The River to River Trail is a 160 mile (256 km)-long hiking trail that serves Shawnee National Forest in far southern Illinois. The trail is used by both equestrians and hikers. About half is on off-road trails. Its eastern terminus has historically been Battery Rock, overlooking the Ohio River but now generally Elizabethtown, Illinois is used as the eastern terminus. The western terminus is in Grand Tower, Illinois, at the Mississippi River. Sections of the River to River Trail form part of the Southern Section of the American Discovery Trail.
From east to west, the trail serves the following settlements and resources:
Elizabethtown, Illinois Garden of the Gods Wilderness One Horse Gap Lusk Creek Wilderness Eddyville, Illinois Jackson Falls climbing area Tunnel Hill State Trail Ferne Clyffe State Park Panther Den Wilderness Crab Orchard Wilderness Giant City State Park Makanda, Illinois Bald Knob Wilderness Clear Springs Wilderness Grand Tower, Illinois
The River to River Trail Society has published a guidebook to the trail's campsites, orientation, safe water sources, and other useful information. A significant spur trail serves Elizabethtown, Illinois.
Waypoints
Following are waypoints on the trail: Waypoint Coordinates Battery Rock IL 1 Elizabethtown County 12 Junction E'Town & Battery Rock Garden of the Gods Wilderness Area Herod One Horse Gap Lusk Creek Eddyville Bay Creek / Millstone Bluff US 45 Tunnel Hill State Trail Interstate 24 Dutchman Lake IL 37 Goreville / Ferne Clyffe State Park Interstate 57 Panther Den Wilderness Giant City State Park Makanda US 51 Cedar Lake Alto Pass Bald Knob Wilderness Clear Springs Wilderness Big Muddy River / IL 3 Devils Backbone Park / Grand Tower
References
External Map and Hiking Journal Links River to River Trail Society Hiking Project Downloadable gpx from 2017. Full trail on OpenStreetmap.org Full trail downloadable GPX at Way Marked Trails Trail Journals for River to River Trail Trail Run Project