Garden of the Gods Observation Trail is a 0.5 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Karbers Ridge, Illinois that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
Dogs on leash
Wheelchair friendly
Kid friendly
Stroller friendly
Camping
Hiking
Nature trips
Walking
Bird watching
Cave
Forest
Paved
Views
Wild flowers
Wildlife
Muddy
Rocky
Scramble
Observation Trail is a 1/4-mile flagstone loop walk containing unique sandstone rock formations and panoramic views of the surrounding Garden of the God Wilderness.
Illinois Bureau of Tourism, J. R. Thompson Ctr. Suite 3-400, 100 West Randolph , Chicago, IL, 60601
Directions from Harrisburg: take Highway 145 south 5 miles to Highway 34, turn south. Take 34 south for 5 miles, then east on Karbers Ridge Road 2.5 miles to Garden of the Gods Road. Turn north onto Garden of the Gods Road. 1.5 miles to recreation area entrance road. There are directional signs from Harrisburg to the recreation area.
Sat Jul 11 2020Very pretty views. Enjoyed looking at all the rocks. Short and easy. Great views
Tue Jul 07 2020This trail is short, I would not recommend small children unless you are carrying them, or plan on not checking out the sites. The views from this trail are so cool, lots of bluffs!
Sun Jul 05 2020Heavily trafficked, rock-paved trail. Good view.
Fri Jun 26 2020Super short and super packed BUT it was a great place to take pictures.
Fri Jun 26 2020Absolutely amazing views!!!
Fri Jun 19 2020The trail was decently busy but it was mid-day on a Friday. Beautiful sights but I bit of trash around.
Tue Jun 16 2020Driving was easy via paved highway. Parking abundant with bike racks. Easy trail, has cobblestone paths along the loop. Decent spots to rest either on rocks or benches. Beautiful rock formations, can see the forest for a long way. Would go again with friends.
Fri Jun 12 2020great views and fantastic climbing
Fri Jun 12 2020Gorgeous views. There are a good amount of people there but lots of space. Do the wilderness trail after to get away from the crowds.
Sat Jun 06 2020Such a beautiful view of the forest and a ton of fun to climb the rocks. Would definitely come here again!
Tue Jun 02 2020This is a beautifully maintained walk. It is paved with large stones and has several overlooks with lovely views of rock formations and wide open vistas. We went on a Sunday afternoon after we had walked several longer trails in the park. It was incredibly crowded with zero social distancing. But it is well worth the time to see the lovely scenery in Southern Illinois.
Wed May 13 2020Beautiful scenery. Easy hike. There are lots of areas to climb on the rocks and explore. Just make sure to wear appropriate boots and clothing. This is a kid friendly trail, but there are a lot of dangerous places where falls from extreme heights is possible, so caution should be used. Overall, it's definitely worth checking out. If you just hike the trail, you can get through it in less than half an hour. But you can spend hours on the trail climbing on different rock formations and exploring side trails.
Tue May 12 2020This is a very short, accessible paved trail with lots of incredible scenery. If you’re planning a trip to the region, this is the spot you want to hit on “off” hours if possible (we came back in the a.m. and there was no one there). The trail was very crowded and there are some places with narrow passes We would have liked to explore more but had to keep moving through due to trail traffic! There is no water pump in the area and the campground which has water is closed due to COVID-19 so bring all the water you will need for the duration of your visit.
Wed Apr 22 2020Amazing and beautiful. The kids had a blast climbing all over the rocks. However - it was closed! The gate at the entrance was locked. Vehicles were parked outside the gate and along the road, and people just walking under the gate, so we did too and it was a fine walk to the trail along the road, but added about 2 miles.
Tue Apr 21 2020The park is closed but, there is limited parking near the gate. There are signs posted stating "Do Not Park Along The Road." If you are able to park near the gate, it's about a 1.5-2 mile walk to the observation trail. The observation trail is paved so it is easy to access. The sights are beautiful with a lot of photo opportunities.
Fri Apr 03 2020Great hike, we started at the river to river trail then connected to the garden of the gods loop. We got a late start so we done half the loop to make it out before sunset. Trail was mostly dry. Beautiful rock formations and ups and downs weren’t too bad. Great place to hike!
Mon Mar 09 2020This was such an amazing place. The view was absolutely gorgeous. Will be back again.
Sun Mar 08 2020Such an amazing day out! Kind of busy but what do you expect when it’s 65 degrees on a Sunday? Beautiful trail as always!
Sat Mar 07 2020The Garden of the Gods area of Shawnee Nat’l Forest is so beautiful! The Overlook Trail has stunning views and beautiful formations and the Garden of the Gods Trail (also called Anvil Rock and Bluff Trail on the park map I think) is great for a little longer hike. The trails are very well maintained, especially for March. Would recommend this park for excellent hiking and views!
Tue Feb 25 2020We got to the Garden of the gods trail around 4 PM on a overcast and misty day in February. we had to park absolutely to our self wow we took pictures of the beautiful vistas and climb the Bluffs. as a lifelong resident of Illinois I am amazed that I have never been to the spot before and highly recommend it to anybody.
Tue Feb 18 2020Amazing views....sketchy cliffs....bring good shoes and watch your footing.
Sun Nov 17 2019Short little loop but tons of fun! Lots of climbing up n down and scrambling around on big rocks! Plan to spend a lot of time here to take it in.
Sun Nov 10 2019Quick, easy hike to observation point. Gorgeous view with plenty of places to sit and enjoy the view from the rocks.
Sun Nov 10 2019Very cool view! Bathroom houses, stepping stones flush with the ground for easier walking, wooden deck overlooks, really cool. Pokemon Go- 3 gyms & 5 or 6 pokestops around the area.
Sat Nov 02 2019Crowded but the views make up for it
Sun Oct 27 2019Nice and easy for any family member.
Sun Oct 27 2019
