Horse Campground Pond–Deer Pond, 5 lakes
8 mi · ▲ 825 ft · 3 hr 5 min
Horse Campground Pond–Deer Pond, 5 lakes is an 8-mile out-and-back in Giant City State Park near Water Valley, IL. The route passes Allen Pond and Deer Pond before reaching Horse Campground Pond at the turnaround, 4 miles in. It climbs 825 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Horse Campground Pond–Deer Pond, 5 lakes
8 mi · ▲ 825 ft · 3 hr 5 min
Elevation 509–799 ft
Out & Back · Giant City State Park
Trailhead: River To River Trail · 37.59297, -89.15700
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:43 AM · sunset 6:58 PM
- Start on River To River Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Red Cedar Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miPass Allen Pond.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.4 miPass Deer Pond.
- 2.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miReach Horse Campground Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto River to River Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Red Cedar Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto River to River Trail, heading NE.
- 1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.8 mi in (~79 min). Leave by 5:20 PM for the 6:58 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:27 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from River To River Trail Trailhead
- Makanda Pond–Campground Pond, 4 sights 9.4 mi · ▲ 1,008 ft
- Campground Pond & Horse Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 427 ft
- Allen Pond–Campground Pond, 4 sights 6.1 mi · ▲ 599 ft
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