ILLINOIS, USA — Just down the road from Garden of the Gods is a place called Rim Rock Recreational Trail, a place you don't want to miss on your trip to Southeastern Illinois.
Adventure awaits at Rim Rock one crunchy step and icy runoff at a time. Dana and owner of Dogwood Cabins Steve Melville started in the parking lot planning out their route. They decided to take the lower trail to Cool Hollow and then go over the lake.
The hike is about an hour long, but you can spend a lot longer if you let mother nature suck you in. There are some of the unique blufflines along the trail and also formation sandstone similar to Garden of the Gods. Dana says Rim Rock is just as peaceful, too.
Once you make your way to the bottom of the trail, you will find a rock shelter bluff called Ox Lot Cave. Back in the 1850s and 1860s, people hauling timber out the area would use it to keep their oxen, and there is a spring in the corner that the oxen could drink from.
Also nearby is Pounds Hollow Lake, a 28 acre National Forest Lake. Many people visit Garden of the Gods, but a lot of miss these other places and there are so many reasons to visit year-round.
Once you take it all in at the top of Rim Rock Trail, you will see that this place looks cool from any angle.
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