Mom's Adventures (Amy's Road Trips): Giant City State Park

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN. It can be revised to fit your location.

Day 1:

8:00am - Leave Jackson, TN

10:00am to 10:30pm - Fort Defiance State Park - Fort Defiance Rd., Cairo, IL

11:00am to 11:30am - Trail of Tears Information Center - I-57, Anna, IL
Grave of King Neptune the Pig

12:00pm to 1:00pm - Giant City State Park - 235 Giant City Rd., Makanda, IL
Visitor Center Hours: 8am to 4pm
Camp: $20 night

Trails:
Stop at the Visitor Center to pick up free self-guided tour brochures for each trail. The brochures are very informative and they gave the kids something to watch for on the trails instead of complaining.

Arrow-wood Self-Interpretive Nature Trail - 1/3 mile - Easy

This trail is located at the far end of the visitor center parking lot.

As you walk through this 1/3 mile loop trail you will see many different trees, a few have signs indicating the type of tree it is. The self-guided tour brochure that you can pick up in the visitor center tells you a little about each tree that is labeled.

*Devils Standtable Nature Trail - 1/3 mile - Moderate

This trail is located next to Shelter #2.

This large free-standing pillar of sandstone is Devil's Standtable, sometimes called Mushroom Rock.

Stonefort Nature Trail - 1/3 mile

This trail is located near the main entrance off US 51 past Shelter #1.

This short but steep climb up to the stone wall contains large sandstone boulders in the trail.

We were expecting a much bigger wall but it was still and great hike and the view was beauitful.

Indian Creek Trail - 3/4 mile

*Giant City Nature Trail - 1 mile

This trail is located at Shelter #3 parking lot.

This trail was our favorite. We especially enjoyed the "giant city streets"

This trail is how the park got it's name. The self-guided brochure you picked up from the visitor center will talk you through the highlights of the trail.

*Trillium Trail - 2 miles (bring a flashlight) - Rugged

This trail is the first parking lot after the main entrance.

This trail takes you around, over, down and back around the other side of a giant sandstone bluff. It is a beautiful trail and worth the exersion but difficult.

Red Cedar Hiking Trail - 12 miles

Post Oak Nature Trail - 1/3 mile

This trail is located just before the intersection leading to the visitor center.

The bridge going over the pond is closed...and that was the most exciting thing about the trail. Just a easy, short walk through the trees.

*Trails I found most interesting

Day 2:

9:00am to 11:00am - Trillium Trail
(see above)

12:00pm to 1:30pm - Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site - 94 Green Street, Wickliffe, KY
Hours: 10:00am -4:00pm Thursday thru Sunday, April thru October
Admission: Adults $5, Adults $4