Into the Mild | Reflections on backpacking the Illinois River to River Trail

I thru-hiked the Illinois River to River Trail in April 2025. The clips in this video are not in exact chronological order. The trail was very muddy and this video doesn’t show the extent of the mud. The eastern half of the trail that is shared with horses and ATVs was the “muddiest.” Some portions of the trail seemed to be an off-roading course for jeeps and trucks and there was standing water mud pits. Also, in full transparency, I didn’t hike through Ferne Clyffe State Park, choosing instead to road-walk directly into, and out of, Goreville. Overall, I’m glad I hiked the trail, although I’m not sure I would do it again.