Cove Hollow Trail
I have hiked this trail, coupled with the Cedar Lake Trail twice now. It is a very good hike. The trail head is located off Route 127 south of Murphysboro, then turn on Dutch Ridge Road, to Cove Hollow Road. Cove Hollow Road ends in a dead end where the trail head is located. There are some signs that will help lead you from the highway to the trail head.
The trail is very easy to follow, and I never felt lost or confused about where the trail was located. There is a place about a third of the way into the trail, where a hiker can choose to take a detour called “Wolf’s Den Trail” it loops back around to the main Cove Hollow Trail. When the hiker reaches the end of the Cove Hollow Trail, they will see the trail head for the Cedar Lake Trail, right across a road, called Boat Dock Road. The Cedar Lake Trail is also well maintained and adds about 4 miles to the whole hike, for a total of around 10 miles, give or take a mile. My clicker never seems to give me proper numbers; probably because I switch off running and hiking the trail when I’m out there.
The Cove Hollow Trail has about 3 or 4 impromptu campsites, which people have made over the years, and allows easy access to Cedar Lake. There is also a “Wow” factor when it comes to many of the rock and bluff formations. It is not a boring trail.
There are a couple of creek crossings and even more of them if Cedar Lake Trail is added into the hike. The “Wolf’s Den’ bypass will take the hiker to the top of the bluffs to view the flora and fauna up top. The rock bluff tops, with lichen and stunted trees growing, are stark compared to the lush forest below the bluffs.
Be prepared to take some pictures while you’re out, and maybe do a little fishing. The Cove Hollow Trail is a gem.
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