Illinois · Hiking · Garden of the Gods Wilderness

N a Trail

N a TrailPhoto: Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D., Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)
1.8 mi
round trip
324 ft
climb
732 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
best months

Is N a Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Shawnee National Forest. It doesn't name N a Trail, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

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

N a Trail is an easy, out-and-back hike of about 1.8 miles in the Garden of the Gods Wilderness, part of the Hidden Springs Ranger District of Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. The trail rises from a low point of about 565 feet to a high of about 732 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 324 feet over the round trip. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.27 miles from the start, where the grade reaches about 15 percent. The trail is on natural surface and is open year-round. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. The Forest Service manages the land, and the nearest town is likely Rosiclare, about 9.5 miles away. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Rosiclare show May highs around 75°F and September highs around 80°F, with October cooling to about 69°F. That station sits about 330 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Pharoah Campground -Garden Of The Gods is about 0.6 miles away, and the Observation Trail and West Bluff Trail are each about half a mile off. Little Eagle Creek, a canoeing spot, lies about 3.9 miles away.

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

    Best time to visit N a Trail

    Best months: March–June 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

      41° / 22°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      46° / 25°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      56° / 33°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      68° / 43°

      11 wet

    5. May

      75° / 53°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 62°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 65°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      86° / 63°

      8 wet

    9. Sep

      80° / 55°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      69° / 43°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      56° / 33°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      45° / 26°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rosiclare 5nw, IL, 9.5 mi away at 400 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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