NewsOctober 14, 2016
Pavement Ends: Explore the canyons of the Midwest
We don't have anything that compares to the Grand Canyon, but Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois have rugged terrain with valleys deep enough to be called canyons. In local parlance, we typically call these hollows or shut-ins, but we also have ravines, gorges, holes and even a vortex...
We don't have anything that compares to the Grand Canyon, but Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois have rugged terrain with valleys deep enough to be called canyons. In local parlance, we typically call these hollows or shut-ins, but we also have ravines, gorges, holes and even a vortex.
Here is a selection of the some of the more interesting canyons and canyon-like features in the region, with directions on how to visit them.
Little Grand Canyon (Jackson County, Illinois)
The name "Little Grand Canyon" is no exaggeration: This is a true box canyon surrounded by sheer walls. To reach the floor of the canyon, a loop trail traverses a pair of narrow -- and steep -- chutes in the bluffs. Workers during the Civilian Conservation Corps era carved footholds in the rock to make it possible to climb up and down the chutes, but the wet rocks can be notoriously slick. Although this is a popular national forest recreational area, it's probably not a good choice for beginning hikers.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 3 north to Ware, turn right on Highway 146, then turn left on Highway 127. Drive 16 miles and turn left on Etherton Road. Follow Etherton Road until it reaches a fork at Poplar Ridge Road. Take the left fork and continue on Poplar Ridge Road. At the four-way intersection with Hickory Ridge Road, go straight. After a couple more miles, look for the turnoff for Little Grand Canyon Road on the right at a sharp curve. The parking area is at the end of this road.
Jackson Hollow (Pope County, Illinois)
If I had to choose one Southern Illinois destination as my favorite, it would have to be Jackson Hollow. This is a geological wonder: a wide canyon surrounded on three sides by miles of sandstone walls and rock shelters, and dotted with hundreds of rock monoliths that have separated from the bluffs and landed at precarious angles. A second nearby canyon leads to Splatterstone Falls, a waterfall that, as the name suggests, splatters against a large boulder. Jackson Hollow has been designated as a National Forest Ecological Area, which means no trails have been marked, but hikers are welcome to explore on their own. Despite the lack of trails, it's only a short hike from the nearest road to reach the head of the canyon. Beyond that, you could spend all day -- or weeks, for that matter -- exploring the nooks and crannies here. This place is best visited when the leaves are off the trees so the rock formations can be better seen.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 146 east to Vienna. Continue past the interchange with Interstate 24 and make a left on Highway 147. After 7.5 miles, turn left on Trigg Tower Road just past the little town of Simpson. Continue on this twisty road (paved at first, then gravel) for 4.5 miles. Look for the "Ecological Area" sign on the right side of the road. Find a safe place to park nearby, but beware that the shoulder of the road can be a muddy quagmire in wet weather.
Castor River Shut-ins (Madison County, Missouri)
The Missouri Ozarks are home to a number of shut-ins, or small canyons in which a creek or river has punched through the bedrock to create pools and cascades. Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park is undoubtedly the most famous of these shut-ins, but Castor River Shut-Ins near Fredericktown has also surged in popularity as a swimming hole. Most visitors only explore the Pink Rocks area, but downstream sections of Castor River are also scenic, and not as crowded.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 72 west to Patton Junction. Five miles after Patton Junction, turn right on Route HH. Follow this road until it ends at Route J and turn left. Then turn left on Route W. Drive on Route W until the pavement ends, then bear left on County Road 208. While on CR 208, keep your eyes peeled for the Amidon Conservation Area sign and make a left on CR 253. Follow this gravel lane until you see the main parking area on the right.
Hickory Canyons (Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri)
Ste. Genevieve County is home to a collection of sandstone canyons similar to the canyons in Southern Illinois. Although many of these places are on private property, some can be explored within three public parks: Hawn State Park, Pickle Springs Natural Area and Hickory Canyons Natural Area. Of these, Hickory Canyons offers the deepest sandstone canyons in Missouri, and they can be reached by following two short trails from the parking area.
__Directions:__ Take Interstate 55 north to the Highway 32 interchange (Exit 150) near Ste. Genevieve. Take Highway 32 west for 8.5 miles and turn right on Route C. Follow this road for just over 3 miles and make a left on Sprott Road. Continue on this gravel road for almost 2 miles to the Hickory Canyons parking lot on the left. Look for the trailheads on both sides of the road.
Royal Gorge (Iron County, Missouri)
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This shut-ins along Highway 21 south of Arcadia have long been a popular landmark as a roadside park and provide an overlook of the boulder-strewn creek. Recently, the Conservation Department has blazed a loop trail that climbs well above Royal Gorge to provide a panoramic view of the canyon and the Taum Sauk Mountains in the distance.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 72 west to Arcadia. After crossing the viaduct at Arcadia, make two right turns to reach Highway 21 South. Follow the highway to the summit at Tip Top Roadside Park and continue as the road descends to the other side. Look for the parking area with the sign "Coolbaugh Creek Trailhead" on the right. This is a trailhead for the Ozark Trail, but it also serves as the starting point for the Royal Gorge Trail.
Millstream Gardens (Madison County, Missouri)
On the days when kayakers are active, the St. Francis River at Millstream Gardens looks almost identical to the Arkansas River in Colorado or other mountain streams out West. The river here passes through a canyon with a series of rock formations, including the appropriately named Shark's Fin. At one time, this scenic spot was developed as a private attraction, but has since been turned into a state conservation area.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 72 west to Fredericktown. Continue past Fredericktown for 7 miles and look for a gravel road on the left with the Millstream Gardens Conservation Area sign. Take this road into the conservation area and follow the signs for the river access/picnic pavilion. From the parking area, look for the "Trailhead" sign and follow the trail along the river as far as you want.
Ghost Dance Canyon (Pope County, Illinois)
Ghost Dance Canyon is within Dixon Springs State Park, but this spot is relatively unknown because the trailhead is hidden behind the swimming pool. The short trail passes under a towering arch highway bridge before entering a canyon surrounded by bluffs and filled with a maze of boulders. This is an excellent fall color location.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 146 east through Vienna and continue to the interchange with Highway 145. Go straight and look for the turnoff for Dixon Springs State Park on the left. After entering the park, follow the signs for the swimming pool, taking the first road on the left. The parking lot for the swimming pool also provides access to the Ghost Dance Canyon trail, located beyond the end of the road at a small concrete culvert. However, if the road to the parking lot is closed, you can park at the picnic area on the opposite end of the swimming pool and walk to the trailhead.
Indian Kitchen (Pope County, Illinois)
The origin of this colorful name is a mystery, but perhaps the early pioneers thought this canyon was so narrow it resembled a room. If you squint just right, the texture of the bluffs resembles kitchen cabinets or shelves. Indian Kitchen is one of many landmarks within Lusk Creek Wilderness Area where the creek has carved a narrow and twisty path through the sandstone.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 146 east to Vienna. Just past the interchange with Interstate 24, turn left on Highway 147. Continue to the T-junction with Highway 145 and turn left. Drive 5 miles to the intersection with Eddyville Road and turn right. Then make a quick left on Indian Kitchen Road. Follow this gravel road for about 2 miles until you see the "Lusk Creek Wilderness Area" sign. The parking area is on the left, but the trail begins on the right.
Max Creek Vortex (Johnson County, Illinois)
Max Creek northeast of Vienna has long been associated with legends about the "vortex," a zone of reputed supernatural occurrences. The stories, however, are vague and conflicting, and the exact location of the Max Creek Vortex is hard to pin down. I've hiked here with a group after dark and didn't experience anything out of the ordinary. Even without the "vortex," the canyons along Max Creek are impressive, and this is a recommended location for fall color.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 146 east to Vienna. At the four-way stop in Vienna, turn left on US 45 North. Follow the highway for 5.5 miles and turn right on Taylor Ridge Road near the high-voltage power lines. If you reach Taylor Ridge Church, you've gone too far. Follow the gravel road for 1.5 miles. After zigzagging twice, the road will enter the woods and eventually come to an abrupt end, with room to park on the left. The trail is a 4-mile loop from here.
Piney Creek Ravine (Randolph County, Illinois)
This canyon is best known for its Native American petroglyphs, considered the largest body of prehistoric rock art in Illinois. But it also features bluffs and waterfalls. It's interesting that this place took the name "ravine" instead of the usual "hollow" or "canyon." Piney Creek Ravine Nature Preserve has surged in popularity lately, and you might find the parking lot full during certain weekends when the weather is good.
__Directions:__ Take Highway 146 into Illinois and turn left on Highway 3. Stay on Highway 3 for roughly 46 miles until you reach the turnoff for Hog Hill Road on the right. (This turnoff is a few miles after the intersection with Highway 151.) Continue on Hog Hill Road for a few miles until the intersection with Degognia Road. Here, make a right turn, then bear left on Rock Crusher Road. After another mile, make a sharp left on Piney Creek Road (look for the natural area sign). A short distance after this road turns to gravel, look for a sharp left curve. The parking area and trailhead are to the right.
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