Jillian, Gabby, and Ben Visit Garden of the Gods

Name: Jillian Lambert
Date: March 30, 2013
Destination: Garden of the Gods (Herod, IL)
Latitude: 37.6069 N
Longitude: 88.3947 W
Total Miles: 123.4 miles


Ben and I left Carbondale on Friday, March 29 to travel home to Harrisburg, IL.  When we got home, we had lunch at my Mama's.  She fixed chicken and dumplins because she knows that's my favorite.  After a lengthy nap, we went home to visit with my mom and little brother.  On Saturday morning, we took off on a road trip to the Garden of the Gods in the Shawnee National Forest.  It was a cloudy day, but the weather was perfect for hiking.  Below is a picture of Ben and I, with our favorite puppy, Gabby, at the entrance of the trails.

The Garden of the Gods is a 3,300 acre forest that covers areas of Saline, Hardin, and Pope counties.  Garden of the Gods was formed over 320 million years ago when wind and rain eroded large areas of sedimentary rock.  As this was a natural occurrence, the rocky, mountainous area of the Shawnee National Forest was named Garden of the Gods.  Campers and hikers from all over the world come to Garden of the Gods to visit its natural beauty.  As a frequent visitor, I would recommend visiting this area in the fall, to access all it has to offer.   Not only a historical and camping site, this area is home to many unique plants and wildlife.  During the fall season, the autumn leaves will begin to fall and create the most amazing colors and scenery.

Below, Ben and I had to take a break from hiking to catch our breaths.

After a great day of hiking, Ben and I spent the rest of the weekend hunting Easter eggs, attending mass, and visiting with relatives.  We drove back to my apartment on Sunday night, with a total of 123.4 miles on our odometer.