I took visitors down for a tour and we had a great time! This was an amazing break from screens and…read morecars to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Max knows so much about the swamp! He was personable and good about helping people with mobility issues get into the canoes and kayaks safely. This was an amazing break from screens and cars to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. We had older people who can't walk very far, so this was the perfect way to get out into nature like we used to. Caveat: the office is up some stairs, so if you can't do stairs you'll need to say so. The bathroom is primitive, try not to need it. -Mrs. Dan

Mark and Logan were awesome. Our tour was incredible. We took the sunset canoe trip and we were…read moregone a little over 2 hours. Logan was very nice and very informative. The water was a bit shallow and we got stuck a couple times in the river part of the swamp but through the swamp it was perfect. There were quite a bit of the Asian carp so something to be wary of if this freaks people out but we were just fine. Extremely beautiful and something I would definitely do again. Mark did a military discount. Kudos. Thank you for doing this. Well worth every penny.

A tiny gem in the heart of Carbondale. Tucked away in the low hills southeast of the city center,…read moreBrush Hill Preserve certainly doesn't announce its presence; you may have driven by it a dozen times and never noticed the sign. (A tip for finding it is below.) It's just one of several preserves maintained by Green Earth Inc., and it's whet my palate to explore the others. A single trail twists gradually down a hillside covered in trees and lush vegetation. It forms a loop -- a feature of trails I LOVE -- of one mile. Two loops makes a very nice jogging circuit with some serious grade. If you're training for cross-country or just tired of the flats of Campus Lake, Brush Hill is your answer! A cute brochure is available on the Green Earth website, so you can check out what the 7 numbered posts refer to (woodpeckers, seasonal pond, etc.). The single-file dirt trail is beautifully maintained, with gradual slopes and stone and wooden steps inserted as necessary. The bends are smooth, with no switchbacks. No poisonous plants line the path. Birds are obviously happy about being there, and you will be too! Tip for finding it: it's immediately next door to the Carbondale Township Fire Department on Park St. As you're looking at the FD from Park St., the Preserve's gravel parking lot is just to the right.

My grandson received an injury while attending a week long stay at Ondessonk in June 2026. The skin…read morewas scrapped off his knee completely. His mother received a voicemail saying that he had been injured but that it was not bad. He spent the night in the clinic and the next day his father picked him up as it was the last day of camp. The knee was wrapped and no one came out to explain what had happened. After the 2 hour trip home the leg was unwrapped exposing the injury. They rushed him to a nearby clinic to have it properly diagnosed and evaluated. The Camp and the Belleville Diocese although being informed has not made any efforts to apologize or check on his well being. I will not be sending my grandchildren there in the future due to their inept handling of this situation.

Catholic youth summer camp, located about 2.5 hours drive from St. Louis, in Southern Illinois…read more Kids sleep in rustic "cabins" (not fully enclosed, so bring mosquito netting!) in the woods, segregated into multiple named camps (groups of cabins), with the boys all on one side of the lake, girls on the other. Lots of fun activities, including swimming, hiking, horseback riding, archery, target shooting, climbing wall, ropes course, crafts, outdoor skills, nature exploration, and more. It's not convenient for us to get to, but everyone we've known who's gone has loved it and wants to do it again the next year. Be careful about using Google for directions. If you punch in the address, it correctly finds it, but if you just search for Camp Ondessonk it puts a pin in the map in the wrong location, looks like a few miles away from the actual camp, at somebody's house. Hopefully they'll get this fixed soon.

This is a nice mark tucked on the north side of Carterville. We came here for my nephew's soccer…read moregame. The fields were in good shape, the park was well maintained, there was a nice walking path, and the bathroom was clean.

A nice clean park. The grass is mowed and the lake is clean. I am happy to spend some time there.read more

An excellent rail trail connecting 45 miles of truly rural spaces, this made for a great 2-day…read morebikepacking excursion. We cycled from Harrisburg to Karnak, stayed the night in a campground right at the end of the trail, and returned home the following day. If you were to start this exact trail from any population center, it would be teeming with visitors. But that's not the reality here. We didn't see more than two dozen other cyclists total in 2 weekend days in May -- we damn near had the place to ourselves. And we were the only campers at the campground on a Saturday night (although some people might have stayed away because of rain in the forecast). The path itself is in really good shape for such an old trail. It's well-maintained and well-marked, and best of all, it's shade the whole way. You're almost always surrounded by trees. The terrain is surprisingly interesting, and for a number of miles you follow wetlands. I also particularly liked the bridges, which employ used railroad ties beautifully. And of course, there is the namesake tunnel, which you hit around mile 22. If there is a downside, it's the relative lack of amenities. You're not going to have ample choices for groceries or restaurants. But at least water stations and dry good shops are still around every several miles. And you're not here for the restaurants anyway.

In 2023, I toyed around with the idea of bridging the gap between 50km and the 50 mile distance. It…read morewas bothering me as I raced marathons and 50km that year until it happened. Maybe I have what I takes. I looked for a 50 mile distance race that had a very generous time limit on ultrasignup.com. I found Tunnel Hill 100 mile and 50 mile distance events in Vienna, IL. They offer 30 hours for both distances, so I would be able to complete the 50 miles with plenty of time to spare. I shared my findings on social media and they told me to go for it. And so, I did. Signing up online was easy, with prices under $100, you do get a bang for your running dollar. In the ensuing months before race day, it was on the back of my mind. Race day comes and I was not really nervous. Probably more excited than anything. My friend and I arrived in his rental car. We drove from Crystal Lake, IL. We lucked out on parking here and proceeded to packet pick up for our race bibs. Once secured, we milled around the mass group of participants that have joined that morning. After a brief race morning announcement, we were under way at 7am. The course was a figure 8, mostly trail with a lot of scenery and trees. The 50 mile course was a 13.1 mile out and back, then roughly 12 miles out and 11 miles on the return for the 50 miles. 100 miles repeat the 50 mile loop on the next set of 50 miles. It was literally that simple from a running standpoint. I started the race with mix emotions but every mile that checks off was me getting closer to the goal. The overall feeling of making it was electric and amazing at the same time. It was just after 2:30am when I crossed the finish line. No fanfare but just me and my thoughts. I figure that's how it is with these long distance running events, but I proved to myself that I can. There was a few aid stations on the course, but best thing was to carry your own aid if you need extra. But I carried my Starbucks cup, so I could carry water in between aid stations. Thank you to all the volunteers who make this event possible! When I made it to 35 miles, I knew I was in uncharted territory. I was tired and exhausted. I kept going and took breaks at the aid stations when necessary. It rain heavy that evening in 2024, which added an hour to my total time, but I didn't care at all. Just wanted to finish. Each step was a victory for me, especially after 40 miles and during the lonely stretches where it was just me and my thoughts. For the most part though, it was the greatest thing I've done since my 1st marathon in 2007. It was amazing to see other accomplished runners with me on the course that day / night. Happy that I finished and not doubted myself even just once. Happy for myself and that I believed in myself. Grateful and blessed. Tunnel Hill 100 mile ultra endurance event is staged at the Vienna City Park in Vienna, IL. They accept registrations annually at ultrasignup.com, which generally requires major credit cards as payment. As far as parking for race weekend, you just need to get here as soon as you can. Once other race participants arrive, it fills up pretty fast and they have another parking area for you to go to, but it is a half mile walk from the race venue. As far as public transportation, there is virtually none here. You would have to rent a car or have one of your own to get here. The closest airport will be in St. Louis, Missouri. Or Paducah, Kentucky. I happen to be driving from Chicago Illinois, because it was the cheapest I could find, flying into Chicago. For the most part though, it was a life changing experience for me and one that I won't ever forget forever. Definitely a place and race that can surely be the one you want to do your ultra distance in. Definitely a place where you can just let loose and enjoy the scenery while you crank the miles for your favorite distance or go race. If you don't have any yet or don't want to run Chicago, considered coming to this one since it's pretty awesome. Low-key and definitely a good vibe for all those involved. 5.0 stars for the overall experience Support local! A+

This is a great company to rent kayaks from! They did everything for us and it was easy to schedule…read moreand pay as a large group! Thanks!

I recently lost my beloved cat. I just went into the store and looked around for a minute and then…read moreasked if they have any cats available for adoption. A girl working, answered in the rudest way possible "Pet stores can't sell cats in Illinois" and stormed past me. She didn't mention anything about humane shelters or elaborate on why the answer was no. She couldn't even stop walking for a second to assist me. She seemed very irritated that a customer had a question for her. This business does not care about animals (or people), they only want to make a quick buck and send you on your way. What a shame. I strongly recommend spending your money elsewhere.

The owners now have new fish tanks (awful) an less variety . But since the tank change the variety…read moreis less appealing and some of the fish look sickly. Their aquatic plants are marked about $2 higher than you can get at petco. However they do have a variety of lizards. But it just seems their fish caring educated staff that previously worked their are all gone and it shows. Sorry Ds Pets I'm very cautious of what I would buy from you. Be sure you have an isolation tank to treat the fish first! (NOTE.. I have 7 fish tanks ranging from 90 gallon 70 gallon a 55 gallon and 3 of the 32 gallon on racks etc.. This is not counting the Tague Beardies the veils. Yes I am retired and its a hobbie.) I BUY MY FEEDERS ONLY FROM TIMBERINE in marion Illinois. Sorry my pets come first.

Have been going here for 5 years and never had a problem until the other day the newer Office…read morestaff that is half my age scolded me and then left a sticky note on his heartworm pill box she said was "from the veterinarian" about how I should be more consistent with my purchases. My dog is 13 and has never tested positive although we occasionally miss doses if we can't get over there during their very limited office hours. he is an indoor dog that is well cared for.

Not taking new clients !! Just wanted to neuter stray male in my Yard. It's no wonder we have the…read moreproblem with cats in this areas.