Rainy August Camping Adventure W/Lil Helper, Part 2: Rim Rock, The Outpost, & Mackie’s Pizza

Chapters:
Intro: (0:00)
Chapter 1: Rim Rock Upper Loop Trail
On the Trail: (0:35)
Pondering Bench: (2:17)
Observation Deck Overlook & Missing Staircase: (3:25)
Atop the Bluff: (5:45)
Wet Moss, Farkleberries, and Serviceberries: (7:26)
Back at the Trailhead: (8:32)
Chapter 2: Garden of the Gods Outpost: (9:03)
Chapter 3: Mackie’s Pizza: (13:39)
Lil Helper insisted we go camping in the rain.
In Part 1 of this series, we hammock camped out in the rain at Pounds Hollow in the Shawnee National Forest. Upon waking up, we toured the campground, ate breakfast & tore down camp. Afterwards, we visited the Pounds Hollow Lake, where lil helper swam a bit, as I took a short hike along the nearby Beaver Trail going towards Rim Rock.

In Part 2 of this series, after we departed Pounds Hollow, we hiked the upper loop trail of nearby Rim Rock Canyon recreation area. I couldn’t convince lil Helper to hike the lower loop. The staircase between the upper and lower loops was removed by the US Park Service for safety reasons. It may get rebuilt someday, but not sure when that’ll occur. The Ox-Lot Cave area on the western side of the lower loop features a nook in the rock bluff where spring water emerges from a small pipe in the rock face. Settlers used to let their oxen rest in this area a hundred years ago. After visiting Rim Rock, we visited the Garden of the Gods Outpost store for ice cream and souvenirs. The Outpost has a few food items like hot dogs and nachos, plus ice cream treats, cold soft drinks, John O’Connell photographic prints, and plenty of Bigfoot nicknacks.
On our way back home, we stopped off for pizza and salad at Mackie’s Pizza in Harrisburg.

Overall, this area is a nice place to visit. Pounds Hollow can fill up on holiday weekends, but offers some quiet solitude on off-peak camping times. It is first come, first serve for camping. Its located about 7 miles from the Garden of the Gods in Southern Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest.

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Видео Rainy August Camping Adventure W/Lil Helper, Part 2: Rim Rock, The Outpost, & Mackie’s Pizza канала Mikeycat Outdoors