Trips & Tours - Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois

Sam Dale Lake offers 1,302 acres of beautiful rolling hills, a 194 acre lake, and lush woodland. A 3.2 mile
nature trail runs through the area, with an abundance of wildlife available for viewing. Other activities include:
swimming, fishing, camping, bow hunting and picnicking.
Shawnee National Forest
901 South Commercial Street, Harrisburg, Illinois 62946
Shawnee National Forest contains 7 National Wilderness Areas, 4 National Natural Landmarks, 10 Research
Natural Areas, and more than 80 other designated Natural Areas. Between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers,
Shawnee National Forest offers some of the most breathtaking landscape in the Midwest.
Recreational opportunities include hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, nature study, camping,
picnicking, backpacking, bird watching, scenic driving, berry picking, and mushroom gathering. Numerous
lakes, ponds, streams and rivers offer fishing, boating and canoeing. The Forest also has three swimming
beaches. Sample highlights include:
Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area
This one-of-a-kind outdoor natural playground offers a campground and picnic facilities and a spectacular 10-mile trail
network. A seasonal waterfall is one of the area’s highlights.
Garden of the Gods Wilderness Area
A renowned display of natural rock formations, crossed by two prominent trails: Observation Trail, which
features the most well-known rock formations, and Wilderness Trail, a gem for hiking enthusiasts.
Larue-Pine Hills Ecological Area
One of the most diverse ecological areas in the country. There are great views of the Mississippi River and hiking trails
can also be accessed off this road.
Little Grand Canyon
A 3.5-mile trail through unique rock formations and canyons. Shelter bluffs, sheer bluffs, and seasonal waterfalls make
it a great place for exploration. Climbing out of the canyon, there are great views of Swallow Rock bluff and the Big
Muddy River.
Lusk Creek
One of the Forest’s most picturesque canoeing opportunities.
River-to-River Trail
A particularly scenic trail that crosses the Forest on its path between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
Sielbeck Forest State Natural Area
1812 Grinnell Road, Belknap, Illinois 62908
618-524-5577
Sielbeck Forest preserves the swamp forest that is native to the Ohio River floodplain. Natural highlights
include timber that is over 200 years old, the now elusive Swamp Rabbit, as well as several plants that are on
the state’s endangered list. Because the goal of the area is to keep the land as undisturbed as possible, no
trails run though the park. Hiking, therefore, allows visitors to view the land in its true natural state.
Trail of Tears State Forest
3240 State Forest Road, Jonesboro, Illinois 62952
618-833-4910
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