Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Garden of the Gods
Off Karbers Ridge Rd via Forest Rd, Shawnee National Forest · Herod, IL
Why you should go…
Garden of the Gods is a sandstone landscape in the Shawnee National Forest, eroded into hoodoos, cliffs and overlooks. The quarter-mile Observation Trail, with interpretive signs, climbs onto the bluffs, where you can pick out Camel Rock, Table Rock and Devil's Smokestack. Camel Rock appeared on a 2016 U.S. quarter. Longer hikes, including the River to River Trail, run into the surrounding wilderness, and Pharaoh Campground has 12 sites open year round.
- #rock formations
- #hiking
- #national forest
- #scenic overlook
- #camping
Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.