Illinois · Hiking

Rim Rock Recreational Trail

0.9 mi
loop
140 ft
climb
663 ft
high point
Loop
route
Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
best months

Is Rim Rock Recreational Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Shawnee National Forest. It doesn't name Rim Rock Recreational Trail, 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.

Rim Rock Recreational Trail is a short, easy loop in Shawnee National Forest's Hidden Springs Ranger District in southern Illinois. The trail is 0.86 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 140 feet and a total loss of 265 feet, and it reaches a high point of 663 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a loop, so you return to your starting point. The trail is rated easy, and the climb is gentle. The steepest part comes at about 0.31 miles in, with a grade of 12 percent. The trail is a loop, so you don't need to worry about a return route. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Rosiclare show May highs around 75°F and October highs around 69°F, with September and October seeing the fewest wet days of the year. The trail starts at the Beaver Trail Trailhead, and the trip takes about half an hour. There is no fee to use the trail, and it is not open to bikes or horses. Nearby, the Adt - Illinois (South) - J - Seg 1 and Cadiz hikes are each about a mile away. Pine Ridge-Pounds Hollow campground is about 1.1 miles off, and the A: Main Area climbing area is about 1.4 miles away.

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

    Best time to visit Rim Rock Recreational 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, 11.5 mi away at 400 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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