LaRue-Pine Hills is one of the most unique areas in the world. LaRue-Pine Hills is a protected area within the Shawnee National Forest. As the Big Muddy River flowed out from the uplands it was channelized between levees on it route to the Mississippi River. The channel that the river abandoned evolved into a swamp at the base of the Pine Hills Bluff, part of the Ozark Hills of Southern Illinois. Enough water made its way into the swamp to allow ash, red swamp maple, and cypress trees to take root. As with many places in the Shawnee National Forest, the beauty we see today is rooted in its geologic history. At LaRue-Pine Hills it took millions of years to form its bedrock before nature’s erosive forces took over and created the 150-foot limestone bluffs that now rise out of the Mississippi floodplain. The rocks that make up the bluffs at LaRue-Pine Hills are Devonian age Bailey Limestone (over 400 million years old.) Limestone is composed of the shells of dead sea animals  and over millions of years these layers of shell deposits were pressed into rock. Once the sea receded, this bedrock was exposed to nature’s erosive forces. Wind and water began to wear away the rock creating ridges and gullies, carving out the beautiful limestone rock formations of LaRue-Pine Hills and the 350-foot limestone bluffs that now rise out of the Mississippi floodplain. These massive bluffs extend roughly 5 miles along Highway 3 are as impressive today as they were to explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in 1803.

Flanking the LaRue-Pine Hills on the east side between the bluffs and flatland swamps is Snake Road. Snakes and other reptiles like to hibernate in the bluffs during the winter and feed in the swamps during the warmer months. The U.S. Forest Service closes off the road between the swamp and the bluff to vehicular traffic from the first of September to mid-October to allow snakes, toads, frogs, lizards, and turtles to cross the road unmolested. The Forest Service closes the road again from mid-March to mid-May to allow the creatures to return to the swamp. Half of the 102 species of reptiles native to Illinois are involved in these migrations across what has become known as Snake Road.

There are two hiking trails at LaRue-Pine Hills. The Inspiration Point is a 1/4 mile trail that leads to a rock pinnacle called Inspiration Point. White Pine Trail is a T-bone trail with stretches of 2 miles and 2 1/2 miles. This moderate to difficult trail meanders through old wildlife openings. After the leaves have fallen, Bald Knob Cross can be seen. Horseback riding is allowed on White Pine Trail. Developed trailheads are at the north end of Pine Hills Campground and west end of trail at Allen’s Flat. The River to River Trail runs past Inspiration Point. Primitive camping is allowed at a 13 campsite campground on the property.