River To River Trail Thru Hike, IL

Fly or drive into St. Louis, MO (STL)

Take free airport shuttle to our local hotel Pear Tree Inn, St. Louis Airport, 10810 Pear Tree Ln, St. Ann, MO 63074, 314-427-3400

Equipment shakedown. We go through your stuff and make sure you are prepared for the trail, but are not carrying too much stuff you likely won't need

"Before" body composition measurements taken

Trail mix distribution

Buy last minute and forgotten items at REI, 1703 S Brentwood Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63144, (314) 918-1004

Go out for welcome dinner near the hotel. Dinner not included in trip cost.

2nd set of before body composition measurements taken

Free breakfast at hotel

Store all items you won't bring on the trail at either the hotel or a nearby storage unit

Drive / shuttle 2.5 hours to the River To River Trail in Elizabethtown, Illinois

The River-to-River Trail begins on the bank of the Ohio River near the historic Rose Hotel.

Hike 3.6 miles to Lake Tecumseh Dam, elevation 400'

Hike 1.2 miles to Iron Furnace Rd., elevation 400'

Drop packs and day-Hike 0.5 miles round trip to Iron Furnace Historic Site (N37° 29.830' W88° 19.426') just past the bridge across Big Creek, a popular swimming hole. Restrooms available here.

Hike 3.9 miles to unnamed campsite at 16S 0384214E, 4154929N (37.53407922374257, -88.31050956490229) (N37° 32' 03', W88° 13' 38')

Camp at the unnamed campsite at 16S 0384214E, 4154929N (37.53407922374257, -88.31050956490229) (N37° 32' 03', W88° 13' 38')

Mileage Today: 9.2. Total mileage: 9.2

Possible bailout: Elizabethtonw, Iron Furnace

Hike 2.1 miles to Highway 12 / Bassett Rd., elevation 550'

Hike 3.0 miles to Camp Cadiz Rd. / Highway 7, elevation 500'

Hike 0.5 miles to Karber's Ridge Road, elevation 500'

Hike 0.9 miles to Battery Rock Trail, elevation 800'

Hike 3.0 miles to High Knob Horse Camp, Campground, Camp Store available High Knob is 900'

Camp at High Knob Horse Camp.

Mileage Today: 9.5. Total mileage: 18.7

Possible bailout: Karber's Ridge Rd., High Knob Rd.

Hike 1.8 miles to the Garden of the Gods road crossing

Hike 2.3 miles to trail 001A

Drop packs and day-hike about 0.5 miles on 001A to the Big H arch

Hike 5.3 miles to Herod

There is a hiker friendly house on the road where we can take a break in their Gazebo. In 2016, we were able to wait out a rain storm and stay dry here.

Hike 2.0 miles on Williams Hill Rd to Campsite (37°33'34.1"N 88°27'09.4"W, 316S 0371701 E 4157931 N)

Camp at Campsite (37°33'34.1"N 88°27'09.4"W, 316S 0371701 E 4157931 N)

Mileage Today: 11.9. Total mileage: 30.6

Possible bailout: Herod

Hike 4.6 Miles to One Horse Gap

Hike 4.8 miles to Concord Cenetary

Hike 1.1 miles to Bethesda Cemetary

Hike 1.3 miles to Little Lusk Creek

Hike 1.1 miles to unnamed campsite just before a creek and some rock bluffs to the West

Camp at unnamed campsite just before a creek and some rock bluffs to the West

Mileage Today: 12.9. Total mileage: 43.4

Possible bailout: Raum Rd.

Hike 4.8 miles to Owl Bluff / High Point. There is a great lookout view 100 feet West of the trail. Nice place for lunch

Hike 0.7 to Bowed Creek Crossing, Lusk Creek

Hike 2.2 miles to New Home Road

Cross Bear Branch and hike 0.1 miles on trail 472 to unmarked campsite

Dispersed camp near surface water practicing Leave No Trace

Mileage Today: 7.8. Total mileage: 51.1

Possible bailout: New Home Rd.

Hike 0.1 miles on trail 472 to New Home Road

Hike 2.7 miles to US 145

Optional: Hike 0.5 round trip miles to the Shawnee Mart Convenience Store. Restrooms available here.

Stop to have breakfast in Eddyville (included in trip cost)

Hike 1.1 miles to Hayes Creek Canyon Trailhead

Hike 2.5 miles to Petticoat Junction. Note the petticoats hanging in the trees

Hike 6.9 miles to Millstone Lake Dam

Camp at Millstone Lake

Mileage Today: 13.2. Total mileage: 64.5

Possible bailout: Eddyville

Hike 0.5 miles to Tin Whistle Tunnel. Yee haw, a tunnel under a railroad!

Hike 4.0 miles to Trigg Tower Trail turnoff

Drop packs, turn left and hike 1.0 round trip miles to Trigg Fire Tower with great views

Hike 1.2 miles to Gum Springs Trailhead

Hike 2.7 miles to Horse Tie-up

Hike 0.8 miles to Garfield Lane @ Boot Ranch

Hike 1.7 to Max Creek Trail Entrance (Hilltop Lane)

Hike 0.9 miles to Max Creek Crossing

Camp at Max Creek

Mileage Today: 12.8. Total mileage: 77.3

Possible bailout: Trigg Tower Rd., Garfield Lane

Hike 1.3 miles to Taylor Ridge Road

Hike 2.7 miles to where the trail turns off of US 45

Get an Uber/Cab to Hotel 7 Vienna

Check into the Hotel 7 Inn of Vienna, 709 East Vine Street, Vienna, IL 62995, (618) 658-6300, vienna@hotel7inn.com

Go to dinner in town (not included in trip cost)

Mileage Today: 4.0. Total mileage: 81.3

Possible bailout: Vienna, IL

Free Hotel 7 breakfast

Late check out of Hotel 7

Get an Uber/Cab back to the River 2 River Trail at Goddard Crossing

Hike 2.2 miles to Tunnel Hill Bike Trail

Hike 1.7 miles to Bowman Bottoms Road

Hike 1.6 miles to Dutchman Lake Boat Ramp

Camp at Livesay Spring

Mileage Today: 5.1. Total mileage: 86.8

Possible bailout: Vienna, IL

Hike 1.9 miles to Twinz Lane

Road walk 5.1 miles to Ferne Clyff State Park parking area

Hike 1.1 miles to Ferne Clyff Backpacker Camp

Camp at Ferne Clyff Backpacker Camping Area, sites 28 & 34, showers, pit toilet

Mileage Today: 8.1. Total mileage: 94.9

Possible bailout: Route 37

This will be our longest mileage day of the trip

Hike 5.0 miles to Crawford Ave

Road Walk 2.3 miles to Happy Hollow Trailhead

Hike 2.1 miles to Regent Lane

Road walk 6.0 miles to Panther Den Trailhead

Hike about 1.0 miles to Panther Den City

Camp at Panther Den City, lots of campsites here

Mileage Today: 16.4. Total mileage: 111.3

Possible bailout: Almost anywhere in the 8.3 miles of road walks today

Hike 8.1 miles to Antioch Cemetary

Hike 1.8 miles to Giant City camping area turnoff

Hike 0.3 miles to Giant City Campground

Camp at Giant City

Mileage Today: 10.2. Total mileage: 121.5

Possible bailout: Rocky Comfort Rd.

Hike 0.3 miles back to River to River Trail

Hike 4.4 miles to Makanda Road

Hike 4.2 road miles to Lirley Cemetary trailhead at Rowan Rd.

Hike 4.0 miles to Cedar Lake

Camp at Cedar Lake

Mileage Today: 12.9. Total mileage: 134.4

Possible bailout: US Route 51

Hike 3.3 miles to Alto Pass Waterworks Rd (Cedar St)

Road Walk 1.3 miles to downtown Alto Pass

Road Walk 3.0 miles to the Godwin Trail

Hike 3.0 miles to Hutchins Creek

Hike 3.4 miles to Pine Hills Road

Hike 1.2 miles to McCann Springs Trailhead

Dispersed Camp at-large somewhere in this area practicing Leave No Trace principles

Mileage Today: 15.2. Total mileage: 149.6

Possible bailout: Alto Pass

Road Walk 9.9 miles to the Western Terminus of the River to River Trail, Grand Tower. Inexplicably there is a campsite here, but happily we're headed back to St. Louis.

End of hiking

Mileage Today: 9.9. Total mileage: 159.5

Shuttle back to St. Louis

Check back into local hotel Pear Tree Inn, St. Louis Airport, 10810 Pear Tree Ln, St. Ann, MO 63074, 314-427-3400

"After" measurements taken

Go out to a restaurant for a celebratory dinner (dinner cost not included in trip cost)

Awards Ceremony

Check out of Hotel

Take Free airport shuttle (Covid depending)