lucky enough to spot the actual split, buried under a few trees, marked by an aged fence post with a rock set atop it. Although we would not see our local hiking companion again, we would spot evidence of his trail as we continued.

I've Never Been Happier To See A Color.

My new favorite color! Follow Me Orange.

Remember those orange blazes our local friend had pointed out earlier? The ones left by the fire department as they mounted a search for lost hikers? These came in EXTREMELY handy for us. Although I am a fairly competent navigator, these blazes seemed to be placed at just the right spots to remind me that we were, indeed, on course for the summit of Rock Pile Mountain. Just as self doubt would begin to enter, the trail would seem to disappear, or trees had once again forced us off the scantly viewable trail, these tiny bits of plastic would set my mind back at ease and assure us that we were on the "right path". However, realize that these markings will not last forever and there were very, very few other markings that would distinguish the actual trail from the numerous game trails that cross it, we were just lucky to have these navigational beacons for our hike, so please do not count on them to still be there. However, I'll mention here that we were able to get cellular reception throughout most of our hike, losing a signal only once as we were in a depression navigating around another obstacle to our path.

Our Final Destination And A Possible Ancient Relic.

Finding a spot of enlightenment and my center, in the Rock Pile.

We would spot more orange blazes as we finally approached our final and ultimate destination, the peak of Rock Pile Mountain itself. A word of warning, there are many different "rock piles" on the peak of this mountain, obviously created either as a cruel joke or as an homage to the real rock pile itself. If you have GPS, here are the coordinates - 37°25.222' N, 90°25.199' W - I took from the center of the "real" Rock Pile. For those without GPS assistance, it lays just to the northwest of a large granite clearing, search, I assure you will find it. Keep in mind it is not located on the very tip-top of the mountain, but very close. According to what I've read this ancient circle of granite rock is believed to have been piled near the very peak of Rock Pile Mountain by some earlier man. The original Rock Pile, for which this entire area and mountain was named, was over four foot tall. However, according to some accounts I have read, due to present day travelers and inconsiderate visitors the Rock Pile now is just over a foot or two in areas, but you can certainly see that it is created by man, for some purpose... The exact purpose, well, we'll most likely never know.

Overall Thoughts: I LOVE This Place.

Overall, our hike to Rock Pile Mountain was fantastic. We could not have asked for a better day and botanists would fall in love with the variation in local trees here; as the wilderness supports basswood, butternut, Kentucky coffee tree, walnut, sugar maple, and magnificent white and red oaks. If you find yourself hiking in Spring, as we did, you'll also notice as you near the man made ponds the sing-songs of frogs as they serenade in hopes of a mate. Evidence of white-tailed deer, turkey, and other large game abound, we spotted many tracks for the deer and heard them as they escaped, just out of view, on our return hike. Another thing to watch out for, although we found no tracks or evidence, are black bears. There have been quite a few spotting of these bears in the Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness, so please keep this in mind, particularly if you are camping in the area as you should suspend your food items in a bear bag, high in a tree. The last thing you would want during a wonderful camping trip would be a humongous hairy camp crasher.

Keep In Mind: I'm A Wilderness Fan-Boy...

I'll admit, I'm partial to wilderness areas. I enjoy the relative solitude, the complete lack of crowds and the feeling of truly being alone and yet one, with nature. The lone hiker we encountered was the solitary exception to the general experiences I've had in the Missouri and Illinois wilderness areas and the other hikers (remember the newer RAV4 at the trailhead?) we never spotted, and once our traveling companion went out of sight at the downed trees, we never spotted him again either. In our wilderness areas I find that the birds sing a bit bolder, nature takes an extra second before darting for cover, the general fresh air seems fresher, and Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness was certainly no exception. I can't recommend this area enough if you're looking to get away for a day hike or if you're planning a remote backpacking trip, just don't forget to print a map and take a compass. Remember, GPS devices may run out of battery, so if you're using one be sure to bring extra batteries. In fact, that is the reason that I did not take many pictures during our visit here, I had reserved my phone for an emergency only, turning it off as we hit the trail in order to conserve all battery life. I hope you decide to visit this great wilderness area, I'm sure you'll enjoy it just as much as we did!

One Last Thing...

All packs are not created equal. One thing to keep in mind, if you are back packing like we did, keep your load light and properly adjusted or, well, there's a picture below. My fingers became pretty swollen due to hiking with too much weight on my shoulders and not enough on the hip belt. Hopefully you'll get as big of a snicker at this as my wife did... Happy trails to you!

More Information: 

Local Treks on facebook 
Mark Twain National Forest: Rock Pile Wilderness
Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness on Wilderness.net
Mark Twain National Forest Brochure of Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness (with trail map)
Mark Twain National Forest Recreational Opportunity Guide for Rock Pile Mountain Wilderness (with trail map and driving directions as well)
Official USGS Rock Pile Mountain Quadrangle Map (use with the trail maps above)
  - Note the USGS map above is a HUGE file and in pdf format.
Wilderness Areas: Let's Get WILD! (post on wilderness manners and what to expect in a wilderness)
The Official USGS Maps Page (helpful for all types of maps, and FREE!)
Tiny. Tenacious. Terrible. Ticks. - A post on how to keep those bloodsuckers at bay!
How To Take A GREAT Day Hike

Coordinates:

Trailhead GPS Location: 37°27.811' N, 90°24.311' W (taken with Samsung Galaxy S4)

Rock Pile GPS Location: 37°25.222' N, 90°25.199' W(taken with Samsung Galaxy S4)

 

An Absolute Hidden Gem: Cathedral Canyon (Dark Hollow or Lower Rock Creek)

A birds eye view from a bluff overlooking Lower Rock Creek.

Cathedral Canyon is a gorgeous and seemingly remote part of the Mark Twain National Forest, that goes by many names.  I prefer to call the area Cathedral Canyon because the serenity and staggering beauty there may only be truly matched by a quiet cathedral. Other hikers and soul seekers may refer to it as Dark Hollow, Lower Rock Creek (this seems to be one of the most accepted names), or even the Trackler Mountain trail, I believe that no matter what you want to call this remote and relatively undisturbed forest, you'll leave calling it magical.

A little something left as thanks for a great hike!

Now, I'm going to be completely honest... I almost didn't write this post. The reason behind my potential omission was wholly selfish. Due to the sheer beauty of the area and the pure lack of any real, discernible trace of human influence on the landscape, I simply didn't want to let others know about it. On our hike we found no trash (so if you visit, please keep it this way), no well trampled trail and heard not a single unnatural noise or sound. So, I admit, I wanted to keep it secret, keep it hidden, keep it "remote" for just a bit longer, but that simply isn't fair to anyone (or the Mark Twain National Forest for that matter).

These guys (and gals) are everywhere in Lower Rock Creek.

Since I've decided to share my precious hideaway, let me start with one reason you may not want to visit in spring, summer, and early fall... Snakes. And I'm talking a lot of snakes, lots and lots of poisonous snakes. So if you have an Indiana Jones like fear of our scaly, legless, cold blooded, slitherers, don't come here until winter or late fall (it's still beautiful then). On our hike we spotted a couple of copperheads, a timber rattlesnake and countless cottonmouths. The cottonmouths (water moccasins) were so thick, I nearly stepped on one while stepping over another. I am not exaggerating here, go ahead and Google it, I'll wait... See?

The gate and bullet ridden reflective sign
mark the trail head. Nothing says "C'mon in" like bulletholes!

Still here? Still Reading? Still want to go? Ok, I thought that may scare you, but you are very brave, very brave indeed! So onto the directions... Coming from St. Louis (I know, I usually start everyone at Cape Girardeau), you'll take I-55 South to highway 67. Take highway 67 South to highway E. When you hit Fredricktown, you'll go West (which is on the right) on highway E. Continue on highway E for about 10 or so miles, and be on the look out for County Road 511 (CR 511), it will be on your right. Turn right on CR 511, and travel about a mile, when you cross over a low water bridge take an immediate left on the unmarked road there. BE CAREFUL, this unmarked, heavily forested road is VERY, VERY rough! Find a place to park, out of the way of the way of the unmarked road, and walk to the "trail head" marked by a traffic style gate with a reflective sign on it.

The beginning of the trail.

Once you've found the trail head, you will set trek on a wondrous journey on a rarely traveled trail (some call this trail the Jeep trail or path) through an evergreen and deciduous forest that creates an exquisite canopy overhead. You will soon reach a small fork in the trail, mere yards after the gate, we took the left fork and it worked for us. As you travel be sure take note of your surroundings, look for wildflowers, perhaps discover some wild blackberries (as we did), or Ozark witch hazel and listen for local wildlife (which may even included black bears, we didn't see any of these) moving through the undergrowth. I mention to be sure to take note of your surroundings because the trail may disappear from time to time, due strictly to the fact that not many travel or hike upon it, so do take note of interesting features (trees, flowers, rock formations, whatever floats your boat) and other hikers trail markings just in case, you may need them to navigate back later. The wooded portion of the trail winds for about a mile or so, then the canopy opens up and you will find yourself on the rocky banks of Lower Rock Creek!

Be sure to search for a marker as you emerge from the trail to Lower Rock Creek.
We used this existing rock cairn as our marker, thanks to whomever left it behind!

At this junction, given the remoteness of the area, my wife and I spied a rock cairn already built that conveniently marked where we had emerged from the trail so we took note straight away. This pile of rocks would be the marker we would search for to find our way back. If you aren't lucky enough to have a small cairn already built for you, heck, make your own, it's like nature's Jenga! Or you could place a dead branch pointing to the trail on the rocky shore as well, just be sure that you mark the trail so that you can return easily. Now, if you headed left, or downstream, you could actually follow the Lower Rock Creek until it runs into the St. Francois River and I'm pretty sure that could be a great hike in itself. However, we turned our sights upstream (right) as a steep and climbable bluff had quickly caught my attention.

The step-like formations.

If you decide to climb a few of these bluffs as well, be very careful, in spots the rhyolite bedrock and pinkish colored igneous rock will slip and shatter underfoot and although it may not look like a long fall from the base of your climb, it will certainly not feel good to take rapid descent caused by a slip or fall to the creek floor. The sharp, angular fractures of the rock lining the canyon walls provide fantastic foot, toe and hand holds for your ascent though, just be sure they are solid before placing your full weight on them. If you've made it up to the top, be prepared for a fantastic view of the canyon floor and winding Lower Rock Creek. You may even chance upon a collared lizard or two up here.

RR: Rattlesnake Ridge?

As we headed upstream the snakes became more and more prevalent, for a spell I was paying far more attention to the snakes than the scenery, simply because they seemed to be on every horizontal surface, basking in the summer sun. Interspersed with the cottonmouths were a copperhead and a timber rattle snake, the latter we found just before heading back into the forest on a trail marked by RR inscribed on a nearby rock. After a few jokes about the RR standing for Rattlesnake Ridge, we continued onto the trail. This trail quickly faded, within about 30 or so yards so of the marker, so we decided to gingerly create our own, winding up and down the hill side, seeking the easiest path sometimes following game trails (deer and other game always seem to find the easiest way about the area). We found more wildflowers and fantastic spots to climb rocks and boulders as we made our way further.

Time to camp!

Now, for all you campers out there (backpackers too) we came upon an absolutely beautiful spot to camp, complete with a rock lined fire pit, comfortable log bench and a smooth, level patch of earth just begging for a tent to be pitched. As we took our own rest here, enjoying a bit of trail mix and peanut butter crackers, I was struck by the views this site offered. The exposed bluffs glistened white in the sun's rays, dotted with evergreens, while the Lower Rock Creek provided a steady beat of water gurgling, with the songbirds providing chorus. For a moment I had reached outdoor nirvana, everything coming together perfectly, with pinpoint timing and I was able to share that with my wife... That's what hiking is to me. Finding those moments and being able to share them with someone else, with bonus points for being someone you love...

Well, we poked and prodded a bit around the campsite area and even found a small container that had some camping equipment (pots, pans, etc.) located near the camp site. Of course I had to take the short journey from the campsite to a nearly chest deep pool of water, created by huge boulders and the flow of the Lower Rock Creek, to take a bit of a refresher before we headed back downstream. The journey back was every bit as fun as the trip up, our eyes scanning for snakes lining the creek when not fully focused on the beauty that surrounded us.

The remoteness and serenity of this area is absolutely unsurpassed for me, I haven't been able to find a spot like this anywhere else. So untouched and unaltered, I have read elsewhere that the University of Missouri has described this area as the most significant remaining example of the St. Francois Mountain watershed landscape. I can't think of another place that I so desperately can't wait to return to, and once you've taken a trip here, I'm confident you'll be looking to schedule a return visit too! But you may not be telling all your friends... You may want to keep it, "secret".

As always, thanks for reading!

More Information:

• See more Local Treks on Facebook!
• Set of Flickr Photos from our trip
• Missouri Wilderness Coalition: Lower Rock Creek
• Trails.com: Lower Creek Trail
• Map of Proposed Lower Rock Creek & Van East Wilderness Areas
• Trails.com: Lower Creek Trail Topo Map
• Mark Twain National Forest Homepage

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White Water and Rock Hounding: Silver Mines Recreational Area

A view of the breached dam at the Silver Mines Recreation Area.

Here's another great site that I discovered on a field trip in college, the Silver Mines Recreation Area, which is part of the Mark Twain National Forest, is located near Fredricktown and Ironton, Missouri. This area is named, ever so aptly, for the abandoned silver mines that are found here that were mined from 1877 through 1946 by the Einstein Silver Mining Company. Given that the operation spewed tons of rocks (leavings or tailings) from deep within the Earth as the miners searched for their target minerals of silver, tungsten and lead, this is a relative Shangri-la for rock hounds, who come from far and wide, rock hammers in hand to see what treasures they may unearth from the rubble. But those who are not out to hunt for minerals and stones may be after a different type of thrill, the thrill they find on the St. Francis River, the thrill of the only true "White Water" to be found in the state. I knew that the sound of rushing water and the possibility of finding some rare minerals would certainly interest my wife and daughter... and I couldn't have been more right.

A dragonfly paused long enough to give me this shot.

There are actually two hiking trails here, I'll send you to the one that is on the South side of the St. Francis River, that runs near the "Air Conditioner" mine and the tailings from the mine operations the North side is every bit as beautiful and slippery as the South, I just love rock hounding). After parking the car (be aware there is a day use fee of $2.00 per vehicle here, place your payment in the envelope and slip it into the locked container) you will make your way across the concrete walkway then head to the right to begin your one mile hike up to the dam. This hike is absolutely stunning, with gorgeous granite and felsite outcroppings and stunning views of the St. Francis River marking the trails progression. Be careful though, the same granite and felsite rocks that are so interesting to look at and examine may be the same formation may cause your rear become painfully acquainted with the hard ground and said rock, as these rocks can become quite slippery after rain or covered in early morning dew.

A member of the "indigenous" population takes a sun.

As you continue up, past the scenic overlook (which was in some disrepair on our visits there), be sure to stop by the "Air Conditioner" Mine and have a seat, especially on a hot Midwestern summer day! The air that comes from the mouth of this abandoned mine is more than cool enough to invigorate you for the rest of your short hike to the dam. You may not always be able to take a seat here though, as the available space at the mouth of the mine may be flooded with a foot or more of water, depending on the last time it rained in the area. Soon after taking a cooling break you will reach an area that is just pure rock, these are actually all tailings, from the mining of the area. This is a GREAT place to stop and begin exploring the different types of rocks and searching for some rare silver, quartz, or even small fragments of various gemstones.

Yes. That's a scorpion. In Missouri...

While you are exploring the abandoned tailings for interesting rocks and formations, BE CAREFUL! The native inhabitants of the area, which include snakes and small scorpions, may be hiding underneath rocks as you overturn them, use a stick... Please. This is the only place I have ever been, in Missouri, that I have actually found a scorpion (see the photo). I found this scorpion by picking up a rock, mere centimeters in front of its "face" and was beyond lucky not to have been stung. On a separate note, I believe that purple mineral found on the rocks there is flourite, and you'll find a great deal of that in the rocks here. Also be careful on the loose rock, period. It may shift at anytime and send you sliding down the hill. An amateur geologist also presented us with this small bit of knowledge (I can't vouch for the accuracy of it though), if you are looking for a bit of silver, most of it is contained in small veins you can find in the quartz rocks of the area. The silver here may appear dark or almost black to slightly silver metallic in color.

While rock hounding you may also keep an eye to the St. Francis River, particularly during the Spring, as you will undoubtedly be able to spot some crazy kayakers as they shoot out of the breach in the dam that used to span the river. These folks are amazing to watch and I've heard epic party details from when the American Whitewater Championships are in swing there during weekends in March. I never tire of watching the kayaks slice the water and navigate down the river through the dam.

Overall this is one of my favorite spots to visit and I certainly hope I didn't scare anyone with the shifting rocks, slippery outcrops, snakes and scorpions (dangers exist in all of the great outdoors), there is just so much to see and do. The whole family enjoys looking through the rocks, searching for that next shiny little "gem" and the wildlife certainly can keep you on your toes. When you couple that with magnificent views, a mine that can provide you a bit of A/C, a cooling river that you can take a wade in (but be careful of the current and dropoffs) and some wonderful plants and rock outcrops to explore, it's hard not to have a great family time!

All the action can exhaust even Hyatt, our border collie... And that's TOUGH!

Thank you for reading and, as always, let me know if you have any questions about the area or any experiences you would like to share! If you're "digging" (like the rock hound inference there?) the blog, be sure to give it a +1G up there and subscribe by just putting in your email address, you won't be bothered unless a new post goes up...

Happy trails and watch where you step!

More Information:

• Local Treks on facebook 
• Silver Mines Recreational Area Webpage
• Click here for Silver Mines Area Map
• Federal Regulations on "Rock Hounding"

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Other Nearby Parks/Recreational Areas:

• Millstream Gardens Conservation Area
• Amidon Memorial Conservation Area (more on this area soon another one of my FAVES!)

A BIG Little Hike: Little Grand Canyon, Illinois

Little Grand Canyon, tucked away in the Shawnee National Forest, was one of my very favorite hiking spots back in college. I discovered it on a field trip in my botany class back in 1998, I was impressed with the lush green beauty of the area, the "ruggedness" of the 3.6 mile hike and the relative feeling of remoteness as our instructor led class traversed the sandstone walled canyon trail in search of endangered local plant species. Would I feel the same sense of remoteness, would I encounter the same beauty, would the trail seem as "rugged" in a 2011 revisit with my family?

Before I get too far in, allow me add a little bit more to our 2011 revisit of the Little Grand Canyon, as many in the Midwest (particularly those who live in areas that are near the Mississippi River) will know, this area is near the historic flood levels that occurred in 2011 and that did cause a bit of issue with our hike. The issue was, we couldn't make the full loop. Upon traveling to the bottom of the canyon, we hiked as far as we could, swarmed by mosquitoes, up to our thighs in mud, hoping constantly that we "were through the worst of it"... We finally were forced to backtrack when our hairy little buddy couldn't go any further due to the depth and consistency of the mud. However, given all of this, we still LOVED this area and I can't wait to return!

As we pulled into the parking lot we were greeted with what is becoming a rare sight at state and national parks, a bathroom and a well marked map of the area. However, we should have paid a bit more attention to the sign posted right next to the map exclaiming: "Trail Impassible Due To High Water!". But come on, that's for chumps, right? So we grabbed our walking sticks and prepared for our first foray as a family out into a small portion of the Shawnee National Forest.

The initial trail from the parking lot is fairly easy going, consisting of a nice, wide, gravel trail that will lead the wanderer to the beginning of a 365 foot descent into the Little Grand Canyon. This portion of the trail is well maintained and well traversed and offers much to see in the way of trees and undergrowth. Oak and Hickory trees line the trail and, during our visit, they even lay across the trail which may inhibit some with disabilities from traveling further. We took our time walking this portion, pausing to identify some plants such as poison ivy (which my daughter was unfamiliar with), broad leafed ferns and the Celandine Poppy (Wicked Witch of the West: Poppies... Poppies. Poppies will put them to sleep. Sleeeeep. Now they'll sleeeeep!).

As the gravel ends your descent will begin and I'll provide you a warning, it can be slick, and I'm not being an overcautious old man here, it is slicker than snot in some spots especially following any rain. So, be sure to watch your footing, even on the steps that are carved into the sandstone, because if you slip in some areas you're in for a pretty rapid fall and possibly a not-so-fun slide ride to the bottom. But this also adds to the "ruggedness" of the trail, the little bit of slip fear that may enter your brain make this portion of the trail seem adventurous to some, perhaps even providing a bit of a story for those who haven't yet been out to the area.

As we traveled down to the canyon floor, we passed mini waterfalls, grottoes, scurried across worn ledges and even did a few impressions of Sylvester Stallone from Cliffhanger, acting like we could fall at any minute. The steady sound of the water running through the area and birds calling were all that we could hear, and my mind went back to my class hike and the feeling as though we were the only ones out there. We paid special attention to the hand and foot holds carved into the sandstone by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the the Great Depression. I searched for more broad leafed ferns on the way down and added to the list a few liverworts and hairy cap moss. We kept an eye out for local wildlife too, and encountered a little guy we nicknamed the "Hypno-Toad" and we were treated to a unique gathering of butterflies just as we reached the canyon floor.

Upon reaching the canyon floor, the now dirt trail, leveled out and we instantly noticed the canyon walls, towering over 100 foot overhead. This is also where the mosquitoes began their relentless assault, dive-bombing and attacking in mass. They were of the large, black variety and you could actually feel each bite. I don't believe they are permanent residents to the area, at least not in the numbers we encountered, but I highly recommend a few sprays of a reliable mosquito repellent prior to taking this hike, better safe than swarmed... We followed the White Diamond marked trail for as long as were able, finally having to backtrack due to mud that was just too deep for our sheltie, Hudson, to continue on. As we backtracked, I made sure that we poked into a few of the overhangs and crags to see if we could discover any other little hidden gems such as this Blue Diamond marked tree, a fallen tree missing its center and a few autographs we found in a shallow cave carved into the canyon stone.

We took a second to wash up and then began our journey back up the Little Grand Canyon, disappointed that we couldn't make the loop this time, but excited for the chance to return and complete it then.

Since we visited in 2011, there was a forest fire that burned around 18 acres of the area located one quarter of a mile from the trail head in April of 2013. There is more information at the Southern Illinoisan, The Southeast Missourian and WPSD (NBC).

More of our pictures from the area are available on my Flickr Page


Find More Information (click to visit):
Shawnee National Forest (Little Grand Canyon)
Botany in Natural Areas of Southern Illinois


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Latitude: 37.68028
Longitude: -89.39472