Ferne Clyffe State Park
🪨 Trusted Guide to Southern Illinois’ Hidden Canyons – Updated 2025
Waterfalls and Shelter Caves in the Shawnee Hills
Tucked into the densely forested hills of Johnson County near Goreville, Ferne Clyffe State Park spreads across 2,430 acres of rugged Shawnee Hills terrain where water-carved sandstone creates a landscape of narrow gorges, dripping rock overhangs, and seasonal waterfalls. The park’s centerpiece is a 100-foot intermittent waterfall at the head of Big Rocky Hollow — a spectacular cascade best experienced after heavy rain. Add the massive Hawks Cave shelter bluff and miles of trails through old-growth forest, and Ferne Clyffe delivers an experience more reminiscent of the Appalachians than the Illinois flatlands most visitors expect.
Big Rocky Hollow & Waterfall
The Big Rocky Hollow Trail follows a narrow canyon into the heart of the park, ending at the 100-foot waterfall that plunges over a sandstone ledge into a mossy amphitheater. After sustained rainfall, the falls are truly spectacular — a curtain of water framed by ferns, mosses, and overhanging rock. In drier months, the falls reduce to a delicate veil, but the canyon itself remains beautiful year-round.
Hawks Cave & More
- Hawks Cave: One of Illinois’ largest shelter bluffs — a 150-foot-long rock overhang that served as shelter for indigenous peoples and is now a popular picnic spot
- Cedar Bluff Trail: Ridge-top hike with panoramic views of the surrounding forest canopy
- Happy Hollow Trail: Gentle walk through wildflower-rich bottomland forest
- Ferne Clyffe Lake: 16-acre lake stocked for bass and bluegill fishing
- Rock Climbing: Sandstone bluffs offer climbing routes for experienced climbers
Practical Tips
- From Marion (20 miles): Take I-57 to Exit 40, then IL-37 South to Goreville
- Entry fee: Free (Illinois state parks are free)
- Camping: Electric and primitive sites available — reservations recommended for weekends
- Visit after rain to see the waterfall at its most dramatic — but trails can be slippery
- Trails are rocky and uneven — sturdy hiking boots recommended
- The park is part of the Shawnee National Forest region — combine with Garden of the Gods (30 miles east) for a spectacular weekend
- Spring wildflower season (April-May) is extraordinary in the sheltered hollows
