Camp Cadiz - River to River Trail
This particular section of the River to River featured a several miles long stretch of pine forest. Photo by Jordan Goebig.
Adam and I woke up one late December morning and decided 1) we wanted to try out car-camping and 2) we wanted to get one last adventure in before the end of the year. We drove three hours south to Camp Cadiz, a small Shawnee National Forest campsite, located near Elizabethtown, perfectly placed on the River to River trail.
Trail Conditions
.5 - ???
Camp Cadiz has two trailhead options - one will take you 11 miles to Garden of the Gods. The other will take you 5 miles in the opposite direction to another River to River trail marker. The mileage options do feel truly endless. You could hike a small section, go 11 miles (camp) and then walk back 11 miles, or divvy it up in whatever way you want.
The trail is fairly well-marked and easy-to-follow. Since the River to River trail spans 160 miles total, keep in mind that you are going to walk near private properties and sometimes have to hop on the road for a second. Just keep following the trail markings and stay alert for them.
At times, the trail can be rugged and muddy. It has serious elevation shifts and can go from mud to rock surfaces quickly. Wear good shoes.
Things We Love
We’ve only done shorter sections, but since it’s a big-ass trail system, we find it to always be a quiet and peaceful experience. We’ve only encountered a handful of people on the River to River trails in the few years we’ve hiked on it.
The foliage and the topography of the trail can change quickly as you navigate across the state. It’s a unique and beautiful experience to go from climbing on rocks to a pine needle forest in less than a mile.
This is an excellent location to many, many parks and trail systems. While the campground wasn’t the most exciting, we were in the heart of Shawnee and near several state parks as well.
Lots of birds and lots of wildlife (we could sometimes hear, but could not see). There was quite a bit of coyote activity at night, so be aware of that, especially if you’re traveling with a furry buddy.
In the winter, the weather is perfect, especially for our pup.
Things to Know
Camp Cadiz is a small, first-come service campground that is open year-round. It does have a vault toilet and a water spigot. It’s a great basecamp for hiking, but it’s not particularly magical. We were able to nab (because we were the only ones there…) the one camp spot that is “in the woods.”
The River to River trail allows horses, so watch out for gigantic, stinky horse presents and be aware that their hooves can really dig up the soil and create serious mud pits. (Note: I’m not anti-horse even if this sentence seems grumpy, I love horses, but it’s a true fact from my experience.)
If you don’t feel like hiking 11 miles to Garden of the Gods, you’re just a short drive to it and many other iconic Shawnee hikes.