FR 250 — Gilson Hills in IL -- Free Camping & Overnight Parking in Illinois

AnyRoost

FR 250 — Gilson Hills in IL

Shawnee NF, Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District
590 ft
Maps
Overnight camping allowedRUTTED
VerizonWEAK
AT&TNONE
T-MobileUNMEASURED
StarlinkFAIR

A 0.9-mile stretch of dirt National Forest road in Alexander County, IL. The road is open seasonally, May 9 to December 9.

Shawnee National Forest, Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District allows dispersed camping here -- 14-day limit in any 28 days.

All 0.9 miles in are maintained only for high-clearance vehicles. Dirt the whole way in (0.9 miles). Climbs 50 ft over 0.9 miles -- sustained grades near 18%, with pitches to 30%.

Private here -- the nearest through road is 1.4 miles off. Open country -- nothing named rises within 30 miles of here. Night skies measure Bortle 3 -- a dark rural sky. The nearest town, Scott City, is 8.7 mi off.

September normals 58–81°F, 3.3″ rain. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.

Nearby Spots
Honey School Lookout (FR 656) in ILForest Road Road0.9miOld Goat (FR 625) in ILDispersed Camping2.7miSlick Ridge (FR 262) in ILDispersed Camping3.7miGail Trail RD (FR 272) in ILForest Road Road3.8miBean Ridge Spur 1 (FR 695) in ILDispersed Camping4.0mi
Fire restrictions

Set by Shawnee National Forest, Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District. Stage 1 and 2 orders change within days -- check the current order before you build a fire.

fs.usda.gov
Sources checked August 2026Something wrong here?