Metropolis, Illinois
Looking for the best photography in Metropolis? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Metropolis. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.
Top Photography Spots in and near Metropolis
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Pope County, Illinois
Hike to Indian Kitchen
4.8 mi / 192 ft gainDesignated a national natural landmark in 1980, Lusk Creek Canyon is the name of a 906-acre canyon located within the Lusk Creek Wilderness Area of the Shawnee National Forest in Pope County, Illinois. The Lusk Creek Canyon Nature Preserve and National Natural Landmark features an outstanding sce...Read more -
Stonefort, Illinois
Hike to Burden Falls
4.00.8 miLocated in the Shawnee National Forest near Stonefort, Burden Falls, though perhaps small by other standards, is among the highest in Illinois. There are many side trails to explore, making this a great spot for birders and photographers. The hike is a 0.8 mile moderately rated loop trail. Thoug...Read more -
Goreville, Illinois
Hike the Round Bluff Nature Preserve
5.01.25 mi / 185 ft gainJust south of the Lakeview Picnic Shelter is the 53-acre Round Bluff Nature Preserve. Round Bluff has been designated a nature preserve which means that you are only allowed to hike on maintained trails. This is an isolated area of the massive sandstones that form the canyons of Ferne Clyffe Stat...Read more -
Goreville, Illinois
Hike Big Rocky Hollow Trail
0.5 mi / 63 ft gainA great short hike in Ferne Clyffe State Park with a big payoff that is nearly wheel chair accessible with compact crushed gravel as a path. The trail leads to a 100-foot tall intermittent waterfall. The trail is lined with huge boulders, meandering stream, and progressively narrowing canyon beco...Read more -
Goreville, Illinois
Hike to Hawk's Cave
0.75 mi / 56 ft gainOne of the top trails within Fern Clyffe State Park, Hawk's Cave is an impressive 150 foot sandstone shelter bluff. When beginning the trail from the parking lot, there is a fork of three separate trail heads. Take the path to the left and follow the loop up to a rock wall of shelters, honeycomb ...Read more -
Goreville, Illinois
Hike to Bork's Falls
0.5 mi / 227 ft gainLocated off Regent Lane/Cedar Grove Road near Goreville, Illinois, Bork's Falls is a beautiful waterfall with little visitor traffic. The bottom of the falls is accessible from either side of the ravine with a very short hike. This waterfall generally flows year round, unlike most other waterfall...Read more -
Arlington, Kentucky
Explore Columbus-Belmont State Park
2 mi / 134 ft gainColumbus-Belmont State Park is a stop along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway that combines pivotal Civil War history with dramatic cliffs overlooking the Mississippi River. The park is also a stop along the Trail of Tears National Historical Trail and the Civil War Heritage Trail. The ...Read more -
Herod, Illinois
Explore the Arch of the Gods
0.25 mi / 50 ft gainHundreds of people will drive past this trail and arch on the weekends and never know they just drove past one of the best sights within the Garden of Gods Wilderness of the Shawnee National Forest. It is a few hundred feet off the road on the way to the more popular Garden of the Gods Observatio...Read more -
Cave-In-Rock State Park, Illinois
Hike to Cave-in-Rock
0.75 mi / 110 ft gainLocated in a Southern Illinois State Park bearing its name, Cave-in-Rock is a 55 ft wide limestone cavern that sits along the banks of the Ohio River. Once a site of Murderers, River Pirates, and a brothel is now a crown jewel of the Illinois State Park system. The beauty of the area and the dark...Read more -
Makanda, Illinois
Explore the Giant City Lodge and Water Tower
0.25 miLike the rest of the park, the Giant City Lodge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930's. The lodge's architecture will remind someone of great lodges of the West with its hardwood timber and sandstone blend that has a two story fireplace and rotunda to enjoy one of the be...Read more -
Makanda, Illinois
Hike Rocky Bluff Trail
1.7 mi / 157 ft gainRocky Bluff Trail in Southern Illinois is part of the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge near Carbondale. It's a relatively easy loop hike at 1.7 miles. This trail is not stroller or disability friendly. The parking lot is small and requires a $2.00 daily use tag you can obtain at the Crab Orchard Wild...Read more -
Cobden, Illinois
Hike Indian Creek Trail
0.75 mi / 65 ft gainThis wandering intermittent creek inside of Giant City State Park only flows in periods of heavy rain or after snow melts. Prior to a confluence with Drury Creek, the path comes to a mid sized shelter bluff wall. What this shelter lacks in sheer size, it made up for in importance to Native Americ...Read more -
Makanda, Illinois
Hike the Giant City Nature Trail
1.1 mi / 125 ft gainPioneers had not seen skyscrapers, so these sheer bluffs seemed like the “streets of a giant city” to them. Thus became the naming of a pinnacle state park in Illinois. Giant City State Park is a paradise for hikers, climbers, campers, and lovers of nature. Parts of the park reminds you of the Mi...Read more -
Junction, Illinois
Hike Rim Rock National Recreation Trail
1.7 mi / 360 ft gainRim Rock Trail follows the edge of the bluff top, hence its name, and features vistas of a slot canyon below, a stone fort used by prehistoric Native Americans, a cave used on the Underground Railroad, and diverse wildlife habitats. Located near very popular Garden of the Gods, Rim Rock is someti...Read more -
Makanda, Illinois
Camp at Little Grassy Lake Campground
Located within Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and along one of the most scenic lakes within the Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois Little Grassy Lake Campground is a awesome place to camp for a night or a whole week. There are 14 full hook up campsites. 54 sites have water and electric acc...Read more -
Makanda, Illinois
Trillium Trail
1.22 mi / 253 ft gainThe natural area you are now entering is 110 acres of bluffs and forest designated as Fern Rocks Nature Preserve. The reasons this was designated a preserve were to protect not only the sandstone bluffs, but also two endangered plants. The white flowered mint, and the grove bluegrass. many other ...Read more