Jackson Falls - Shawnee National Forest

We have been past the sign for Jackson Falls numerous times, but never stopped until today.  It probably would have been better with actual water going over the fall, but really even without it was a nice, scenic, easy hike.  We never did figure out how to get into the bottom below the fall, though.

When you get to the parking area, There is a sign for Jackson Falls Recreational Area, and a 'You Are Here' sign, but it says absolutely nothing about how to get to the falls form there.  We ended up just using common sense and following the creek bed, which is right off the parking area.  We walked maybe half a mile down and saw some neat sloping falls which probably would have been really cool is there was some decent water moving over it.

A little farther down and it all open up into a pretty significant drop.  This one, while not as high as Burden Falls, has the potential to be more dangerous. While Burden Falls is a sheer cliff face and drop, Jackson is a sloping face, and you can get deceptively close to the edge.  You have to be very careful here.

Jackson Falls is one of the best places is Southern Illinois to go climbing and rappelling.  In fact, we saw numerous places in the rock where there were remnants of climbers, and even three people who were actively climbing this afternoon.  People were down in the bowl trail riding on horses as well.

There isn't a whole lot to explore here, unless you can figure out how to get down into the valley, your only choice is to turn back.  We did see some neat rock sculptures in the creek bed where people had taken the river stones and built little shrines with them.  We ended up following the road (you need 4 or all wheel drive for this!) all the way down, wondering if maybe we would come across something else, but it stops and turns from rock to sand, and a ton of no trespassing signs.  There was a really old tin roof house dilapidated back in the woods where we turned around, and I desperately wanted to explore it, but with half a dozen No Trespassing signs in the one small area, I figured they were pretty serious about not wanting people messing around down there, so we headed back.  I suggest when your done at the fall to go right back out the way you came.

There were a bunch of people for a remote area, in fact it's a one car road, so go slow, and keep an eye out.  People will be coming both directions and one of you is going to have to move.  There were alot of campsites we passed, it seems you can just pull off the road and camp where ever you like.  We also passed alot of trails, most of which looks friendly for horses, so I'm sure there's alot of riders in there, as well.

Directions:
From IL-37 South-
Follow 37 to Marion.  Turn Left onto IL-13 E/Deyoung st.
Turn Right onto IL- 166 South.
Turn Right onto US-45 South.
Turn Left onto Ozark rd.
Continue on Ozark.  It will turn into McCormick rd.  Follow it to the left.
Take the first Right onto Glen st/ Falls rd.  It is right at a big house with a metal roof and a fence with birdhouses all down it.  It kind of looks like a driveway.
Follow it several miles, you will cross where a stream crosses the road, and right on the other side of the streak on the right is the Rec area.  You may or may not see the sign from the road.  The road will also go to the left here, it's a pretty major type intersection, you won't miss it.