If you have never experienced the isolated, quiet country of Southern Illinois, you need to come and visit this special corridor. For close to 50 miles, this easily accessible, mostly flat trail travels through some of the most dense forests still standing in these parts, acro ss some of the most influential watersheds in the region, including some really old, federally-designated, and very beautfiul wetlands, through the tunnel after which the trail is named, and over some of the most enduring and engaging bridges and trestles to ever be constructed in Southern Illinois.
 Combine all of this with the array of wildlife and birds that inhabit the area, and you will not want to forget your camera when you come out. Use our tools to plan your outing - like our interactive map of the trail, or our listing of trailside ammenities and resources. We also have many tiny communities along the trail that host special events at different times of the year, and you won't want to miss out on the chance to sample some of the best country cooking you can find anywhere by visiting some of our local restaurants and saying hello to the fine folks that own and operate them, as well as spending some time rubbing elbows with the locals. We even have a couple of deserted ghosttowns rich with history and tall tales. With a unique geography and climate that is ideally suited to the cultivation of wine grapes, the area is also home to many  successful wineries and several new ones have now emerged in recent years. Many bed-&-breakfast opportunities are close at hand, too, along with more contemporary lodging opportunities.
You can walk through some areas of our little piece of heartland that time and nature have had their way with for a long time. Or you might choose to ride a bicycle on the trail - our favorite way of seeing it all in a day - we have some ideas and suggestions to pass along that we hope will make the  journey not only a breeze for your entire family or group, but something that will make everybody that participates smile when the topic comes up in the future. Take a hike and stroll through a canopy of green and breath in the fresh air for a while. Bring along your kids and families and see what a day spent outside can do for your attitude! You can find all of the information you need right here to put together a great day outing, a quick walk or run, or a long weekend for two on your tandem bicycle.
 Settle in at our easy pace and stay for a while. Welcome to the Tunnel Hill Trail!
|
|
|
|
|
Trailside Images
|
 |
Community
|
|
Click on thumbnails for popup larger image. Popups must be enabled. More photos here
|
|
|
|
|
TRAIL CONDITIONS 9/11/2008: The heat of summer is beginning to fade and the days are starting to feel more like fall. Trail conditions are excellent for a ride or a walk. For more detailed weather and local conditions follow this link. more 
|
|
 More information - including maps, local resources, regulations, and activities - is generally available at each of the trailheads along the length of the trail. At each of these trailhead locations, you will find a covered kiosk and a map box like the one shown here. You may also contact the folks at the Vienna management office of the IDNR by telephone at (618) 658-2168. If you call, let them know what you think about this fine trail and, while you have them on the line, pass along your thanks for all of their hard work.
|
|
|
 |
September 11, 2008:
June 22, 2008: Hello again! While the original 'Version 2' site has been hacked and was subsequently offline for several months now, I've decided to put the original site back online and make it available as I continue to redeploy the forum-based site that was enjoying excellent numbers of visitors. Please note that some of the content here is dated all the way back to the beginnings of the site in 2006, but I wanted to get some of the basic information out there again for those visitors that are new to the trail. Hope it helps. The receding floodwaters from earlier this spring did a lot of damage to the trail, but the IDNR folks have been working very diligently to get things back in order for all of us and they deserve a very special 'Thanks' from the entire region for their hard work and dedication! Yesterday's solstice brings the long hot days of summer that allow for slow liesurely rides or walks anywhere along the trail, so get out of the house and take in a part of this beautiful secluded corridor, and make sure to take along friends, the kids, and enough bicycles for everybody!
November 15, 2007: If you had any doubts about if or when the cold would finally show up, a northbound ride on the trail today should clear them up. The stiffening wind in your face and the subtle beauty of the season have their own attraction, as the mind wanders back to warmer days not too terribly long ago.
November 9, 2007: The cold nights and short days have really changed the look of the trail in just the last few weeks, and you are missing out if you don't come out and see it for yourself. The brilliant morning sunrises are spectacular with the colors both on the trees and covering the ground.
|
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
