Shawnee National Forest - Cave-in-Rock, Rim Rock, Garden of the Gods, and Indian Kitchen, Illinois

[@michaellanham7759]

Great memories of the cave. I😮grew up😮in Harrisburg and visit ed many😮 times wit h 😮my family and I have taken😮my😮wife and sons to the cave and park from California.

[@playhooky]

One of the best videos I've seen of hikes there; especially loved the shots you got at playback time of around 13 to 14 & 1/2 minutes - from below looking up towards the GOTG/camel rock area!

[@billseay6399]

Hey Thanks great video

[@erickort1987]

amazing beautiful view on top

[@stevelubbesmeyer9659]

Grateful for a more professional video/view of some of the many sites of shawnee.

[@exploringtheancients7240]

Ive been wanting to get down there!

[@johnhochheimer9977]

We live adjacent to the Shawnee south of Murphysboro. We LOVE living here. Your video projects are beautiful. Wish we could have this as a screen-saver to share with friends around the world.

[@AlaskanEsquire-nm4mj]

We were driving further north when I saw a sign for 'Cave in Rock state park' and thought it looked interesting. Was an amazing place to spend the 2024 eclipse! Can't wait to come back here with some campgear and dig in.

[@deewilson6068]

My backyard as well what pretty country! Back in the day I rode many horse trails just breath taking! I love it, allthough I can no longer ride.

[@michaeljames2183]

Nice job on the camera work. I have seen many pics of the GOTG outcrops but not the hike to get there. After seeing the hike and all the fantastic scenery, we will definitely have to make this a destination this year. Thanks!

[@Illinoish]

Plan to be at GOTG on April 8th 2024 @ 2:18:29 pm, looking forward to it.

[@playhooky]

Did you make it there then for the eclipse?! Take & post any video or pics that you can tell us where to see them?

[@richardmontgomery6457]

gREAT VIDEOS! i LIVE Iin Paducah, KY just across the river. Didn't realize that I am just a few miles away from such beauty!

[@1234Outdoorstv.NCbuckshot]

Hey nice Job ever think about doing a video of snake road its a part of the LaRue Pine Hills area in Shawnee national forest looks its pretty cool

[@Lost13]

I recently visited Cave-in-Rock. What an amazing place. Great video.

[@suemar63]

Really enjoyed this! I love how you SLOWLY pan out over a scene. Lovely! Thank you for sharing this.

[@besttodayever1916]

The cave in your video is amazing. Thanks for the video. We are trying to decide Garden of the Gods or Turkey run state park for March 2022

[@jackshannonmusic7564]

Turkey Run is home! Nice to see it mentioned 😊

[@Connected_ToTheVine]

Wow, amazing!!! Excellent work!

[@nwilcox1120]

Beautiful! Thanks

[@jimwilson9371]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Hour away but can no longer walk the trails. Been awhile

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

People who have never been there do not realize how pretty it is. Fall is spectacular when the leaves are changing...the ice age glacier didn't make it this far south 10k years ago, so it's not as flat as a lot of Illinois. I grew up in Chicago, my dad took me down here when I was a kid and my mind was blown.

[@Dusky672]

Indeed. Shawnee is like a local treasure that gets overlooked on the national level due to where it is. Most people don't think of Illinois and hiking together.

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

@@Dusky672 they need to develop an industry like the southern east coast is doing with offroading and tying trails together from state to state. I ride side by sides and would love to be able to explore down there like you can in WV etc...the Hatfield McCoy trail system has been a boon for old mining towns.

[@katiemoyer8679]

I live in this area of Most Southern Illinois. Yes, it’s incredible. Frankly, I’m not wanting to tell folks much about how very Awesome it is here….they will come and mess with nature, imo. Exactly why I’d like to Not see this area go the way of the southern east coast tourism way. Property is something my kids, grandkids can buy now, maybe not if developed and tourism is added. I’ve seen one area after another in USA become unaffordable for the descendants of locals -all over USA. Yes, they make money on tourism, well Somebody makes REAL money, locals, generally become tools & parts of that machinery and there at great cost to nature, while a small few truly amass money….I’ve seen one area after another “ tourism” developed and wildlife species lost or diminished, land mistreated etc., due to human census increases. Sorry, but respectfully - No thanks to Offroading in mass, messing with Mother Nature.

[@playhooky]

@@katiemoyer8679 Great points; immediately makes me think of the situation with Jackson Hole, WY. Multi-millionaires & billionaires are now the only people that can afford to buy property there; very sad.

[@kimberlychicago7608]

Beautiful location and video. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing the area in person.

[@tone5052]

Love it!!!! From up near Chicago but I need to check out that area! Good music vibe too.

[@shaunm7924]

Thank you! We are in the area but short of time. We were on the fence about heading over to Garden of the Gods and this video helped us make up our mind to go! 😀

[@smittyfilms]

Can't believe I have never been there! Grew up in Missouri, but my dad's business was in Cairo, IL and I will have to get there on my next visit home. thanks for sharing.

[@Wheeling_willis]

Wow i guess ive found my destination for this weekend thanks for shareing

[@lancekoz]

Great work with the camera. I love your long slow pans and tilts in the opens spaces. I miss the midwest very much, THANK YOU! Consider re-doing in the Fall.

[@Dusky672]

Thank you for the encouragement. Using a gopro there's only so many types of shots one can get unlike a camera that can zoom or adjust focus. Wish the fall colors would last longer. Usually can only squeeze in one or two hikes to film in the fall peak color.

[@franksmith3602]

To anyone who loves this video and wants to see the caves and the park ( forests) it is 100% worth it.... the trees are untouched. Monster sized, the sun can't hit the ground. A cool mist, shadows, sounds of animals. If you wonder where to stay, hotel..... go to the KY side in paducah KY, cheaper hotels, family owed, a river boat casino . The hotels most make a MEGA buffet breakfast. Good honest people, for deer hunters.... you have to buy deer tags . And hire a hunting guide to go into the forest. People get lost in there. But the ky deer hunting guides will put you on trophy size deer..they drive you in. Drag your deer out loaded it up on flat beds. And all along paducah KY, are small packing houses family owed. Who will clean , pack up the feet how you want to make sausages ect. Then pack the wrapped deer meat up in dry ice for your drive, or fed EX, shipment back home. Don't forget to tip...

[@naturein4kbypaulking420]

This place is beautiful. I have to see it in person. Thanks for sharing.

[@michaelmosley5412]

My father took me fishing in Lusk Creek when I was a boy, caught a few little sunfish. Along the way was a small stream coming out of the rocks where he had me take a drink. Best tasting water I ever had. I remember that till this day. My mother was born in the Lusk Community in nearby Pope County.

[@elizabethwilliamson8250]

Thank you so much! I lived next to the Shawnee National forest for 16 yrs. and it's wonderful to see it again via such well'done film work.

[@Dusky672]

You were spoiled to have that as your backyard! hah. Love hiking in that area. So many interesting things to see on the trails.

[@lucindaturnis6605]

Absolutely beautiful. ...a must go see for sure! Awesome vidio, thank you for sharing

[@Dusky672]

And not that strenuous! Lots of reward for little effort. It is definitely a fun trail to play as an adult among the rocks.

[@losalphaschannel]

Any dangerous animals or insects?

[@173jaSon371]

Just copperheads or maybe timber rattlesnakes but the odds of coming across one(especially a rattlesnake) is incredibly uncommon unless you are going out looking for them all day, and still isnt common if you're looking. Maybe some ticks

[@OldManFatBike]

Very nicely done! I guess I have to go check these out in person now!! Thanks :-)

[@Dusky672]

Most of the trails are fairly easy and have quick rewards. Plenty more that aren't in the video!

[@OldManFatBike]

@@Dusky672 Awesome it's definitely on my bucket list!! 🍺🍻

[@karentallon6419]

I live in Central Illinois, i had no idea we had such a beautiful place to visit in Southern Illinos. I'm definately going to have to visit it. Thanks so much for the beautiful video. I enjoyed it very much :)

[@tinkmarz1]

Thanks much for a magnificent tour. Many rock/monolith vistas one would expect to see in places like Colorado, Utah, Arizona, etc. were very pleasantly surprising to see. Excellent photography and very appropriate and enjoyable music.

[@stybba09]

My wife and I are going to Shawnee National Forest in August 2019. We have never been there before and we are looking forward to the visit. Thanks for posting this video.

[@Dusky672]

I have 1 or 2 other Shawnee videos of different places there as well. How long as you staying? There are multiple days worth of trails to visit.

[@stybba09]

@@Dusky672 We'll be there August 5-8. Staying in Golconda. Also, my wife had a knee replacement on May 30th so I don't know how much we'll be able to hike. Nevertheless, we are very much looking forward to our trip because we have never been there. Thank you for your reply! 🙂

[@Dusky672]

@@stybba09 Ouch! Garden of the Gods should be fairly flat. Rim Rock has some stairs though as you can see in the video. Little Grand Canyon I wouldn't recommend for that soon after knee replacement. Giant City is another good one. It has some ups and downs though.

[@stybba09]

@@Dusky672 Thank you for the advice! Much appreciated.

[@HappyTrailsHiking]

Looks like great footage. I knew there was lots of great hiking to be found out there. Thanks for taking us along.

[@geralddyck2664]

I'm from Alberta Canada,have been to the garden of the gods many times most awesome area . Very peaceful there.

[@ashlyn9858]

Was here today both

[@ReeWrayOutdoors]

Definitely need to put these on my 'list'. Thanks man!

[@Dusky672]

Have you made it over to Shawnee yet? Drone footage at Garden of the Gods would be ideal. Although you'd want to visit reaaalllyyy early to avoid the crowds.

[@ReeWrayOutdoors]

@@Dusky672 Actually....yes!! We just went a week ago Friday. And because of the heat, we did get there super early so it wasn't too bad. I got some cool drone clips from GotG and also Cave-in-Rock. It'll be a month or 2 before I get the video up since I've got a couple others in the queue ahead of that. BTW - I didn't realize there were timber rattlesnakes in Shawnee NF! Yikes! Cool....but yikes! haha

[@Dusky672]

@@ReeWrayOutdoors my drone decided to fly off on his own at cave in rock lol. Lost GPS signal and the wind over the Ohio River was strong that day. He got to the other side of the river by the time I could gain control again. Looking forward to your videos of the place. I just got back from the Pacific Northwest and have about 6 videos' worth of footage to make. But still behind by 3 videos as it was.

[@ReeWrayOutdoors]

@@Dusky672 Yeah that wind along the river was pretty intense! Probably the strongest I've risked to date with the drone. Thankfully, no issues. It's always a little nerve-racking though, putting your $1000 drone over water or some place you'll never get it back if something goes south, isn't it? haha Sometimes, you gotta just trust the tech...and try not to think about it too much. :P

[@PaulFE7]

Having grown up in Cave-In-Rock and worked at the park it's still a great place to visit. The views never get old. Gotg, rim rock, pounds hollow are equally amazing.

[@Dusky672]

Didn't have time to fully explore Pounds Hollow unfortunately. But we also did Bell Smith Springs, Little Grand Canyon, Giant City, and Ferne Clyffe. so many great hiking opportunities in the area!

[@Bad_Batch_65]

Happy to say this is my backyard. Southern Illinois wonders abound in Shawnee Forest, it’s beautiful 😍

[@Dusky672]

Definitely a LOT to see which folk outside the area tend to overlook. Shawnee still retains that undiscovered feel that lets the locals enjoy it without all those crowds.

[@robslattery6544]

Very nice! The park is very laid back with lots of little deer and various small animals.

[@Cumberlandgal1964]

beautiful! I have heard of Garden of the Gods but never been to any of these spots. Thanks for sharing this.

[@Dusky672]

Definitely need to see it in person! The rock formations at GotG are amazing to witness. The waves in the rocks were shaped by the inland sea currents.

[@margaritacruz7461]

Beautiful, I have to go.

[@Dusky672]

Best place imo to hike in Illinois! Most people think of Illinois as flat, but Shawnee is quite the opposite.

[@Aarontank24]

@@Dusky672 yea when I was younger I always though illnois was all flat until I saw this vid I was like “this was in Illnois” but Shawnee Forest and everything else looks nice

[@DasDutchman56]

The only reason I would go back to Illinois is this area. Been there once a long time ago, when I was young. The Shawnee National Forest is some of the most Beautiful Country in Illinois.

[@filyjuarez9014]

That was a beautiful video , i live in southern illinois but i have never been there. Im not sure how to get there

[@Dusky672]

You're definitely missing out! The locations in this video are on the east side of Shawnee.

[@floydjones6373]

Just hop in the car and drive if you get there that's good if you don't you still find some cool stuff

[@amd91501]

Wish there was cool forests and caves and cliffs closer to Chicago. Not just plains

[@Dusky672]

You guys have the great lake though! And the Indiana Sand Dunes.

[@johngraves7828]

There is. Starved Rock State Park. No cave though.

[@illinoisrail]

mississippi river valley, galena, along illinois river

[@katiemoyer8679]

GO-‼️. Get yourself to Starved Rock Park immediately. Or Turkey Run Park, a little farther south on eastern border.

[@playhooky]

Just 3 hours west of Chicago is Mississippi Palisades State Park, just north of Savannah, IL. Search for info & videos on it - would be awesome to visit in the fall when the foliage turns colors! And Then - just another 40 minutes west of there (in Iowa) is Maquoketa Caves State Park - very awesome state park with trails to caves!!!

[@Bucketsidefilms]

Thank you

[@Dusky672]

Thank you for thanking me! I make my little amateur videos to share the beauty of our natural world with anyone.

[@googleuser868]

Had GOTG and Cave Rock on the overnight travel list. Other areas in your vid look interesting as well. Nice job.

[@Dusky672]

Thanks! Shawnee has some really interesting areas. Very unique to Illinois.

[@marcelopires9967]

Muito lindo! Espetacular.

[@andrzejsniadowski4903]

Very nice video....

[@Dusky672]

Thank you! Wish I could do professional style, but artistic ability lacks lol.

[@marcelopires9967]

USA beautiful! 💓💓💓

[@Dusky672]

Obrigado!

[@bboggs1296]

Which trail is which?

[@katiemoyer8679]

Re watch. They tend to show the park signs with data at beginning of the segments of different areas. Just Go to the areas, it’s a gem of nature.

[@aventurasdealan.]

saludos amigo

[@noahwinders1003]

I live here :D

[@Bad_Batch_65]

Subbed and liked 👍

[@RickStoneTravels]

I just got back from there, AMAZING! But also exhausting getting lost on the River to River Trail lmao! I took some videos myself, check em out 😊

[@Dusky672]

Some of those backcountry trails like the River to River can get overgrown and hard to follow sometimes haha. I'll take a look at your video!

[@tommynicholson8539]

Rockies r more impressive still cool tho

[@mr.j7450]

Is this place welcoming to black people

[@nathansmith6011]

🙄

[@shane9245]

of course! why wouldn’t it be? kind of a weird question.

[@mr.j7450]

@@shane9245 no more weird than " 💩 poop in a bucket", lol.

[@mitsulegend]

Shit it’s in the southern racist part I would not be surprised

[@shane9245]

@@mr.j7450 haha!

[@jasonmiller4046]

i bet JB prickster has never seen this part of illinois