Garden of the Gods Recreation Area

The sandstone formations here started forming during the Carboniferous period, when a thick bed of gray sandstone was laid down, later uplifted, and then shaped over hundreds of millions of years by wind and water into the ridgeline you ride up to today. The geology was never glaciated — the ice sheets stopped just north of this area — so the terrain is steeper and rockier than most of Illinois, and the rock faces show that long, uninterrupted erosion in formations like Camel Rock, Table Rock, and Devil's Smokestack along the Observation Trail.

The quarter-mile Observation Trail runs along natural sandstone and tops out on the bluffs above the surrounding Shawnee Hills and Garden of the Gods Wilderness. The Forest Service notes short, steep grades and steps, and warns plainly that caution is required near the high cliffs. Cell service is spotty or nonexistent out here, so download a map before you leave. The picnic area and Observation Trail are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round, and there's no admission charge to enter. Vault toilets and parking — including three lots at the Observation Trail trailhead — are on site.

The recommended approach from the north runs IL-145 south from Harrisburg, then picks up IL-34 south before turning onto Karbers Ridge Road and the forest roads leading to the recreation area entrance. That sequence through the Shawnee Hills is the point of the ride; the overlook is where you stop, stretch, and take in what you just rode through. Fall foliage draws heavier crowds; spring brings wildflowers and running streams. Whatever the season, leave gear and snacks secured at the bike — disposable food and beverage containers are not permitted on the Observation Trail.