A: Main Area
- Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
- best months
Is A: Main Area open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Shawnee National Forest. It doesn't name A: Main Area, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).
Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area temporarily closed due to road work
Agency closure covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
Boil Water Order at Pharaoh Campground at Garden of the Gods
Agency closure covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
McClure Road Closed
Agency closure covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
Lane reduction on bridge near IL Iron Furnace
Agency alert covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
Failing Culvert on Oakwood Bottoms Road FSR # 786
Agency alert covering Shawnee National Forest · USFS · Shawnee National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Shawnee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
A: Main Area is a bouldering area in Shawnee National Forest's Hidden Springs Ranger District in southern Illinois. It sits among several named features, including the B: Bull Area climbing area and the USFS Trail #187 and Beaver Trail hikes, all about 0.1 mile away. Pine Ridge-Pounds Hollow campground is 0.6 mile off. The area holds 16 bouldering routes, all rated from V1 to V10 on the V scale. Pin Scar Race is the easiest at V1, and Head Lock and the Arete Project are among the hardest at V6 and V10. The boulders are the main draw here, so plan around the climbing rather than a trail hike. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Rosiclare run from highs around 68°F in April to 69°F in October. Summer highs typically reach the mid-80s, and winter lows drop into the 20s. Pounds Ridge is a hike 0.9 mile away, Little Eagle Creek offers canoeing about 3.3 miles off, and Camp Cadiz Campground is about 3.4 miles away.
USFS Trail #187HikingPhoto: Curtis Abert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.1 mi- Beaver TrailHikingPhoto: Curtis Abert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.1 mi
- B: Bull AreaRock climbing0.1 mi
- Pine Ridge-Pounds HollowCamping0.6 mi
Pounds RidgeHikingPhoto: Curtis Abert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.9 mi- Little Eagle CreekCanoeing3.3 mi
- Camp Cadiz CampgroundCamping3.4 mi
- Pharoah Campground -Garden Of The GodsCamping6.1 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit A: Main Area
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.
Jan
41° / 22°
10 wet
Feb
46° / 25°
9 wet
Mar
56° / 33°
11 wet
Apr
68° / 43°
11 wet
May
75° / 53°
11 wet
Jun
83° / 62°
9 wet
Jul
86° / 65°
9 wet
Aug
86° / 63°
8 wet
Sep
80° / 55°
7 wet
Oct
69° / 43°
8 wet
Nov
56° / 33°
9 wet
Dec
45° / 26°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rosiclare 5nw, IL, 12.8 mi away at 400 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
