Shawnee National Forest is a beautiful natural area with ancient rock formations. The area also harkens back to earlier days.
Day 1: Garden of the Gods and Bell Smith Springs
Without a doubt, one of the most popular attractions at Shawnee is Garden of the Gods. But what makes the Garden of the Gods so interesting?
Well, there is a trail that isn’t very long, but it loops you around to different rock formations high above the horizon. The rocks are very easy to explore and climb on. I went with my kids, and we all had fun climbing on the rocks and looking out over the valley. It was incredibly beautiful. There were a lot of people there, and it really brings out the adventurous side.
My kids tried things I never expected them to try. There was this little rock climb that we went on, and when I thought for sure they were going to get scared and cry for help, they managed to work their way through it. It was incredible, and it really made me think that my kids need to see more nature and experience more challenges like this to build their character.
They were very adventurous, and I had to make sure they stayed safe.
Bell Smith Springs
Another extremely popular attraction is Bell Smith Springs. Bell Smith Springs is basically a part of the creek that a lot of people swim in. There are a couple of rock ledges that people jump off of into the water.
Overall, Bell Smith Springs isn’t that exciting, unique, or interesting. It is so far off the beaten path, I actually don’t think I would go there again. If I really wanted to swim in a creek, there are probably other places that I could do it.
The challenging thing was that I also didn’t have cell phone service for a lot of the drive to Bell Smith Springs, so I had to guess at some times as to which way I was going. This mostly happened on the way out. There are plenty of signs pointing the way in.
But Bell Smith Springs itself was cool. There were A TON of people there. People brought lawn chairs and coolers. People were smokin’ and drinkin’ and it was generally a party atmosphere. There was music and groups for friends. It was interesting to see that sort of ‘free for all’ atmosphere in Illinois, in the US. It reminded me a lot of a trip I took to Costa Rica. There was a police officer who came down, but he was just looking for someone in a black Ford truck. He definitely did not care at all about anyone smoking weed or drinking.
Despite the weed and alcohol, it is kid friendly. There are ledges that people jumped off of, and again, my 6 year old was very adventurous and jumped off a ledge. I never expected him to do anything like that but he did.
I had my bag and stuff sitting on the rocks, and I noticed some shady looking people standing RIGHT next to it. I wasn’t about to have my vacation and the next 2 weeks of my life ruined, so I went and took my bags and brought them to a closer, more visible spot closer to the water. Remember, you are always responsible for your things!
Day 2: Giant City and Castle Park
On this trip, I was really looking to walk on paths that we “all Lord of the Rings n’ shit”. Well, I got that at Giant City. The main trail at Giant City makes some really cool cuts through the rock.
Day 3: Maid of the Mist
Our third and final day of the trip was dominated by our ride on Maid of the Mist. With it being October, it was not peak visitor season, so we did not have to wait very long in line. During peak travel season, you will need to wait in line. Just be ready for this. I am not sure if you book with a tour, if this gets you on the boat faster. You should look into the tours to see. If the tours with Viator help you skip the line, it is very very much worth it. Just waiting can take a long time, but as long as you are prepared, hopefully that will help make the wait easier.
We were given thin plastic ponchos and we boarded the boat. The boat played interesting historical facts, and once we got close to the falls, chaos ensued! The good kind of chaos. There was mist and water spraying us from all directions. It was truly magical and unbelievable to be so close to the largest waterfall in North America. It was an unforgettable experience, and I highly recommend this experience if you are visiting.
After that, it was dinner time, so we went to the Red Coach Inn, on the US side. Apparently, this is where Jim and Pam from ‘The Office’ had dinner in one of their wedding episodes. So it was a great place to visit.
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