Hiking... This Saturday, the 22nd... Starved Rock State Park...
Hiking... This Saturday, the 22nd... Starved Rock State Park...
Josh and I are planning on going. Anybody care to join us?
Also, there are mounds nearby at Buffalo Rock State Park, and aparently Matthiessen State Park is right up the road and has even more waterfalls, nifty bridges, and less people (but only a 2.2 mile loop trail). Probably there wont be time to do everything, but there should be plenty to choose from.
Anyway, it looks like it will be lots of fun.
Info about locations follows for interested parties (I also have a book from the library with more info on these):
Starved Rock State Park (these hikes are shaded)
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=HGM084-054 - this trail is 6.4 miles, moderate, with parking lots at both ends, which might be of use if enough people want to come to justify two cars
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=HGM084-055 - this trail is 2.9 miles, difficult with lots of stairs, in shortinable loop form
Buffalo Rock State Park (the hike here is 2.5 miles, or longer if you explore all the mounds, easy, and exposed)
http://dnr.state.il.us/LANDS/LANDMGT/PARKS/i&m/east/buffalo/home.htm
Matthiessen State Park Dells Area Hike (2.2 miles, moderate to difficult, very shaded)
http://dnr.state.il.us/Lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R1/mttindex.htm
Info on logistics will be forth coming if anyone expresses interest in joining us.
Oh, yeah, and it's just under 2 hours from us... probably more like 1.5 hours from Ed and Mandy.
Josh and I are planning on going. Anybody care to join us?
Also, there are mounds nearby at Buffalo Rock State Park, and aparently Matthiessen State Park is right up the road and has even more waterfalls, nifty bridges, and less people (but only a 2.2 mile loop trail). Probably there wont be time to do everything, but there should be plenty to choose from.
Anyway, it looks like it will be lots of fun.
Info about locations follows for interested parties (I also have a book from the library with more info on these):
Starved Rock State Park (these hikes are shaded)
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=HGM084-054 - this trail is 6.4 miles, moderate, with parking lots at both ends, which might be of use if enough people want to come to justify two cars
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=HGM084-055 - this trail is 2.9 miles, difficult with lots of stairs, in shortinable loop form
Buffalo Rock State Park (the hike here is 2.5 miles, or longer if you explore all the mounds, easy, and exposed)
http://dnr.state.il.us/LANDS/LANDMGT/PARKS/i&m/east/buffalo/home.htm
Matthiessen State Park Dells Area Hike (2.2 miles, moderate to difficult, very shaded)
http://dnr.state.il.us/Lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R1/mttindex.htm
Info on logistics will be forth coming if anyone expresses interest in joining us.
Oh, yeah, and it's just under 2 hours from us... probably more like 1.5 hours from Ed and Mandy.