Four Hikes, Five Ecologies near SIUE Register

Date and Time:
Tue, May 20, 2025; 9:30 AM (Central)

Organized By: Eastern Missouri Group

Location: SIUE Cross Country Course on North University Drive, Edwardsville, IL

Map | Directions

Event Organizers:
Richard Armstrong
   rickarmstrongpi@gmail.com
   (314) 691-4613

Place: Meet at the SIUE Cross Country Course on North University Drive. Take I-55 into Illinois. In about 10 miles, take the I-255 North exit. Drive about 3 miles on I-255 north to New Poag Road.  Turn right (east) for 3 miles.  Turn right (south) on North University drive.  In 0.2 miles, the parking lot is on the right. Coordinates: 38.811094, -89.993600

Description: Experience up to five distinct ecologies near Edwardsville. We will start with a 2-2.5 mile hike at a moderate pace on the shaded mountain bike trails on the SIUE campus including a spur to the SIUE Gardens. Then we will drive 5 minutes to the Watershed Nature Reserve [restrooms here!] and have an easy 1.5-mile hike around their lake and wetlands. Another 5-minute drive brings us to a 3.5-mile moderate hike in Bohm Woods and Drda Woods Nature Preserves. The former features an old-growth mesic bottomlands forest while ecologists are restoring a forest in the latter preserve. After another 5-minute drive, are you ready for a flat half mile 0.5-mile easy hike on the Poag Sand Prairie being restored? It is a rare ecology left by the glaciers!  Local land conservancies and other volunteer organizations are instrumental in maintaining Bohm Woods, Drda Woods, and Poag Sand Prairie.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate on well-maintained dirt trails including some hills. There is a long climb up to Drda Woods.

• All participants must sign a Sierra Club waiver. Sign-up under Outings on the EMG website. 
• A one dollar per person Sierra Club donation is requested.  
• Guns are prohibited.
• Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome.

Carry at least one quart of water and an energy snack. There are restrooms at Watershed Nature Center, not at the initial trailhead.

If you ARE coming, please RSVP on the EMG website.

WEBSITES:
SIUE trails: https://gorctrails.com/sites/default/files/media/Media%20Root/siue_0.pdf
SIUE Gardens: https://www.siue.edu/gardens/
Watershed Nature Center: https://www.cityofedwardsville.com/475/List-of-Parks-in-Edwardsville
Bohm Woods Preserve: https://heartlandsconservancy.org/explore/bohm-woods-nature-preserve/
Poag Sand Prairie: https://heartlandsconservancy.org/explore/poag-sand-prairie/