FR 686 — Horse Creek in IL -- Free Camping & Overnight Parking in Illinois

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FR 686 — Horse Creek in IL

Shawnee NF, Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District
680 ft
Maps
Overnight camping allowedRUTTED
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AT&TNONE
T-MobileUNMEASURED
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A 0.3-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 0.3 miles in are maintained only for high-clearance vehicles. Dirt the whole way in (0.3 miles). Climbs 0 ft over 0.3 miles -- sustained grades near 22%, with pitches to 25%.

Open country -- nothing named rises within 30 miles of here. Night skies measure Bortle 3 -- a dark rural sky. The nearest town, Cape Girardeau, is 10 mi off.

September normals 59–82°F, 3.3″ rain. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.

Nearby Spots
Mccraven (FR 220) in ILDispersed Camping0.4miSexton Crk RD (FR 512) in ILDispersed Camping3.0miOpossum Trot RD (FR 628) in ILForest Road Road3.1miBean Ridge Spur 1 (FR 695) in ILDispersed Camping3.2miSandy Creek Spur Aa (FR 1001) in ILDispersed Camping3.2mi
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?