![]() ![]() Alternatively, if both lots are full, parking is available near the Redbud Campground. Though we’ll be skipping the Mill Branch Trail on this trip, this 2 mile loop explores a fascinating section of the canyon known as Hill Branch Springs, which was once home to a pioneer era grist mill. If you reach the dead end at the bottom of Forest Road 848, this trailhead leads down to the General Area Trails which is a hodgepodge of intertwining paths connecting the main area to the Hill Branch Trail. All of these can be reached by parking in the first gravel lot you encounter near the end of Forest Road 848. With 3 distinct trailheads to chose from, we opted to explore the main sights along the Natural Bridge Trail, Sentry Bluff Trail, and a small part of the General Area Trail. While forest management practices are always evolving, this was a time when the public stood up for what was clearly a poor choice in ethics and won out in a court order that banned all logging in the Shawnee National Forest for 17 years. This would have been followed by unnecessary prescribed burns and toxic chemical spraying that would affect an already fragile ecosystem for the worse. The flawed and scientifically mis-proven plan would have seen portions of the canyon ridge top logged for the profit of private companies, while exposing the thin soils to irreversible erosion. Forest Service plan to clear cut portions of Bell Smith Springs and the Shawnee National Forest. Now a national organization, this small grassroots effort was founded in 1991 by local Jackson County residents fighting the U.S. ![]() We are visiting Bell Smith Springs near the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the Heartwood Forest Council. Navigating the winding backroads of the Shawnee National Forest through the Bay Creek Wilderness and Burden Falls Wilderness to get here is a challenging endeavor, but one that is well worth it once you arrive. Forest Service, it would be an understatement to say that this is indeed a special place. Park Service, Natural Area by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, and Recreation Area by the U.S. With a resume that includes distinctions as a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Natural Bridge Trail (Yellow) | 1.5 Milesīell Smith Springs Recreation Area Location | Google Mapsīell Smith Springs is one of those places that has an enormous regional popularity, yet still remains “under the radar” for much of the country. An 8 mile trail system guides visitors to some of the areas notable landmarks including Boulder Falls, Sentry Bluffs Overlook, the Devils Backbone, and a 125 ft long Natural Arch. Its clear and rocky streams of turquoise-blue water is fed by the confluence of four natural springs to create one of the best swimming holes in the area. Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1980, this remote canyon is home to 20 percent of the states known flowering plants, ferns, and mosses. The geological wonder that is Bell Smith Springs is considered one of the most beautiful recreation areas in the Shawnee National Forest. ![]()
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