Trails
Woodland Trail
Open Season: Open to foot traffic year round.
Length: 0.7 mile loop
Location of trail: Off of State Route 148, east of visitor center parking lot
Surface : Partially paved
Difficulty: Easy
Information: This trail includes 2 fishing piers open March 15 - September 30. When not being used for fishing, piers can be used for waterfowl viewing. This walk also offers a pleasant atmosphere for morning bird walks.
Harmony Trail
Open Season: Open to foot traffic year round
Length: 0.8 mile loop
Location of trail: Pigeon Creek Road, 0.25 miles west of State Route 148
Surface : Soil
Difficulty: Easy
Information: This trail is marked by an A-Frame structure structure
Something temporarily or permanently constructed, built, or placed; and constructed of natural or manufactured parts including, but not limited to, a building, shed, cabin, porch, bridge, walkway, stair steps, sign, landing, platform, dock, rack, fence, telecommunication device, antennae, fish cleaning table, satellite dish/mount, or well head.
Learn more about structure near its entrance and will take you through a variety of habitats from pine plantation to wetlands. There is a photo blind overlooking moist-soil units that provides excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Rocky Bluff Trail
Open Season: Open to foot traffic year round
Length: 2.2 mile loop
Location of trail: Devils Kitchen Lake, Tacoma lake road
Surface : Soil and sandstone substrate
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Information: This trail winds through a wide variety of habitats and some of the most spectacular scenery on the refuge. There are intermittent waterfalls, sandstone cliffs and some steep rocky sections that make this trail difficult at times. This trail is graced with more than 60 varieties of wildflowers and is the home of spring wildflower walks.
Wild Turkey Trail
Open Season: Open to foot traffic year round
Length: 1.7 miles one way
Location of trail: The north entrance is 0.6 miles west of South Wolf Creek Rd. The south entrance is on Tacoma lake road East of Rocky Bluff trailhead.
Surface : Soil/Grass
Difficulty: Moderate
Information: This young forest trail will take you through pine plantations to hardwood forests. You can connect this trail to Rocky Bluff Trail for a longer adventure!
River to River Trail
Open Season: Open to foot traffic year round. Open to horseback riding May 1 - October 31
Length: 2.5 miles of trail runs through refuge
Location of trail: On Rocky Comfort Road 3.4 miles south of Grassy Road and also at Pleasant Hill Spur Trail on Devils Kitchen Rd
Surface : Soil
Difficulty: Moderate
Information: The beautiful River to River Trail spans more than 160 miles of Southern Illinois. This is the only trail on the refuge seasonally open to horseback riding. Sections of River to River Trail located on the refuge run through the scenic wilderness area wilderness area
Wilderness areas are places untamed by humans. The Wilderness Act of 1964 allows Congress to designate wilderness areas for protection to ensure that America's pristine wild lands will not disappear. Wilderness areas can be part of national wildlife refuges, national parks, national forests or public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Learn more about wilderness area .
Grassy Creek Trail
Open Season: Open to foot traffic year round
Length: 1.4 mile loop
Location of trail: 0.5 miles south of Tacoma Lake Road off of line road 16/17.
Surface : Old road bed, aged pavement
Difficulty: Moderate
Information: This trail was once an old road bed with a wide paved surface that is perfect for the novice hiker wanting to do some wildlife viewing. It is in a hardwood forest and provides scenic views of Devils Kitchen Lake. The eastern part of the trail is bordered by wilderness area.