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Posted in Illinois Hiking, Nature June 26, 2016 by Laura

This Abandoned Railroad In Illinois Has Been Transformed Into Something Amazing

The “rails to trails” movement is where governments take old railroads and make them into hiking or biking trails. It’s a great idea, not only because it utilizes old trails, but also because these trails tend to be through some incredibly scenic areas. Nowhere is that more pronounced than at Tunnel Hill State Trail in southern Illinois. Here is why you should walk or bike it.

1. The Tunnel Hill State Trail stretches 45 miles, and it goes from Harrisburg to Karnak.

2. In 1991, Norfolk Southern Railroad gave its land over to the state of Illinois, which completed the trail project in 2001.

3. The route has 23 trestle bridges, one of which is 450 feet long.

4. The trail offers a variety of landscapes, from prairies to woods to wetlands to swamps to bluffs.

5. The trail is home to all sorts of wildlife including foxes, wild turkeys, and white-tailed deer.

6. The trail goes through many ghost towns such as Forman, Bender, Rago, Parker City and New Castle.

7. There is only one tunnel on the trail, but it is around 550 feet long.

8. Whether you split the trip up over a couple days or do it in one, you have to do the entirety of the trail.

Have you ever been on this trail?

Laura

The Midwest is the best.