cache river state natural area

When you come through a heavy canopy of trees to the edge of the water and see the hundreds of tall cypress trees it is breathtaking. And you can't believe you're still in Illinois. The northernmost wetland swamp carved out and left by the glaciers hundreds of years ago, this is an incredible part of Illinois. Great hiking trails. Well marked and just strenuous enough to give you a work out. Deep wooded areas mixed with the magnificent view of the wetlands and the 100's of years old cypress. Frogs, turtles snakes and plenty of bugs accompany your hike. Well wroth a drive to southern Illinois.

We read about this area in the Chicago Tribune the week before our trip. Made a special trip here and we were not disappointed by the views. Its just like going down to South Carolina. They have a wonderful visitors center. I highly recommend this very special area.

Who knew there was a swamp in Illinois? I have lived in Illinois my entire life and only recently found out about it. My husband and I visited this area during our recent vacation to Southern Illinois. It was a very awesome area and I would highly recommend checking out the Heron Pond trail and also some of the enormous trees in other areas of the area. We went to the wetlands center to start with and get some information, and although it was during hours they were open, there was nobody there. We picked up a map that was available outside, but it wasn't very helpful. We mostly got around by following signs and by knowing already what we wanted to view. It was an amazing place once we found where we were going and we really enjoyed the area. Be aware there are not "real" bathrooms in the park, just porta potties.

The whole area will make you forget that you're in Illinois, but if you have a canoe or kayak the Cache River Swamp Trail is a must do. The put-in is a boat dock in Belknap with a parking lot and restrooms. The trail itself is about 3 miles long and pretty well marked. It's an easy paddle among thousand year old trees. There is a ton of wild life and these are the same swamps that you'd see down south - minus the alligators.If you need to rent a canoe, I recommend White Crane http://www.whitecranerentals.com/ We had contacted them, because my friend who doesn't have a kayak was originally going to go. He backed out, so we wound up not using them, but the guy I talked to was really nice and very informative.

This was a cool place to go, the only issue we had was the difficulty finding areas. Some signs were missing, trails not clearly marked, etc. If you are in the area, definitely a must visit. If you're traveling far and you're not an outdoorsy/nature type you may not be so happy. It really is a swamp.....without alligators, nutria and cajun food.

Who knew there was an actual swamp in Southern Illinois? This place is absolutely fascinating. I recommend stopping by the visitor center before exploring to learn about the area. I also highly recommend paddling the river. There is so much to see when you're out on a canoe, from beaver lodges to bald eagles. This really is a beautiful place!

This was an amazing trip. Within minutes of getting on the river with our helpful guide, we saw a bald eagle overhead. Then, we took an amazing trip (3hours approximately) and saw river otters and beaver dens. The guide was really friendly and helpful and it was a great time. Definitely one of the most beautiful places to see in all of Illinois. Pick a day with great weather and you're sure to have the best time ever!!

We visited Heron Pond in early June of 2012. It was the most amazing place I have seen in Illinois. The walk is very easy, even for small children and seniors. The sign says it's a half mile (one way). The ground is level. You walk along a creek for awhile. It's pretty with things to see. There are benches along the way for those that need them. You start to see a little swamp before you reach the boardwalk. Once you reach the boardwalk your world turns a lovely light green! Even the air feels different. I felt like I was in the bayou in New Orleans. I was waiting to see an alligator break the surface! We did see a water moccasin sunning itself on a rock. I have a feeling June is the best time to visit. We went back in September and the green was turning to fall like colors. The vegetation was much higher which took away from he view and there was hardly any water. It was sad to see. We had a lot of drought this summer and I was very sad to see it hit such a magical place. In September it looked like a forest of cypress trees...on land.

There is no other place like it in Illinois. It is a primeval Swamp, much the same as it has always been. Not commercialized, pure unspoiled nature.

Just driving through the area you can tell this is a speacial place. From the friendly little towns all arround to the nature you can only find in this area. I'm planning to see more soon.

This is a must see if you're visiting Southern Illinois. It is quite unique and well worth the trip. The visitors center offers a wealth of informatio and has a spur to it from the Tunnel Hill bike trail. Have a canoe or kayak? you can you those nearby