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Dixon Springs State Park

Dixon Springs State Park is near Golconda, Illinois. It is easy to find right off of Highway 146. When we entered, we first explored the camping area from vehicle and then wen to stop at the parking lot where the bathrooms are located.

The map shows a Spring located near the bathroom at this parking lot and another one nearby. There is a beautiful stream running behind the bathroom at the parking lot and I suppose the Spring is feeding this stream. In following the stream, we also eventually found the main spring feature of the park, although we could have also found it by vehicle as there is parking in front of the main feature Spring of the park. But exploring was much more fun and adventuresome to use!

I spied some "knees" on the stream behind the bathroom. They are always fun to observe. I also liked the stone wall in this photo.

This is the main spring feature of the park looking from the parking spots. It is just beautiful! We visited July 4, 2020, but I saw this area during the rainy season of Spring 2021 online and it was quite different as the water was flowing heavily. I am not sure which I would like better as this trickling water was so peaceful and sirene, but a heavy flow would be awe-striking.

Dixon Springs was originally settled by Indians, but then later the first white settler is who the park is named after as via Wikipedia.

I loved the layers of the depth from the front waters with the water flow, to the middle layer with water flow, and to the back wall with water flow.

The camera lens loves it! The more I panned around and zoomed in and out, the more lovely composures I found.

 

We found a way to walk to the back of the area. In the Spring, I do not believe you can do this because the water flow would be to heavy and dangerous.

All along the wall were tiny waterfalls flowing through the cracks of the wall. It made me wonder how safe we were and whether or not the wall would come tumbling down unexpectantly. Obviously, it has not done it all these years, but yet you still wonder if it could happen while you are standing there.

I could just stand there and watch the water and listen to the sounds for a long time. Look at all of the places the water was flowing from. So beautiful.

I had missed the snake and a kind lady pointed it out to me. Then I was intimidated to cross back over to leave. This snake has the classic hershey kiss on its back which means it is a dangerous copperhead. The idea that there were copperheads in the area as we hiked around creeped me out a bit the whole rest of the time we were there. I did see a lot of holes in the grass which I thought were snake holes. He did leave me alone and merely continued to sunbathe.

We followed the stream back down the same way we had followed it up from the parking lot. There were a lot of snake holes in this area, but the water sounds so beautiful! These are the boulders that some people practice repelling on, I think.

The water flowing around the boulders created pockets of lovely teal colors. Hubby climbed on several of these rocks because he is a boy who has never grown up and never plans on growing up either.

This boulder made me smile as it looked like a figure with a head and a plump belly, much like the pillsbury dough boy! If you visit the park, see if you can find him.

I drew a purple line on the map that shows the way that we walked. We parked at the parking lot where the bathrooms are located and walked up to the main spring following the flow of water behind the bathrooms. Then we walked back and followed the flow of water down behind the swimming pool to Ghost Dance Trail. We never had to move our vehicle. We did later drive up to the cabins where we parked to walk across the bridge over the Spring and to the old church.

We really enjoyed our adventure down Ghost Dance Trail. It followed the same flow of water originating at the feature of the park.

I sat down in several places for a period of time and just relaxed and listened to the mini waterfalls all around.

This is a panorma photo of three photos stitched together of the view at the end. The boulders were amazing! The water was not so spectacular, but I understand that if you visit when the water is flowing more, it is quiet outstanding, but a bit dangerous. The water did continue flowing downstream, but we did not see the trail continue. You go back up the trail the same way you came.

We got back in the vehicle to drive around and explore and as we headed down the road, I had to stop and snap a photo of this tree. Now I love the word gnarly and this is just plain 'ol gnarly!

We drove up to look at the cabins and realized that you could get to the walkway over the main feature of the park from the cabins. There is not really anywhere to park up there because the parking is for the folks in the cabins, but some kind folks allowed us to park. This is the view from the walkway. In the distance you can see the wall which we would work our way around to walking across on it as well. I do not think it wetter weather you could walk across that wall.

I am getting ready to walk across the wall! How fun! You can see it is fairly wide, but then again a wrong slip and it is a long way down, so walk at your own risk. You can see that the water level is to the top on the other side and where the water is flowing through the cracks in the wall below rather than over the top.

I found the Autumn-like leaves floating in the water in the middle of the Summer quite artistic. I am kind of weird like that in how I see the world.

From atop the wall you can look up stream and see that the water comes from much further upstream. I wonder where the head of this water really begins. Is this that I am looking at actually the Spring where the water is coming up from under the ground?

We walked up the hill to see the church, but you can also drive around to get to the church. The sign reads Dixon Springs Methodist Church. "Occupy till I come" Luke 19:13. Since 1856