Hiking The Indian Point Trail In Shawnee National Forest
The Indian Point Trail is located in the Shawnee National Forest of Illinois next to the Garden of the Gods.
The trailhead (37.59996, -88.38135) also serves as a backpacker’s parking lot and trailhead for the River to River Trail.
This almost two-mile loop trail has around 190 feet of elevation gain and is pet friendly. The trail is marked with white diamonds and labeled 108G.
There are no trashcans or restrooms at the trailhead.
The trail takes you through a pine forest before transitioning into a hardwood forest. This trail is apparently a popular spot for bird-watching if you’re into that sort of thing.
You will eventually reach a large bluff (I’m assuming Indian Point) overlooking the surrounding valley. On a clear day, you can see for miles from this point.
I’ve heard the sunsets from this spot are pretty spectacular too, but can’t confirm that factoid.
After admiring the views head below the bluff passing a number of large rock formations. There are a lot of cool formations with plenty of opportunities for rock scrambling and exploring.
I would consider this a moderate trail, because of the rocky terrain (watch your footing) and a couple of decent inclines. There were a few fallen trees across the trail, but nothing that caused any real issues.
If you like exploring cool rock formations and checking out a pretty nice mountaintop view Indian Point Trail just might be the hike for you.
