Illinois · Hiking

Kinkaid Wildlife Loop

1.1 mi
round trip
115 ft
climb
513 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Apr, Sep–Nov
best months

Is Kinkaid Wildlife Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Shawnee National Forest. It doesn't name Kinkaid Wildlife Loop, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Shawnee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Kinkaid Wildlife Loop is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Shawnee National Forest's Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District in southern Illinois, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about a mile long, with a total elevation gain of about 115 feet, and it sits at roughly 500 feet in elevation. The route is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at the start, about 5% grade, and the high point at about 513 feet. The trail is natural-surface and allows horses, and bikes are not permitted. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Carbondale show October highs around 70°F with lows near 45°F, and May highs around 77°F. The loop makes an easy addition to a day on the Kinkaid Lake North trail, about 0.3 miles away, or a stay at Johnson Creek - Primitive campground, about 0.8 miles off. Johnson Creek Campground is about 1.4 miles away, and the Deer Run Trail is about 1.1 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Mar–Apr, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit Kinkaid Wildlife Loop

    Best months: March–April and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      42° / 25°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      47° / 28°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      57° / 36°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      68° / 45°

      12 wet

    5. May

      77° / 55°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      86° / 64°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      88° / 67°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      87° / 65°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      81° / 56°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      70° / 45°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      56° / 35°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      46° / 28°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Carbondale Southern Il Ap, IL, 14.2 mi away at 406 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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