It’s safe to say the Kickapoo Rail Trail, and specifically the stunning Trestle Bridge crossing of Illinois’s only Wild & Scenic River, the Middle Fork of the Vermilion, have ignited a firestorm of interest in future recreational opportunities in our county.
One key way to further capitalize on this enthusiasm is to construct a scenic overlook of the Vermilion River Valley near Gray’s Siding Rd. along US Rte. 150.
The view from the top of the hill along 150 is stunning, offering unobstructed view of the valley floor below for miles in all directions. The view overlooks the confluence of the Middle and Salt Forks of the Vermilion River, the founding location of Vermilion County. From the top, you can easily see the hills bounding the Salt Fork river as it cuts is way toward the confluence.
The land necessary for the overlook is already owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the view is thinly hiding behind a shallow wall of trees. Adding this overlook to the existing, soon to be completed, trail infrastructure has huge potential for adding more tourist and recreational impact to the KRT.
Lastly, development of the overlook opens up the logical progression of further natural surface trail development within a little used area of Kickapoo State Recreation Area just to the south of US 150.