6 Places To Get Outdoors in Marion, IL

At Ike Honda, we believe that getting out into the great outdoors can be a wonderful way to unwind and explore nature in your local area. Here are some of the best nature-filled spots in and around Marion, Illinois, that you and your family are sure to love.

Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge

Located on the western outskirts of Marion, the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge offers so many options for hiking, camping, hunting, and wilderness education.

Avid hunters and beginners alike can enjoy the 23,000 acres of public hunting grounds full of wild turkey, deer, migratory birds, and big game, depending on the season. Plus, the refuge offers special hunting outings for children, seniors, and those with disabilities so everyone can enjoy this adventure. If you’re looking to reel in some largemouth bass, crappie, or catfish, visit the 9,000 acres of natural ponds, manmade waters, and lakes.

Discover more about the various species that live within the refuge’s bounds and conversation efforts at Crab Orchard through campfire talks, informative tours, and an auto tour perfect for photography lovers. Then, visit the Pigeon Creek Environmental Education Complex, which offers seasonal wildlife viewing tours, interactive exhibits, and education programs like the Becoming an Outdoors Family Program, where you take classes on cooking, pitching a tent, kayaking, and more basic outdoor skills that you can pass down from generation to generation.

Giant City State Park

“Wood Log Walking” used with permission via Pixabay by Free-Photos

Travel to Makanda, Illinois, about 22 miles southwest of Marion, to visit Giant City State Park. It has 85 fully equipped campsites with access to water, electricity, and bathrooms, but there are about 15 other camping sites without these amenities if you really want to rough it. You can register ahead of time online or at the visitor’s center. While you camp, you can enjoy horseback riding, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, picnicking, and viewing interesting educational exhibits.

Giant City State Park has eight trails, including Post Oak, which is handicap-accessible; Devil’s Standtable, which has a cliff where you can rock climb and rappel; and Red Cedar, which is the area’s most challenging hike at 12 miles with an overnight stay at one of the campsites. There are two trails specifically meant for horseback riding, including one you can access from the Equestrian Campground with your own horse. You can fish for largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, and the occasional channel catfish, too.

Mandala Gardens

Mandala Gardens is a 7-acre public nature area in southern Illinois that is perfect for hiking, fishing, wandering in the gardens, and viewing beautiful art like paintings and sculptures. The name Mandala Gardens comes from the Sanskrit word “mandala,” which refers to the intricate swirling circle designs found in sacred rituals, and you can find gardens, paths, and a labyrinth that pay homage to those designs.

If you’ve got a special event coming up, you can book Mandala Gardens for your wedding, shower, family gathering, or photoshoot. You can also stop by for their events, including live music, food festivals, art workshops and shows, and outdoor exercise classes, like yoga.

Visit this stunning outdoor sanctuary seven days a week, from 8 a.m. until dark. Entry is $2 per person, and the proceeds go to maintaining the beautiful gardens.

Boo Castle Park

Are you a Dungeons and Dragons fan, or do your kids love stories of castles, knights, and fantastical beasts? Then Boo Castle Park in nearby Carbondale is the outdoor location for you and your family! This private memorial park was built to honor the life and passions of Jeremy “Boo” Rochman, who passed away in a car accident in the area. He loved fantasy stories, playing D&D, and painting his own figurines, so this park honors him and provides a great escape for adults and children alike.

Stroll around this hidden gem of a park to see sculptures of dragons and large replicas of the figurines young Jeremy painted, explore the wooden castle’s tunnels, slides, and bridges, and view Jeremy’s own sword collection located in one of the towers.

Shawnee National Forest

Located between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers in southern Illinois, the Shawnee National Forest is home to many different ecological systems, resulting in a large diversity of plants and animals. Within its 289,000 acres, you can hike, bike, fish, camp, go horseback riding, hunt, and enjoy a variety of water activities. There are also a number of photo-ready spots, like Camel Rock in the Garden of the Gods Recreation Area, and fascinating natural structures, such as the Pomona Natural Bridge.

If you’re interested in history, visit the Illinois segment of the Trail of Tears to learn about the challenging terrain and the hardships during the forcible removal of the Cherokee Nation, slaves, and other tribes from their southern homelands. You can also visit one of the stops on the Underground Railroad and the Millstone Bluff Archeological area, which houses a Native American heritage site.

Shawnee Hills Wine Trail

Switch up your visit to the Shawnee National Forest area with a few glasses of wine! The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail touring company coordinates a number of events that take you through the splendor of the forest, including across the beautiful Pomona Natural Bridge, to a few different local wineries in the area. Some wineries you might visit include Owl Creek Vineyard, Pomona Winery, and Kite Hill Vineyard.

Take your partner or grab a group of friends and enjoy a weekend of tasting perfectly paired foods and wines while driving and walking through the forest’s landscape. Participate in the scavenger hunt, too, by taking photos of the special sites on the trail to win some Shawnee Hills Wine Trail swag. As part of your actual tour, you also get a souvenir glass and a chance to win exciting prizes. They even give perks to the designated driver, like food samples, non-alcoholic beverages, and chances to win cool prizes, so you can drink responsibly.

These are just some of our favorite outdoor locations in and around the Marion, Illinois, area. Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us at Ike Honda know, and we’ll be happy to add it to our must-visit list!