HIKING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

from Lake of Egypt Living Fall 2020

LOCAL TEENS COMPETE

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• 4,800 sq. ft. of Equipment • Cardio Machines • Free Weights • Group Fitness Classes • and More

The Fitness Center also has their own “Spa room” providing massage therapy and facials. Dustin Allard is a highly rated licensed massage therapist and Jill Fehring is an exceptional aesthetician who o ers facials, eyebrow/eyelash tinting, eyebrow/lip waxing. Members and Non-members are enjoying the “Spa room”.

Additionally, there are two functional medicine trained dietitians that specialize in improving the health of people with chronic disease, inflammation, weight control, GI problems, joint pain etc. They use integrative concepts to look at the root causes of symptoms to determine an individualized diet plan, lifestyle, and targeted professional grade supplements.

Let Lake of Egypt Fitness assist you with all your health and wellness goals.

AS LOW AS $25 PER MONTH

303 Sleepy Hollow Ln Marion, IL 62959 618-967-7830

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HIKING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

Some of the most invigorating and peaceful times of your life can be spent hiking the trails of Southern Illinois.

GARDEN OF THE GODS More than 320 million years ago, the wind and rain patiently started to chisel away at large deposits of sedimentary rock located in what is now, Shawnee National Forest . Over the years, the elements have sculpted some of the most stunning and extraordinary rock formations known to man. is garden of sandstone sculptures and vast untouched wilderness was ttingly named Garden of the Gods.

DIXON SPRINGS STATE PARK e main trail at Dixon Springs State Park has a split personality. It starts o as Pine Tree Trail, changes into Oak Tree Trail, and nally calls itself Blu Trail. It doesn’t take a Rhodes scholar to gure out what hikers pass through on this route, but you should know it’s geared for folks with intermediate trail experience. Mosquitos and ticks can be bothersome here, but it’s nothing a little diligence can’t handle. e many, many wild owers and the late-October leaf display are what you’ll come back for.

FERNE CLYFFE A splashing waterfall, intermittent and majestic at 80 feet high, is one of the soul-refreshing sights encountered at Ferne Cly State Park. To view it at its best, take either the easy Big Rocky Hollow Trail at 1 mile or the moderately di cult Waterfall Trail at 0.75 mile. Because Ferne Cly e is known for its unusual rock formations, it’s nice to know some of the more impressive ones can be seen from the park’s 10 trails. HawksCave Trail, an easy 1-mile hike, goes past a shelter blu , which is the largest in southern Illinois. ose with more experience might want to attempt the mile-long Round Blu Nature Preserve Trail. Equestrians use some of the 15 miles of hiking byways, but you’re welcome to hoof it along with them.

GIANT CITY STATE PARK Giant City State Park It makes sense that a beautifully rugged place like Giant City State Park would have a few rugged trails, but how does more than 20 miles sound? e granddaddy of them all is Red Cedar Hiking Trail, clocking in at 16 miles. Several shorter trails, such as the mile-long Giant City Nature Trail, are great to hike when your time is limited. Trillium Trail, 2-miles-long, is a self-guiding nature hike with the spotlight on wild owers. A blacktopped surface makes the Post Oak Nature Trail wheelchair accessible, and at one-third mile, seniors like it, too. Geology bu s love the blu s, carved by nature from Makanda sandstone and towering up to 100 feet above the forest oor.

LAKE MURPHYSBORO STATE PARK Is there anything as stunning as a mature forest re ected in a quiet lake? Whether you hike during the green of spring and summer or in the gold of autumn, Lake Murphysboro is a beautiful setting. e park’s only trail, Walk-away, starts at the campgrounds and stretches in a northwesterly direction for 3.5 miles. e trail is classed as a moderate, with one stairway having 50 or so steps. Watch for shore birds, like sandpipers and wood ducks, along a short section of the trail and enjoy the wealth of plant and animal life that characterizes the whole of Lake Murphysboro.

MERMET LAKE Two interpretive nature trails are tucked into the waterfowl refuge known as Mermet Lake. e Mermet Swamp Trail is a half-mile in length, and a brochure accompanies the Mermet Faltwoods Trail, which is 1 mile long. Both trails are easy enough for family hikers to tackle. Fi een trees are identi ed on each trail, and many types of waterfowl can be seen along the way. Eagles have been known to nest in the area in the fall. Because both trails are in a waterfowl area,

they are closed during fall hunting season. Herpephobes should watch their step snakes just love swampy areas like this.

PYRAMID STATE PARK Pyramid State Park With its large Canada goose and beaver populations, Pyramid State Park is a natural for wildlife enthusiasts. e park features a long, interconnected system of trails for both hiking and equestrian use. A portion of the 16.5-mile system is called Rugged 10-Mile Trail, but before you think you need to be a tri-athlete to attempt it, you should know it got its name for its length rather than its severity. It’s actually rather moderate. Keep in mind trails are closed during rearm deer season. Trails are closed to equestrian and biking use October 15, April 15 each year. Pyramid’s forested hills and scenic lakes may leave you doubting this is a reclaimed strip mine area. Once you take to the trails, you’ll know why this is such a popular place.

CAVE-IN-ROCK STATE PARK Few natural formations are as awe-inspiring or intriguing as a cave. e deep, dark recesses immediately conjure up images of adventure and mystery.

At Cave-In-Rock in southern Illinois, atop the high blu s overlooking the scenic Ohio River, the heavily wooded park is named for the 55-footwide cave that was carved out of the limestone rock by water thousands of years ago. In addition to the natural splendor of the cave itself, the park contains hiking trails of moderate di culty for exploration and appreciation of tranquil forests and inspiring views. ere are three developed playground areas for children and shaded picnic areas situated throughout the park provide tables and grills. Four large picnic shelters are available for group gatherings.

A pond is available for shing, and the Ohio River provides excellent shing, boating and water sport opportunities. e river can be accessed directly from two boat ramps.

BELL SMITH SPRINGS Bell Smith Springs is one of the most beautiful recreation areas the Shawnee National Forest has to o er. It contains a series of clear, rocky streams and scenic canyons bordered by high sandstone cli s and an abundance of vegetation unique to Illinois. e trail system consists of eight miles of interconnected trails featuring strange and wonderful rock formations, such as Devil's Backbone, Boulder Falls and a natural rock bridge. Hiking this system of trails is a favorite activity because of the rock features, scenic overlooks, hidden springs and lush ora and fauna.

HERON POND e area has extensive stands of high quality upland forest and limestone glade communities representative of the Lesser Shawnee Hills Section of the Shawnee Hills Natural Division and high quality swamp and oodplain forests typical of the Bottomland Section of the Coastal Plain Natural Division. e 1,861 acres are divided into three units: Heron Pond-Wildcat Blu , Goose Pond, and Boss Island-Boulder Slope Woods. Special features of the area include a portion of the Cache River oodplain bounded by steep blu s on the north and by lower sandstone blu s on the east and west. e swamps are dominated by water tupelo and bald cypress, some of which are among the oldest trees in Illinois. ere is critical habitat for Illinois threatened and endangered species and federally endangered species, a heron rookery and the presence of many other plant and animal species limited to the Coastal Plain Division. is preserve is a good place to see black vulture, red-shouldered hawk, barred owl, Acadian ycatcher, parula warbler, yellow-throated warbler and Kentucky warbler. n

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Solar Goes Big in Little Egypt

BY SHARIFF SHAKIR

It has been a tough year to be an American business, but AES Solar continues to make strides and offer the best solar experience in Southern Illinois. We are blessed and grateful to work in a thriving industry, and to be able to do our work in a safe and socially distant way with little to no change to our process. Over the last several months we have beefed up that process with some exciting new developments. AES is committed to installing quality systems and staying up-to-date in a cutting-edge industry. We are proud to now hold five in-house certifications through the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Our three Technical Sales Professionals are able to design expert systems, and our Founder and Chief Tech, Aur Beck, holds two more certifications with NABCEP; Certified PV Installer and Inspector. Being able to handle so much in-house also means a more streamlined experience for our customers, which translates into dollars saved. Last year Aur earned his FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot's License, and Sales Manager Shariff Shakir was recently licensed as well, putting us in a unique position to offer hi-tech site scouting and documentation. This service extends beyond our own projects as well. For example, Aur was recently contracted to document the massive new solar installation at John A. Logan College in the way only

a licensed drone pilot can. With all of this know-how, certification, and experience, we are able to pick up where other solar installers have left off. If an installation was left incomplete by a company that is no longer in business, or if it was installed by someone else and needs to be tuned up, AES Solar can handle the job. With schools lining up for installations through the Illinois Solar Schools program, a new initiative to help non-profits save money by going solar, and many megawatts left to install, it's sure to continue to be an eventful year for AES Solar. Find us on Facebook or visit aessolar. com to stay up-to-date and learn more. n

WHATEVER the summer forecast,

WE PREDICT COOL TEMPERATURES.

Make sure your system is ready to beat the heat. Fowler Heating & Cooling will keep you cool by maintaining your current system or by installing a new energy-efficient Bryant® cooling system. We have been serving our friends and neighbors for over 41 years and we proudly provide same day service. Our experienced service staff is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Schedule an appointment today.

(618) 997-5288

423 South Court Street | Marion | Illinois

boat rentals

cabin rentals

SINGLE & DOUBLE CHALETS The Resort offers both single and double chalet models to accommodate your whole family. Chalets include a fully furnished kitchen, bathroom, living area, wood deck with grill and boat dock.

1 - 6 Guests Full Size Bedroom 2 Loft Bedrooms 1 Bathroom Non-Smoking A/C Unit Dogs Allowed Free WIFI Towels & Linens Oven & Stove Top Microwave Refrigerator Deck with Grill Boat Dock Cable TV Cookware

RESERVE YOUR CABIN NOW! Visit egyptianhillsresort.com to take a virtual tour of our cabins, view availability or make your reservation.

THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR FAMILY GETAWAY

8 & 10 PERSON PONTOONS The Resort offers quality, comfortable pontoons that you can reserve. Availability on weekends and holidays can be limited, so be sure to schedule your boat in advance!