| River to River Trail | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Photo Width: | 144 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Map: | USA Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Map Width: | 250 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Nearest City: | Grand Tower (west), Goreville (center west), Eddyville (center east), Elizabethtown (east) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates: | 37.4906°N -88.9119°W | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Governing Body: |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
The River to River Trail is a 160 mile (256 km)-long hiking trail that serves Shawnee National Forest in far southern Illinois. The trail is used by both equestrians and hikers. About half is on off-road trails. Its eastern terminus has historically been Battery Rock, overlooking the Ohio River but now generally Elizabethtown, Illinois is used as the eastern terminus. The western terminus is in Grand Tower, Illinois, at the Mississippi River. Sections of the River to River Trail form part of the Southern Section of the American Discovery Trail.[1] [2]
From east to west, the trail serves the following settlements and resources:
The River to River Trail Society has published a guidebook to the trail's campsites, orientation, safe water sources, and other useful information.[1] A significant spur trail serves Elizabethtown, Illinois.[2]
Following are waypoints on the trail:
| Waypoint | Coordinates | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Rock | ||
| IL 1 | ||
| Elizabethtown | ||
| County 12 | ||
| Junction E'Town & Battery Rock | ||
| Garden of the Gods State Park | ||
| Herod | ||
| One Horse Gap | ||
| Lusk Creek | ||
| Eddyville | ||
| Bay Creek / Millstone Bluff | ||
| US 45 | ||
| Tunnel Hill State Trail | ||
| Interstate 24 | ||
| Gould Lake | ||
| IL 37 | ||
| Goreville / Ferne Cliffe | ||
| Interstate 57 | ||
| Panther Den Wilderness | ||
| Giant City State Park | ||
| Makanda | ||
| US 51 | ||
| Cedar Lake | ||
| Alto Pass | ||
| Bald Knob Wilderness | ||
| Clear Springs Wilderness | ||
| Big Muddy River / IL 3 | ||
| Devils Backbone Park / Grand Tower |