Tunnel Hill State Trail:
Illinois
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Description:
Southern Illinois' Tunnel Hill State Trail is a gem of a route with 23 trestle bridges (including one that is 450 feet long), several ghost towns, a beautiful park, a comfortable trailhead in Vienna Station, and, of course, its namesake tunnel, an impressive corridor that once measured 800-feet-long until a collapse in 1929 shortened it by some 300 feet . The first railroad tracks laid on this corridor caused such a stir that in 1870, local farmers, anticipating shipment-ready crops, planted orchards even before the line's tunnel was complete. In 1991, the corridor was donated to the state, and just 10 years later, the entire 47.5 miles was opened to the public as a multiuse trail.
The trail begins at the Barkhausen Wetlands Center and serves up instant trailside gratification within the first 2.5 miles, already showcasing a bridge and scenic overlook before even reaching the town of Karnak. Karnak offers restrooms, a water fountain, and ample parking, and a few miles further in, you will come to the polar opposite ghost town of Forman (to your left) that hints at a scary movie set from a Hollywood backlot.
The scenic trail passes more bridges as you make your way to the town of Vienna Station. There is a nice park here that provides an ideal rest and picnic spot, especially if you have children along.
Leaving Vienna Station, you head toward Tunnel Hill and the trail's midpoint. In the 9 miles bewteen Vienna Station and Tunnell Hill, there are four more bridges before the landmark tunnel. It's handy to use a flashlight as you travel through the cavernous, 543-foot trail namesake. If you're cylcing, you may want to dismount and walk your bicycle through the tunnel. Be especially careful of other trail users coming in the opposite direction through the tunnel.
After Tunnel Hill-the highest point on the trail-there is a gentle 2 percent grade downhill for the remaining 25 miles. Soon after leaving the Tunnel Hill trailhead, the trail travels through the Shawnee National Forest, a stunning landscape with a high tree canopy that shades a trickling brook off to the right. You're more likely to hear the birds here than you are to see them, but the local rabbit population is everywhere. The journey here is amazingly quiet and rural.
After 6 miles, you will arrive in the town of New Burnside, which takes its name from Civil War General Ambrose Burnside, a founder of the original railroad. The terrain here is marked by looming bluffs, providing a dramatic contrast to the forest you traveled through earlier.
Another 4.4 miles of travel takes you out of the forest and into a very flat section along US Highway 45 to Stonefort, whose trailhead includes a well-restored railroad depot. The next 6.7-mile stretch of trail remains within sight of US Highway 45 most of the way to Carrier Mills. Keep an eye out for turtles and snakes, which also like to use this trail.
After Carrier Mills, the last 7.5 miles of trail into Harrisburg meander past farm fields and neighborhoods. The route for the final 2.5 miles in Harrisburg is a mix of trail and sidewalk, ending at the trailhead on the north side of town.

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Parking & Trail Access:
To access the Barkhausen Wetlands Center in Cypress, take Interstate 57 to State Route 146, and proceed east for about 9.5 miles. Turn right on State Route 37 and continue for 9 miles. Pass through the town of Cypress and look for the wetlands center on the left.
To reach the trailhead at Tunnel Hill (the midpoint), take I-24 to US Highway 45, and head north. Turn left on Tunnel Hill Rd., and look for the trailhead on the right, just before Possum Rd.
To reach the Harrisburg trailhead from Interstate 57, take State Route 13 east approximately 24 miles. Turn left on US Highway 45, and head north for just 0.15 mile. Turn left on Walnut Street., and then turn right on Industrial Dr. The trailhead is on the right.

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Seasonal Restrictions:
No seasonal restrictions exist. Fall colors are particularly beautiful along this trail.
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Reviews: [2 trail ratings]
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Great trail in a number of categories
By Chris Bracknell in October, 2011
I rode this trail on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 8 & 9th beginning the wetlands center in Cypress. I rode it to Stonefort. It was a gradual easy climb to the tunnel. The tunnel wasn't that impressive when compared to the many significant tunnels on trails around the country. The hard packed surface was almost as good as asphalt. In Stonefort, there was a store and cafe that advertized on a board out front that they had a bologna salad sandwich. I had eaten lunch, but I just had to try one. It was pretty good for bologna.
The next day I rode from Harrisburg back to Stonefort. The trail was in good condition, plenty of mileage, t a variety of scenery, nice small communities, and good camping in the area. I hate that I did not take time to checkout the "ghost town" mentioned in the guidebook.
This was my first trail in Illinois and making it my 33rd state in which I have ridden a trail.
Great Ride!!
By Mikey Bikey in June, 2011
My wife and I drove from Georgia to do the trail over Memorial Day week and loved every inch of it! We started in the southern wetlands and enjoyed the relative easy climb to the tunnel and down again further north. Encountering several deer,rabbits,squirrel and even two copperhead snakes made this a memorable trip. We have hybrid bikes and it was a good thing because certain areas would be really challenging for skinny road tires. Still a great ride!
There are good facilities at Karnak,not Belknap. Vienna is the headquarters for the trail and you have ample room for parking and even the old Forman Depot serves as a museum/gift shop for the trail. Good picnic area also.Trail climbs from here to the tunnel and descends all the way to Harrisburg. There are some nice bluffs between the tunnel and New Burnsides worth taking in.
This is one trail to be enjoyed. Going too fast on this trail one would miss all the beauty of the natural world around them. For this sole reason is WHY we wanted to do this and get away from the overly fast-paced rat race of everyday life. Thank you RTC and the Illinois DNR and the folks of Ill. for making this possible. We will be back!! MEW
Trail now complete
By natureguy in May, 2011
This spring the trail was finally completed when Burlington Northern Railway granted permission for a crossing at Foreman. This means that riders will no longer have to detour into the traffic on Belknap Road. The trail has been deluged with 13+ in. of rain in the last week and the trail going south from Vienna is currently (05/03/2011) roped off so I imagine there is considerable water damage. I have ridden the trail since its opening and would suggest novice riders wanting an easy, scenic ride to depart from the trailhead at Tunnel Hill and ride South to Vienna. This stretch of the trail contains the tunnel and the 90 feet high Breeden Trestle as well as numerous smaller trestles and streams. More importantly for the novice rider, the trail has a gentle downward slope into Vienna which makes for an easy ride of about nine and a half miles.

Also, I read in one of the reviews that restrooms and water are available in Belknap. There are no services there but 3 mi. farther Southwest in Karnak you will find water, restrooms as well as a restaurant and store open on Monday thru Saturday. They also have vending machines available 24 hrs. The trail from Karnak to the Henry Barkhausen Nature Center is always open but access to and from the parking lot to Route 37 is closed with a gate when the center is closed.



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Deer on the trail.
Trail Facts
Trail End Points: Harrisburg to Barkhausen Wetlands Center (Cypress)
Counties: Johnson, Pulaski, Saline, Williamson
Trail Length: 47.5 miles
Trail Category: Rail-Trail
Trail Surfaces: Crushed Stone
Trail Activities: Bike, Walking, Cross Country Skiing
TrailLink ID: 6032279

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