Five days ago we headed south from St. Louis into truly amazing country but apparently off the technical grid, at least as far as Verizon is concerned. We spent 3 days at Johnson's Shut-ins State Park, but there is a five day delay on my blog because there was no internet, phone, or TV reception. TV is not a big deal to me and nobody much calls me but no internet meant no blog and no research for my book.
But, it was a worthwhile tradeoff. Johnson's Shut-ins may sound like an elderly care center but it is an incredible geologic formation where the Black River is 'shut-in' by walls of granite and strewn with granite boulders. The first part of the trail is a boardwalk and includes 200 stairs. We elected to take the 200 stairs back because at the end of the boardwalk, it switches to stone steps with big drop-offs and one hiker told us that after that part it gets worse. So we opted for discretion over valor. But the scenery is spectacular.
The sign below is apparently in place because of a dam breach in 2005 dumping one and a half billion gallons of water into this valley. Fortunately the siren didn't sound while we were there because running uphill really isn't in our repertoire. The upper right photo is some of the rocks in the Shut-ins; lower left is the trail after the boardwalk; and lower right is a view from the overlook.
The sign below is apparently in place because of a dam breach in 2005 dumping one and a half billion gallons of water into this valley. Fortunately the siren didn't sound while we were there because running uphill really isn't in our repertoire. The upper right photo is some of the rocks in the Shut-ins; lower left is the trail after the boardwalk; and lower right is a view from the overlook.
When the dam was breached, it flooded the old campground so a new one was built on higher ground. It is very nice with excellent campsites on five loops. In the middle is a campstore, which isn't open during the week at this time of year. Too bad, because they carry ice cream.
But there is a wi-fi spot and you can sit at a picnic table on the front porch and connect. There is also a laundry--with views like I've never seen from a laundry.
The only thing in the campground that gives one pause is the sign at the beginning of each loop about bears. We didn't see any and the campground hostess assured us that they had never seen any. Still, there's the signs.
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