At one time, the rumble of freight cars reverberated through the narrow tunnel. Wooden trestles, with their system of slanted supports and horizontal cross pieces, spanned numerous bluffs and creeks. Passengers in Pullman cars clocked the miles with these and other landmarks as they traveled one of southern Illinois’ most scenic routes.
Tunnel Hill State Trail stretches for 45 miles from Harrisburg to Karnak. The trail continues on a trails spur for 2.5 miles from Karnak to Cache River State Natural Area – Henry Barkhausen Wetlands Center on the old Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad bed.
The 9.3-mile section between Tunnel Hill and Vienna crosses trails already known to outdoor recreationists: the River-to-River Trails, which extends from the Mississippi to the Ohio River; the unmarked American Discovery Trails, which in southern Illinois follows back roads and some of the River-to-River Trail; the U.S. 76 Bicycle Route, a part of the TransAmerica Bike Route; and the Trail of Tears, the primary route the Cherokee Indian tribe took in the winter of 1838-39 during their forced move from the Great Smokies to Oklahoma.
110 S Church Rd, Grand Chain, IL 62941, USA
Distance: 4.02 mi (straight line)
Fort Massac State Park, East 5th Street, Metropolis, IL, USA
Distance: 17.93 mi (straight line)
Dixon Springs State Park, Illinois 146, Golconda, IL, USA
Distance: 17.98 mi (straight line)
Mound City National Cemetery, Illinois 37, Mound City, IL, USA
Distance: 18.23 mi (straight line)
500 Public Square, Jonesboro, IL 62952, USA
Distance: 19.29 mi (straight line)
521 N Main St, Jonesboro, IL 62952, USA
Distance: 19.65 mi (straight line)
1903 Sycamore St, Cairo, IL 62914, USA
Distance: 22.23 mi (straight line)
2723 Washington Ave, Cairo, IL 62914, USA
Distance: 22.89 mi (straight line)
Museums and Interpretive Centers Other Guided Tours
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Cairo Custom House Museum, Washington Avenue, Cairo, IL, USA
Distance: 22.95 mi (straight line)
LC Features Museums and Interpretive Centers
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18615 East Side Dr, Olive Branch, IL 62969, USA
Distance: 23.16 mi (straight line)
Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site, Green Street, Wickliffe, KY, USA
Distance: 23.36 mi (straight line)
Museums and Interpretive Centers Walks and Hikes Tribal Experiences
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Fort Defiance State Park, U.S. 62, Cairo, IL, USA
Distance: 23.40 mi (straight line)
Fort Jefferson Hill Park and Memorial Cross, Wickliffe, KY, USA
Distance: 24.31 mi (straight line)
1310 Broadway Street, Paducah, KY, USA
Distance: 24.95 mi (straight line)
Holiday Inn Paducah Riverfront, an IHG Hotel, North 4th Street, Paducah, KY, USA
Distance: 24.96 mi (straight line)
Makanda Inn, Old Lower Cobden Road, Makanda, IL, USA
Distance: 25.25 mi (straight line)
Our bi-weekly newsletter provides news, history, and information for those interested in traveling along along the Lewis & Clark Trail.