Johnson Creek

We visited some beautiful trails in the southeast section of the Shawnee National Forest in July. They were located a little over 100 miles south of the Metro-East Area (St. Louis), off of Highway 151 near Ava, Illinois on Kinkaid Lake. We traveled down Hwy 4 and returned on Highway 3 (the Great River Road) finding both routes scenic and easy on the truck and trailer. Randolph County and Turkey Bluffs State Fish & Wildlife Area trails are also in that part of the state near Chester, Illinois.

The facilities at Johnson Creek are an excellent example of Saddle Clubs working with land management to create a very functional, expansive and pleasant camping or day use environment. Camping Fees at $5.00 a night per site with water, shade, hitching racks, tables and firepits with a
nearby toilet seemed very reasonable.

Ava, DuQuoin, Kincaid and Prairie du Rocher Saddle Clubs helped create this 3 loop, spacious facility with the permission and help of Park Officials. The trails are many and not always well marked, it is easy to get lost,
so take a topographical map, compass or your GPS. We had none of these but managed with the directions of the occasional rider we met on the trail knowing that if necessary we could always just turn around and retrace our steps back to the campground. The area is dotted with pieces of private land. We heeded the no trespassing signs and stayed well away from property that looked to be private homes, lawns or
gardens. I suspect property owners are prepared for the occasional lost rider to approach.

Trails closest to the campgrounds showed evidence of super maintenance.

Sometimes white diamonds or blue painted tree circles provided markings on these trails. We were impressed with the collection of water berms and shunts, the trimming, and the worked trail surface. Deeper in, the trails were more narrow or showed evidence of ATV use, but they were beautiful and scenic. Finally we came across caterpillar tracks and then an unidentified trail maintenance machine with a 4-foot wide blade parked near a trailhead gate. We followed groomed trails back to the campground and found a sign suggesting at least 3 trail heads (Rt. 151, Gum Ridge, and Buttermilk Hill) and several defined specific trail directions. Later the ranger named the "Sweco trail dozer" and said that they one day hope to mark all of the trails and sign the intersections but that time, manpower and money are the as always a limiting factor.

Trails for horses are on the Northeast end of the lake. Kinkaid Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area manages the South west portion of the lake and does not allow horses. We never reached the boarder of the Department of Natural Resources property so I can not say if it is well defined, but the IDNR ranger on the phone was specific about fines if horses or ATVs were caught on state land.

Members of these hard working saddle clubs do not appear to be currently affiliated with the Illinois Trail Riders so I did not have a personal contact or guide before heading down to explore this awesome equestrian area. I did have a file of correspondence and meeting information from around 2001 when Illinois Trail Riders, Saddle Club representatives and
Forest Service employees met and worked out solutions to problems and began to meet the recreational needs of equestrians. I am sure that the Murphysboro or Jonesboro Ranger Districts will have more information that we can include in our next update of the Trails Handbook. Maybe we can explore the Bald Knob, Clear Springs, and Panthers Den Wilderness Areas also as they are developed in the future.

You should check Johnson Creek out. This was an impressive example of the U.S.D.A Forest Service "Caring for the Land and Serving People" by working with energetic trail riders to create an exciting place to recreate.

Jonesboro Ranger Station 618-833-8576 Murphysboro Ranger work center 618-687-1731 web site: http:/www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/shawnee