Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area is a National Natural Landmark designated in 1980 and located in Shawnee National Forest within Pope County, on Country Road 350E (also designated as Forest Road 848 on some maps), near Eddyville.

Description

Parking is free at two locations within the park; however, the nearby Redbud Campground has an entrance fee. Bell Smith Springs is a natural recreational area consisting of of marked trails over varied terrain surrounded by

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

cliffs, and crisscrossed by four creeks. A map and overview of the features of the park is prominently displayed at the first parking turnout and trailhead. Each trail is marked with its own unique color, usually on trees alongside the trail. The trails can be moderately strenuous; the shallow creeks occasionally wash out parts of the trail and may require wading to cross. In wet weather, parts of the trail can be hazardous due to slippery rock. A popular spot for visitors is the natural

stone arch An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct (a ...

, the largest in Shawnee National Forest with a span of , which can be found along the Natural Bridge Trail. Hikers wishing to see the arch from the top may climb metal bars embedded in the rock; or alternatively there is a longer walking route that winds around to the top. Due to the abundance of

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

vegetation Vegetation is an assemblage of plant species and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic character ...

within the park is lush. During the summer months, some of the deeper pools along the creeks are frequented by swimmers. Wildlife includes

bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...

, and

fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

es, as well as

turkeys The turkey is a large bird in the genus ''Meleagris'', native to North America. There are two extant turkey species: the wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') of eastern and central North America and the ocellated turkey (''Meleagris ocellat ...

and many other types of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

Hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

are allowed in season with a license.

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Hiking trails in Illinois Natural arches of Illinois Shawnee National Forest Protected areas of Pope County, Illinois National Natural Landmarks in Illinois Bodies of water of Pope County, Illinois Protected areas established in 1980 1980 establishments in Illinois