Explore the Giant City Lodge and Water Tower

Makanda, Illinois

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Details

Distance

0.25 miles

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Lucas Bremer

After hiking one of Giant City State Park's many trails, step back in time or climb the stairs to the best view in Illinois at the Giant City Lodge and Water Tower.

Like 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 best meals in Southern Illinois. The rustic beauty of the building is found no where else in Illinois.

Also adjacent to the lodge are over 30 cabins for rent. You may recognize the lodge from recent movies. Gone Girl shot several scenes here and nearby locations in the park.

For the best view in Southern Illinois, climb the 123 step spiral staircase to the water tower observation deck. You can see for miles in every direction and get the full view of the Shawnee National Forest.

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Features

Chillin

Photography

Hiking

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Bathrooms

Easy Parking

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Scenic

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Nearby

Hike the Giant City Nature Trail

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Hike or Climb Devil's Standtable

Devil's Standtable was once a large block of the bluff that cracked loose during earth movements. The wind and rain erosion of the surface removed the softer areas of sandstone in the mid-section of the pillar leaving the large base and iron embedded cap much larger, which creates the mushroom-like appearance. These types of spires are often seen in Utah or Arizona, so to see one in the Midwest...

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Hike the Stonefort Trail

The massive stone wall was at one time 285 feet long, six feet high, and nine feet thick. The appearance of a “stone fort” or stone wall here at Giant City is one of at least ten in Southern Illinois. The trail begins at the parking lot and traverses a intermittent cascade waterfall that is amazing after snow melt or spring rains. It is steep and rugged, so be sure to wear quality shoes. Once ...