Red Cedar Hiking Trail, Giant City State Park

Giant City State Park, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (near Makanda, Jackson and Union Counties)

Giant City State Park, near Makanda in far southern Illinois, is known for the sandstone bluffs and formations that give it its name. Its Red Cedar Hiking Trail is the park’s backpacking route: a 12-mile loop that Illinois DNR says “provides an invigorating challenge to the truly dedicated backpacker and offers an overnight campsite at the halfway point.”

It’s the longest and hardest trail in the park, with rough, sometimes overgrown footing and stream crossings that rise after rain.

The hike

Wikipedia puts the park at about 4,000 acres in Jackson and Union Counties. Its lodge and first cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934-35 from locally quarried sandstone and local timber. The park also holds the Giant City Stone Fort Site, a prehistoric site on the National Register of Historic Places, and connects to the River to River Trail.

Illinois DNR’s brochure says the Red Cedar Trail begins at the back of the Family Camping Area and crosses the Horse Trail and the River to River Trail at several points. It’s marked with white diamonds with a red spot; double white bands with red spots mean a change in direction. The Daily Egyptian adds that yellow poles and brown signs help hikers back onto the route.

The National Recreation Trails database describes “a little of everything Giant City has to offer on this trail, including oak-hickory forests, rocky creeks, and sandstone bluffs and shelters,” and puts the primitive campground about 5.5 miles in, hiking counterclockwise. The Daily Egyptian’s Elizabeth Biernacki adds prairies to the mix and calls the trail “extremely rugged,” with steep drop-offs, stream crossings, rocks, and fallen trees. She estimates about seven hours for the full loop and says stream crossings can run mid-calf to thigh deep after rain.

The DNR brochure lists the hazards: steep sandstone cliffs and slippery surfaces, poison ivy, and copperheads, which it says hibernate in the sandstone cliffs. Hunters may be in the area, and the trail closes during shotgun deer season.

For a longer backpacking trip in the Shawnee hills to the east, see the Garden of the Gods loop.

Tips

Register first. The DNR says to get your camping permit at the Visitor Center or from site security.
Carry water. The brochure says park streams aren’t safe to drink without purification.
Leave time. Biernacki suggests at least five hours of daylight to reach camp.
Wear long pants. She warns of poison ivy and thorns.
Mind the crossings. Streams can be thigh-deep after rain.
Check the season. The trail closes during shotgun deer season.

Camping

Backpackers camp only at the designated Red Cedar campsite on the trail. The DNR brochure says “CAMPING ANYWHERE BESIDES DESIGNATED CAMP SITES IS PROHIBITED,” and the park’s page says pre-registration is required at the Visitors Center or with the campground host. Fires are allowed only on the fire pads at the camping area, and cutting standing trees for firewood is prohibited. Bring your own water; the brochure says park streams must be purified.

Inside Intel: We didn’t find a camper account recommending a particular spot at the Red Cedar campsite, which is the trail’s only camp. Reviewers on The Dyrt confirm it’s there: Sadie R. wrote in 2020 that “there is also an official primitive camping site halfway through the 12 mile loop,” and called the full loop “a challenge” she enjoyed.

Trail facts

Distance: About 12 miles (DNR); 11.2 miles per the National Recreation Trails database
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Strenuous for the region
Campsites: One designated backpack campsite, about halfway (about 5.5 miles counterclockwise)
Water: Streams only; purify all water
Permits: Camping permit from the Visitor Center or site security
Fires: Only on fire pads at the campsite
Markings: White diamonds with a red spot
Trailhead: Back of the Family Camping Area, Giant City State Park
Last verified: October 7, 2026

The Lowdown

The lone campsite on the Red Cedar loop:

The Red Cedar Trail has one designated campsite, about halfway around the rugged loop. Side sleepers can improve their night there with these pad and pillow tips.

See the tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.