Cache River State Natural Area
Bald cypress, water tupelo, buttonbush swamps, sloughs, and migratory birds create an Illinois landscape with strong Coastal Plain affinities.
Artwork inspired by Jens Jensen
The lower Cache River occupies an old Ohio River channel and supports some of Illinois’s most distinctive wetlands. At Heron Pond, a floating boardwalk enters a bald-cypress and water-tupelo swamp; the trees’ buttressed trunks, knees, tannin-dark water, and seasonal inundation make hydrology visible. This is not a planted bayou imitation.
Begin at Barkhausen Wetlands Center for maps and natural history, then choose Heron Pond or another named trail. Flooding can close boardwalks or roads, summer humidity and mosquitoes are serious, and paddling requires current local knowledge. Quiet movement rewards visitors with prothonotary warblers, herons, frogs, and subtle water-level changes.
- Landscape
- Lower Cache River wetlands
- Signature walk
- Heron Pond boardwalk
- Oldest trees
- Centuries-old bald cypress
Quick guide
- Start with hydrology
- Learn how old river channels, levees, drainage, and restoration determine where water remains.
- Choose one access
- Barkhausen, Heron Pond, and canoe routes are separate destinations, not one continuous visitor loop.
How to make Cache River State Natural Area count
- Start with hydrology
- Learn how old river channels, levees, drainage, and restoration determine where water remains.
- Choose one access
- Barkhausen, Heron Pond, and canoe routes are separate destinations, not one continuous visitor loop.
- Listen before moving
- Bird calls, frog choruses, and splashes reveal more wildlife than fast boardwalk travel.
- Prepare for wet country
- Carry repellent, water, offline directions, and a closure check; never leave the boardwalk in flooded forest.
Good to know
Outdoor trails are available during daylight hours. The Barkhausen Wetlands Center is open Thursday–Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and closed Tuesday–Wednesday. Free lots serve the wetlands center, Heron Pond, and other trailheads. They are miles apart; navigate to the intended access rather than the broad area pin.
Notice these
- Heron Pond boardwalk
- Bald-cypress knees
- Tannin-dark water