Cache River State Natural Area — Attraction in Vienna

This is one of the most beautiful, diverse nature preserves in Illinois. I saw a review that the directions in small towns were "poor". Well folks we live here year round don't generally use "normal" directions because we don't need too. Heads up Google maps fines this area just fine.. you are missing out on swamp, Dutchmans running into the cache, a little farther up you have the river on one side, then heron pond on the other. Todd Finn Heron Pond is a swamp. It looks like you're in the bayou of Louisiana. Keep going on the trail after walk down the board walk, maybe .5 mile up the trail is a ginormous beauty of a certified state tree. This puppy is a little over 22.5 inches in circumference, 100 foot canopy with over 200 points... then there's little black slough trail, boss island trail, right off each other. Keep going and there's the tupelo trail, it looks like a walk through regular woods.. then out of no where big, beautiful miss covered rock and a gorgeous view of the tupelos and slough... explore more.. listen to the birds, the frogs and snake and the water... You can literally experience 4 or 5 landscapes in a relatively small area. GO GET LOST IN THE MOST...

This park seemed to have so much promise from the reviews online. We were very disappointed after we got there. The directions to the park were very poor in the small towns. Unlike most parks where you park your car and go walk down board walks or see things after a short walk, this park has you walking for many miles. It is a hiking park NOT a park to see anything in particular. The distances on the trail signs are NOT accurate either. I went there and walked for 6 miles and saw nothing other than woods and a swamp. There was no nature of any kind, no vista and no boardwalk. We found out later there are different entrances. The park is interesting, but it is no different than walking down a gravel road running through the woods for 6 miles. The park staff should do a much better job of explaining the entrances and posting more...

Top notch area to visit. The only Bayou in Illinois. You will see tons of wild life here, just remember to respect any animals you come across on the trails. Snakes, salamanders, lizards, turtles all are to be respected and left unharmed. If you see a snake, just walk around it. This Herons Pond area has the best maintained trails that I have ever hiked. They are actually out cutting branches that might hit people...