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Roads Home > Illinois Motorcycle
Roads |
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| Title:
Shawnee National Forest |
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State:
Illinois
Submitted
By: Jim Maruska
Date Submitted: Oct 02
Motorcycle Type: ?
Motorcycle Road Length: 100 Miles
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Motorcycle
Road Scenery: 
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| This
area is called the Illinois
Ozarks located in the very Southern Part of Illinois between
the Mississippi River and Missouri on the West and the Ohio
River and Kentucky on the East. The area is very hilly with
numerous lakes, bluffs, cypress swamps and caves. There are
unlimited scenic views of the area from the hills and cliff
tops. |
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Motorcycle
Road Quality:
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The
roads are hilly and have a lot of twists and turns. Watch
for waterfalls along the roadside in the spring. There are
stretches where little amenities are available. If going
off into a canyon or wilderness area, be sure you have plenty
of gas and drinking water.
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Motorcycle
Roadside Amenities: 
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There
are so many places to stop along that way that this scenic
drive could take days. You can visit a large cave on the
Ohio River where pirates once hid to rob the boats going
down the river. Metropolis is the home of Superman and has
the Superman
museum and a large Superman on the town water tower.
Metropolis is also the home of the Harrah's Casino River
Boat visited by those in Southern Illinois and from across
the Ohio River in Kentucky and the Mississippi in Missouri.
The Garden
of the Gods is one not to be missed, here are large
bluffs where the locals repel. The views are spectacular
and you can see into five states.
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You
can start off in Carbondale
Illinois, home of Southern Illinois University, home
of the Salukis. Drive South down Highway 51. About 10 miles
south make a side trip to Giant
City State Park and take the Giant City hike through
giant monolith slabs of limestone and limestone bluffs.
The Giant City Lodge has some of the best Chicken Dinners
on Sunday you will find anywhere. Go back to 51 and head
south a few miles to the Cobden turnoff. Turn right to Alto
Pass and Highway 127. Visit Bald Knob and the Bald Knob
Cross. This is a very large cross on top of a large hill
among the Illinois Ozarks. The view is outstanding. Head
South on 127 after Alto Pass and go about 12 miles to Jonesboro.
Take a left (west) on Highway 146 through Anna and Vienna
past I-24 to highway 147. Follow this through Eddyville,
the highway turns into highway 145. When you get to the
145/34 junction, go right or west through Herod. Past Herod
there will be a junction in the road toward Karbers Ridge,
take this and follow the signs to the Garden of the Gods.
After visiting the high face shaped cliffs and watching
the locals repel off the rocks, follow the road to Highway
1. Go South on 1 until you hit Cave-in-Rock and visit the
Cave that robbed many ships. After your visit, go back north
a few miles on 1 to pick up 146. Follow 146 through Golconda
then take the road south along the Ohio River toward Brookport.
There are many marina along the river here. Once in Brookport
follow 45 to Metropolis and the Superman Museum. Try you
hand at Black Jack or slots on Harrah's River Boat Casino.
You can also visit Paducah, Kentucky by crossing the bride
on I-24. There are full shopping amenities and restaurants
as well as hotels and motels there. Follow 45 out of Metropolis
to 169. Turn left or East through Karnak to highway 37.
Go North on 37 to Marion. At Marion take highway 13 back
to Carbondale.
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Additional
Information:
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