Photographs Along the Rim Rock Trail of Shawnee National Forest in Illinois

The Rim Rock Trail is located in Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. The trail follows the rim of a sandstone escarpment and then descends into a canyon. At some points one can see huge sections of the cliffs, which have broken away from the rim and lie scattered along the hillside down into the canyon below. It is not a long trail but its natural beauty is apparent, especially in autumn. I visited late one autumn day and was so engrossed photographing I couldn't finish the trail as darkness was setting in and I had to turn around and head back out of the canyon before it got dark. While in the canyon photographing, I flushed out a flock of wild turkeys whose flight echoed on the surrounding bluffs. I encountered very few people that day.

Weathered Cedar Tree Along the Rim Rock Trail in Illinois 1