Backpacking Trip: Shawnee NF - Lusk Creek to Garden of the Gods

Thursday Night, we will camp at Pound Hollows (Pine Ridge Campgrounds). We will backpack 3 nights Friday Night thru Sunday Night).

We will start a Lusk Creek and end at Garden of the Gods. The miles will depend on which trails we take.

The exact route will be determined. If we stay on the River to River Trail the whole time, it will be 25+ miles. I am planning a taking a few side trails.

The areas we are hiking thru going from west to east on the River to River Trail.

1. Lusk Creek Wilderness Area: A backpacker's paradise of rocky glens, deep canyons, and a pristine stream. The trail enters Lusk Creek Wilderness. The horseback riding community has given colorful names to the landmarks along the trail: Bootleggers Crossing, Bowed Tree Crossing, Owl Bluff and Dinner Table Rock.

2. One Horse Gap: The "gap" (large enough for only one horse to pass) connects the ridge top with a trail that goes along the base of a cliff. Meandering to the west, the R2R eventually reaches another landmark with a curious name: One Horse Gap. It's a very appropriate label, as the trail traverses a bluff line using a narrow crevice suitable for only one horse -- or hiker -- at a time.

3. Garden of the Gods: Vistas and wild rock formations. This recreation area is the crown jewel of the Shawnee National Forest, so it's no surprise that the R2R would be routed through it. Camel Rock is the most famous landmark here, but the trail also passes a feature that is sometimes overlooked by visitors: A large natural arch above the Garden of the Gods entrance road.

Maps: https://www.cloudvault.usda.gov/index.php/s/1OZ5Xhgbda3EUo9?path=%2FAvenza

___________________________________

Pound Hollows/Rim Rock National Trail: Relax in the tranquility of this 25 acre picturesque lake nestled in a deep, wooded valley. Enjoy camping picnicking, fishing, paddle-boating and swimming. Hike the Rim Rock trail which meanders through native hardwoods, past the remains of an old Indian Wall. Take the rock stairway to the valley leading to a huge rock shelter bluff called Ox-Lot Cave. Pass through “Fat Man’s Misery”, a narrow passageway through massive cliffs and huge boulders.