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.
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
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.