Backyard Adventures

2D PIKE PUBLISHING BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2017 RECREATION & GEAR Experience nature from a new antagepoint • Camping and hiking apparel and equipment • Footwear by KEEN and Merrell • Clothing by North Face, Patagonia and more • Bike Service and repair on all brands 204 E. 3RD ST., JASPER • 812-482-3757 levels. The trail is accessible year-round and is marked with educational signs explaining the history and geology. There are magnificent bluffs that drop down more than 100 feet and provide breath- taking views of the forests and surround- ing vistas. Some of the more popular rock formations surrounding the cliffs include Camel Rock and Devil's Smokestack. INDIAN POINT TRAIL Moderate Indian Point Trail is a 1.9 -mile loop trail that starts on a ridge and leads to a beautiful bluff and rock face. A more serene hike and not so crowded, the trail features amazing rock walls and scenic vistas overlooking the lush forest valley. About a half-mile in, the trail leads left and descends below the bluff offering some of the best views of the bluff face and opportunities for rock exploring. The trail continues along the forest floor, then begins to rise slightly. The trail ends the loop at the pond near the parking lot. Heading clockwise, be on the lookout for a sharp descent and old campsite at the end of the small lake. Parking is located at the Backpackers Lot, just before the main Garden of the Gods parking area. ANVIL ROCK TRAIL Strenuous Anvil Rock Trail is another great hike. This 5.5 -mile trail travels around the bottom of Garden of the Gods observation areas and weaves around sandstone towers and thick forest. Begin at Garden of the Gods parking lot, grab your pack and lots of water. Head to the horse riders parking lot and hike north on the Wilderness Trail. Anvil Rock is a quarter-mile into the hike. Anvil's signature, top-heavy shape was the first named forma- tion in the park. The rocks here are col- ored with swirling red and brown designs, formed by the slow etching of iron ores out of the limestone. Turn left to pass boulders called Mushroom Rock and Noah's Ark. Here, hikers enjoy a challenging journey along a five-mile weave through the base of the Garden of the Gods observation area. The poorly marked trail ends on the other side of the main parking lot. RIVER-TO-RIVER TRAIL WEST AT GARDEN OF THE GODS Very Strenuous The River-to-River hike westbound though the Garden of the Gods is a 5.3-mile adventure that boasts a wide variety of stun- ning rock formations. While this trail does not take you directly through the Garden of the Gods proper but a short detour will let you see the more famous sites. Begin at the Backpackers Parking lot on the trailhead going northwest. It is well marked. The trail will parallel the park road for about a half-mile. Keep hiking until you reach a T-junction and go left on the River to River Trail. This trail leads to a creek. From this point the trail becomes very steep and leads to back country camping. You will pass an adjoining trail on the way up but stay left on the main trail. The campsites are on cliffs with breath- taking scenic vistas. If you're up for a true adventure, bring along a backpacking tent and spend the night! That first campsite is about two miles from the first T-junction and the next campsite is about a quarter mile after that. Making this trip into a loop is a tad tricky but it takes you through the main parts of the Garden of the Gods. Make a slight right at the adjoining trail nearest the campsites. The scenery is humbling and well worth the effort. If you keep your directions accurate, you will end the loop at the first T-junction. This trail is not marked well, so you will want to ask a park ranger for clear instructions. PHARAOH CAMPGROUND AREA Easy to Moderate Two beautiful hikes on the east side of the park are a little less strenuous, but nonethe- less, just as beautiful. Park at the Pharaoh Campground picnic area. This 1.3-mile, point-to-point trail is not marked but known as the Pharaoh Ridge Trail. Head in between the picnic tables and the restrooms. The beginning is very easy to spot as the trail is wide and has several secluded picnic tables. In less than an eighth of a mile, you will reach a canyon and scenic vista that has a perfect sunset view. Make a left and con- tinue hiking a well-worn trail (No Blazes). The scenery is incredible with several lookout points. When you cannot go any further because of drop-off cliffs, turn around and follow the same trail back to the first lookout point and continue to the west. You will see more di- verse rock formations and enjoy some great photo opportunities. The trail drops off at a tall rock tower where exploring is a must. From there, you can turn around and retrace your path back to the parking lot. The next hike begins from the same ap- proximate location. From the parking lot, walk down to Garden of the Gods road and make a left. Follow the road for about 200 yards, coming to the River-to-River Trail to your left or east. The trail is about 1.5 miles and makes a loop back to the parking area at the campground. Allow some extra time on this trail. There are, once again, extraordinary rock forma- tions that include a natural arch bridge. A f- ter about a mile, you will come to a crossing. Make a left and climb up a steep hill. This leads through a lush forest area and back to the parking lot. If you're feeling adventurous and ener- getic, you can continue hiking the River- to-River Trail east, located at the split and is well-blazed. This leads past several rock formations that include Buzzards Roost and onto High Knob Campground 3.6 miles away. The trail is strenuous and it's a long walk back to your car. The park and its campsites are open year-round. Pharaoh Campground has 12 campsites all outfitted with fire pits, picnic tables, toilets and drinking water. A $10 fee is required for camping. Just make sure to bring all the necessary roughing-it items. The nearest town is a good 20 minutes away. KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE Easy to Moderate The Knights of the Golden Circle is close by and well worth a look. The area was the secret meeting place of an underground group devoted to supporting the Confedera- cy during and after the Civil War. Southern Illinois became the center of the Knights of the Golden Circle's clandestine agenda. The main attraction is just up the road from Garden of the Gods. Head out of the park and make a left on Shawnee Hills Road. Heading north, about a half-mile toward Equality. Just Front page: Camel Rock is the most celebrated rock formations at the popular observation area at the Garden of the Gods. Plan to visit during the week when the area is less crowded. Left: This formation, located at trail 010, just down the road from Garden of the Gods holds many secretes from the slavery area in our history. Below: This beautiful arch complements more than a mile of interesting rock towers along the River-to-River trail headed east towards High Knob. past the sharp S curves, you will see a gravel road on the right. As soon as you pull onto the gravel you'll see rock bluffs straight ahead. Follow the road beside the bluffs until you reach the north end of the rocks. Park there and walk to the other side of the bluffs- -about a 200 -ft. walk so it's close to the road, you just can't see it from the road. The beautiful arch leads into a circular clearing that is surrounded by rocky walls. From this point, head out for a 2-mile adven- ture on trail-010. The trail is well marked, but hang close to the rocky walls and spec- tacular cliffs. There are many side-paths to explore and the hike provides amazing rock formations around every bend. Avid hikers will not be disappointed. The trail will split about 1.3 miles in, but keep to the left and it will lead you back to the parking area.

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