Had a really nice weekend at Ferne Clyff. There are 18 trails that are maintained and for various…read morelevels, but be aware that nearly every trail has poison ivy just at the edge of pathways. There's lots to do, whether you're there to hike, bike, climb, or relax in nature. The camping grounds are a bit crowded, but most everyone keeps to themselves and are very friendly. There are lots of primitive restrooms throughout the park, but maintained with plumbing restrooms are only available for overnight paid guests. If you forget firewood, there is a place near the main campground restrooms where you can get bundles of firewood from a vet owned business. As of 5/8/2026 when I'm writing this, each bundle is $5 and can be paid in cash or QR.

This is my go to hiking park when I need to introduce someone to the beauty of SoILL on a tight…read moretime budget. The Waterfall Trail is flat and wide and boasts a fun waterfall in wet seasons, but also lovely bluffs and wildlife even when it's dry. My favorite hike was on a cold January day. We started with flurries, and the ground was completely white when we completed it. My kids are also HUGE fans of the Hawks Cave hike. Lots of fun boulders to climb on and explore. It's a short (though a bit steeper) hike, but begs you to linger at the cave.

I was looking up things to do in the Carbondale area and this place caught my eye. I don't have any…read morekids nor am I one but I had to visit the park and I got to hear the story about how this park was built and how it came to be. This park is very well kept! I've never been to an active park that is so well maintained and the fact that it has no graffiti on it! This park is so Interactive and I thought it was convenient that it had porta potties next to it as well. Even the ice cream man came by to visit. Plenty of great Interactive things that check out that are one-of-a-kind like climbing got a dragon and even the playground is big enough for grown-ups to walk around without actually it's time to climb on stuff. This place was like walking into a Renaissance fair , I highly recommend checking this place out!

This is without a doubt one of the top parks that my kids have ever been to. When you step into the…read morepark you see sculptures of wizards, knights, dragons, and fantastical creatures. It is like stepping into a Dungeons & Dragons story. The highlight thought is without a doubt the castle. There are ramparts, hidden armories, gargoyles, coats of arms, statues and a whole menagerie of fantastical creatures. I had to tear my 5 and 3 year old away from it. It could have kept them busy for hours. There is also a touching backstory to the park. It was founding in memory of Jeremy "Boo" Rochman who died in a car crash nearby. He loved fantasy and his family set up the park in his honor. The park is privately funded, and can accept donations through its website. So if you do stop in and enjoy it, please make sure to support the park.

Amazing staff- friendly, attentive, fun, knowledgeable. Felt absolutely safe leaving our two…read moreteens with them for the 3 hour tour (which they absolutely loved!). Kids had a great time and would totally go again!

Amazing experience! Colin and Will were our guides and made everyone feel comfortable and safe…read more Very professional operation, gorgeous views, great guides made this a five star experience. Highly recommend.

Friendly staff. Horses well taken care of and easy to ride. Beautiful trail ride with…read moreknowledgeable guides.

Lovely folks, lovely horses and mules, fantastic experience! But watch out for ticks in the woods -…read morebe sure to spray yourself down with bug spray before hand!

Clean. Fun. Friendly. My kids have a blast every summer. They have fitness classes and swimming…read morelessons. Also fun evening programs like movies in the pool and middle school night. Great asset to Carbondale.

We were staying at a cabin in the area and our son had been begging to go swimming, so a google…read moresearch led us to Super Splash. We packed up and spent four hours there and were super impressed. The place was well kept, the water was clean and a good temp. It was 101 degrees out so it was busy but there was plenty of room for everyone. Our son loved loved loved the lazy river and the tipping water bucket. All of the lifeguards (and there were at least 5 for the small park) were attentive and courteous. We packed our own food so I don't have any input on the concessions but they appeared to have all of the basics. For the 3 of us it was $25 all total to get in. I will tell you this... put. your. flip. flops. close. to. the. water. We're novices and put everything way on the other side of the park and the pavement was SCORCHING. Like blisters on my feet. Woof. We'll know better next time

If you're near the Shawnee National Forest and you'd like to do some rock climbing, this is the…read moreplace to go, no matter what level of climber you are. We took our family of 5 rock climbing for the day, and Kathy worked patiently with us the entire time. 3 of us had climbed before; 2 were rookies. Kathy is an avid climber herself, and she's also an excellent teacher. All equipment is covered in the cost: shoes, chalk, ropes, etc. Bring your own water, lunch and bug spray. All of the climbing will be done on Eric & Kathy's property. You'll start out on some fairly easy faces, and then work up to more difficult climbs. If you're brand new to the sport, Kathy will teach you the techniques needed to be successful. If you've climbed before, she'll move you along to the more challenging areas. A great bonus to the day was absorbing Kathy's knowledge of the area. Not everything marked on the Southern Illinois Board of Tourism map is worth seeing, and Kathy gives honest and accurate feedback on sites and activities in the area. Probably the best indicator of our wonderful experience is that at the end of our vacation to the Shawnee area, all 3 of our kids, ages 8-14, rated rock climbing with Vertical Heartland as the highlight of the trip. The web site is http://www.verticalheartland.com/VerticalHeartland.html

I had a wonderful experience with Kathy today. The advice was easy to understand and the views…read morewere beautiful. Kathy was very helpful and made me feel very comfortable. I could not believe I was climbing that high with such ease. Great fun!! Sandra Aiken Madisonville, KY 42431

Nice walk from a very small parking area. Gate is closed but go around it to follow main path…read more About a mile in to get to the creek which is beautiful view of the bluffs and the stream. Cross over the stream( rock jumping) and take a look at the Rock Art which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hard to follow path after leafy fall .

The fact travel centers are providing dog parks and keeping them maintained is something to be…read moresaid. Driving from Texas to Michigan then Wisconsin. These spots were very nice for our newborn to stretch out and the dogs to run around. Moose Out