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I did the Tunnel Hill Trail for my first 100 mile ride on 11/1/25. Parked in Harrisburg off Barnett St and biked to the south end of the trail at the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center and back.
Trail surface is almost all hard packed crushed gravel with small paved sections through Harrisburg. Fairly smooth throughout. for an unpaved trail. No big hills but several long low grade inclines/declines. In the woods and forest the whole time except when passing through towns. There are water stations and bathrooms along the trail, though they were locked when I was there.
I did my ride on a Specialized road bike on 28mm tires. A gravel bike would probably be optimal, but the road bike did fine. Weather was cool and cloudy with some rain in the middle of the day, but the trail still held up well even with the light rain. Some small gravel got caught up around my brakes adding some extra resistance but nothing major.
Saw only a few other people all day, mostly hikers and but some bikers as well. Trail only crosses small roads, there are tunnels that go under major roads. Gravel was slower than the pavement, but this was a good 100 mile ride if not concerned with a specific pace. Took me 7 hrs 22 minutes of moving time.
Nice fall colors in late October/early November and the trail had a nice isolated feeling like not many people use it. I liked the bridges and the tunnels
*Note: some of the pictures on here, including the highlighted picture for this trail are not of this route. The highlighted "trestle bridge" picture is of a bridge on the Great Allegheny Passage
On the first day I rode the trail from the very northern terminus in Eldorado, IL to Karnak, IL. Camped at the Main Bros. Campground in Karnak that evening. On the second day I rode back to Tunnel Hill and took an excursion over to Ferne Clyffe State Park where i camped that evening. On the 3rd day, it was back to Tunnel Hill to join the trail and back to Eldorado, IL. Fall is a great time to ride this trail. This trail takes you through all kinds of scenery. Prairies, Farmland, Rugged Hills and Forest, and Cypress wetlands. The trail is in good shape. There are some spots where the state has had to patch the trail with some larger rock but it is perfectly passable. Taking care of this trail given the rugged terrain of much of the trail must be a monumental task. Cudos to the state of Illinois Dept of Natural Resources for keeping this wonderful trail in such good shape. Food, Harrisburg and Vienna are the two towns with options for fast food and local restaraunts. Camping, Karnak has the Main Bros. campground which is convenient if you are riding the whole trail in two days or are exploring the Cache River wetlands. Equipment, suggest a bicycle with at least 35mm wide tires. I rode a 45mm wide tire and it was perfect. I would not recommend a road bike for this trail. This is a wonderful resource to explore southern illinois by bicycle. Get out there and ride!
We started in Vienna and got 30 miles total. The trail was great, gravel, the tunnel is definitely a must to see. We stopped in to see the train station and talked to the lady in there she was super nice and had a lot of information to share on the trail. So glad we got to ride part of it.
I absolutely loved this trail. But the Southern trailhead actually starts north of the where trail link has it on the map — it’s on US 62 by the covered bridge. Hopefully this will get corrected soon. Otherwise a really fabulous trail.
Rode the entire trail, out and back, from Sunset Park. Scenery was always changing, so the ride went quickly. Lots of history and interesting sights (yes, including fabricators and metal recyclers!).
A lovely trail through the quaint town of Newburgh. Extremely well maintained in landscaped. Parts on part shade.
Rode from the western trailhead to Vienna. Beautiful scenery. Trail in good shape. A few minor rough patches where larger gravel used as patches, but not anything to get in the way. Beautiful foliage and flowers were out.
My first month moving here, we went camping at saddle lake and Sunset park every day went to this park daily walk 2-4 times for the month, and it's has clean bathrooms, fresh water, picnic tableware, children's play ground, bbq, beautiful views, great trail. Super friendly people biking, walking dogs, etc. Very beautiful murial. People will stop and chat and long time residents have excellent history facts about Tell City.. Try IT, but you will get hooked... We moved here!!!
I have a different perspective than most trail users. I am paralyzed from the waist down. My "daily driver" is a manual wheelchair. However, I also have a handcycle: basically a three-wheel bicycle that I pedal with my hands. The rear two wheels are just along for the ride. The front wheel does all of the steering, braking, and propelling. As my weight is all on the back wheels, it spins out on too steep of a hill. There is one hill on the west end of this trail (right next to Parrish Avenue) that I had to ride down the street to bypass. There's another hill about 1/4 mile from this one that I could just BARELY handle. Otherwise, this trail is fairly flat with a few small hills. A completely flat trail is kind of boring, but I just can't do a really steep one. The Greenbelt is, for me, the perfect blend of flat and steep.
Handcycle considerations aside, Owensboro has done a commendable job with this trail. It is very nicely constructed and maintained. There are several good places to park, with ample parking spaces. I have ridden it several times now. I suggest doing what I did - try parking at different lots and seeing which one you like best. My personal favorite is the one off of Higdon Road. It is somewhere in the middle of the trail and lets you go either direction. A 15 mile trail (so 30 miles if you do both directions) gives you a lot of options, especially if you're looking for a 5 or 10 mile ride.
As other reviewers have noted, they could have done a better job with signs. In town sections of the trail, it's sometimes a bit difficult to know if you're still on the trail. I'm from here, so I have been watching the trail being constructed for years, so it makes sense to me. If you're new to it, download and study a map of it and you should be good. A map will also show you the numerous parking lots.
There are a large number of road intersections. Owensboro drivers aren't known for paying attention, so be careful! There are good markings and flashing lights at all the intersections. Plus, it's fun to take little side quests down many of these roads that are wide enough for cars plus a wheelchair-width handcycle.
The trail provides a good mix of city streets, farm fields, and woods. There are a lot of spots without shade, so bring some sunscreen if the sun bothers you. The parks departments do a great job maintaining the trail, but there are quite a few tree root bumps in some of the sections. Watch your front wheel, slow down a bit, and you'll be fine. There are about half a dozen portable toilets along the trail, and tons of benches for a rest stop.
Like I said, I live within easy driving distance of the Greenbelt. The only thing more handy for me is to just leave my driveway and hit my local roads on my handcycle, which I do often. However, when I don't want to fight cars or when I have my daughter on her bike with me, the Greenbelt is my first choice. It is an asset to our community. Come check it out. I hope to see you out there!
I have a different perspective than most trail users. I am paralyzed from the waist down. My "daily driver" is a manual wheelchair. However, I also have a handcycle: basically a three-wheel bicycle that I pedal with my hands. The rear two wheels are just along for the ride. The front wheel does all of the steering, braking, and propelling. As my weight is all on the back wheels, it spins out on too steep of a hill. This trail, being built on an old railroad bed, is fairly flat, which makes sense considering that trains can only handle a very gradual grade. There are definitely very long, gentle uphills (and obviously downhills in the other direction) that provide a good challenge if you hit them fast enough. The only part I couldn't do was on the very end of the trail (the Central City end). There is a steep hill connecting the trail to the parking area. Thankfully, I parked at the Greenville end, where there is ample parking and a flat transition to the trail.
Handcycle considerations aside, Muhlenberg County has knocked it out of the park with this trail. It is very nicely constructed and maintained. As a railfan, I enjoyed seeing the old railroad structures and the P&L caboose that are beside the trail. It has a minimal number of road intersections, with only one of them a high-speed road requiring lots of rider attention. All of them are marked. There are plenty of benches for a rest. The first 1.5 miles or so of the Greenville end are through town. The rest of it is in a very natural setting with ample shade. I liked seeing the huge, old slough; the areas where the railroad had blasted through hills to make the railbed flat; and the numerous little creeks that run beside and under the trail. I live about an hour away, but I'll happily make that drive and hit this trail again.
Being a nearby resident I had heard of this trail and tressel plus had seen a sign pointing towards the direction to it. I recommend going to it via Ky 109 or US 60. Rely on the Trails map ‘cause it’s accurate. The trail is paved and flat except the floor of the tressel which is wood. Extremely well cared for. Shelters are on the south side. Only reason for not getting a 5 is due to no restrooms. Otherwise if you’re in the area don’t pass it up. You’ll not regret it.
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