Great Escape to the Illinois Ozarks | Garden of the Gods

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Garden of the Gods

A great starting place for your trip to the Shawnee National Forest is Garden of the Gods. It’s the most popular spot to visit there.

You can take in sights like Camel Rock, which is a well photographed spot that was featured on the reverse side of a 2016 Illinois quarter.

“We’re making our way to probably the most Instagrammed, most popular spot in the Shawnee National Forest.”

Shawn Gossman gave the Show Me St. Louis team a tour. He has a YouTube channel called Hiking with Shawn.

“I probably come here once a month.”

The owner of Rim Rock’s Dogwood Cabins, Steve Melville, also knows the area like the back of his hand. "There's so much to do, so easy to navigate, so many great destination hikes."

Whether you have tour guides or not, you should have no problem finding your way around Garden of the Gods since the trail is paved and just a quarter of a mile long. While the trail is short, you can spend a long time on top of the rocks soaking up what mother nature has to offer.

Many rock formations have nicknames. There’s Camel Rock, which is featured on the quarter, Devil’s Smokestack, Monkey Head, and Eye of the Needle. “These bluff, which I have nicknamed bluffage, they’re the most ancient part of this forest. It’s proof of an ocean that was once out here.”

While taking in all of the beautiful scenery, make sure to put safety first. Always watch your kids and pets if you bring them with you.

To see other gems in the area, you’ll have to go off the beaten path. Not too far from here is the River to River Trail where you will find The Arch of the Gods.

Garden of the Gods is beautiful no matter what path you choose.