Tucked away in the rolling Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois is Rim Rock National Recreation Trail. Rim Rock Trail meanders along the edge of the bluff top, hence its name, and features vistas of a canyon below, remnants of prehistoric Native American life and diverse habitats.
Whether you're looking for a place to picnic with your family, hike, study Native American culture or native ecosystems or just enjoy the peaceful beauty of nature, Rim Rock National Recreation Trail and picnic area is the place for you.
What you'll notice...
One of the first features you reach is the infamous Ox-Lot Cave that besides European settlers, Native Americans were the first to use the cave, as it makes a perfect natural shelter. Standing by the cave, you will feel the cool air rising from the opening and can stop to listen to the sounds of the water trickling from the base of the bluffs. All of this takes you back to the days when early settlers used the area to keep their livestock while logging the area.
While hiking the lower trail (a dirt surface), you will stroll along the base of impressive sandstone bluffs that tower above you with a close-up view of strange honey comb patterns in some areas and huge boulders that fell away from the bluff millions of years ago.
This trail also joins with Beaver Trail #006 and River to River Trail #001.
