The Great Outdoors

Start putting together your recreation to-do list because towering sandstone walls await on the trails at Giant City State Park, the lush canopy of Shawnee National Forest gives way to sweeping views of fall colors and brilliant sunsets, and the rolling hills of Galena provide a quiet place for reflection at Horseshoe Mound. For long haul cyclists, the Great River Trail is a warm up for Madison County Transit’s trail system - one of the most extensive networks of interconnected trails in the nation. For those who want to check off must-do items, here are a few: the only natural rock bridge in Illinois, the only “snake road” in the world, and the famed Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Whether you pitch a tent, park your RV, rent a cabin, or stay in a lodge, every bend in the byway provides opportunities for your next outdoor adventure.