Springtime in Souther Illinois - 4/15&16/2023

Submitted by Mary Hugo

A fun and flexible 12 members of the BCCC met up for a great time in Southern Illinois the weekend of April 14th. Due to high wind forecasts we decided to leave our kayaks at home and hike. The spring wildflowers were at their peak. What a treat!

We camped at Giant City state Park, a new place for the club. Giant City is a beautiful place. We hiked the Stonefort Trail and saw remnants of a rock wall from prehistoric times. It was partially rebuilt in the 1930s by the CCC. Trillium trail was all about the wildflowers. We had a picnic lunch back at camp and then headed to Ferne Clyffe state park for the Round Bluff trail also known for its spring wildflowers. A storm rerouted us to Blue Sky Winery instead. It was back to Ferne Clyffe and the waterfall trail plus another short trail. Round bluff will have to wait for another time.

Saturday night we enjoyed an all you can eat fried chicken dinner at the Giant City Lodge. The lodge is a beautiful building built by the CCC in the 1930s. One of Mary’s Dad’s first cousins helped build the lodge.

The storms came back Saturday night so we kept a watchful eye on tornadoes watches. Very thankful the worst passed us by.

Sunday morning, we headed to the ‘backside’ of Ferne Clyffe state park to check out Bork’s Falls. There are a handful of rain dependent waterfalls in the area and this one was really flowing. Back to Giant City to pack up camp. A few of us squeezed in one more to hike onthe trail that gave the park it’s name, Giant City Nature Trail. It weaves through beautiful bluffs carved out be glaciers long ago. At one point the trail narrows and goes between tall bluffs - the city streets.

A few stayed until Monday and explored Snake Road. Twice a year, about 2.5 miles of gravel road is closed for 6 weeks. The snakes and reptiles migrate to / from the sandstone bluffs on one side to the swamp on the other. It is a beautiful walk in the spring with lots of wildflowers.

Until next time…Mary Hugo