I love the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. It has so much to offer. I decided to discover a lesser known trail with a group of hikers. We met at the Saltpeter Cave trailhead just south of Harrisburg off Stone Bottoms Road. From there we began hiking trail 481.
This trail is actually part of the Lusk Creek Wilderness. The path descends into the forest and descends into a hollow. The cliffs begin to rise on either side of you.
Before you get to Lusk Creek, there is a rock shelter on the left. I guess we thought it was the Saltpeter Cave, but looking at the map below, I’m not sure if we’ve ever seen the Saltpeter Cave! LOL! The cave is west of the natural bridge across Lusk Creek, but we never went that way. If anyone reading this knows, let me know!
If the water is low enough, you can cross Lusk Creek and head towards the natural bridge, which we did! The natural bridge is pretty cool because you can duck under it, then climb up from the back and cross over it.
From there we returned to the trailhead we came from. I really enjoyed this trail and hike with this group of girls! Be sure to check it out!