Southern Illinois has a 1,000-year-old cypress swamp that looks nothing like Illinois

It’s not Louisiana, it’s Illinois

Most people picture flat farmland when they think of Illinois. Fair enough.

But at the very southern tip of the state, a cypress-tupelo swamp sprawls across more than 18,000 acres in Johnson, Massac and Pulaski counties.

Cache River State Natural Area looks like it belongs in the Deep South, not the Midwest.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages the land, and the swamp holds trees older than most European cathedrals. What grows out of this water will stop you cold.

French explorers named it the “hidden river”

Glacial floodwaters from the Ohio River carved this floodplain ages ago.

When the Ohio eventually shifted to its present course, the Cache River stayed behind, winding slowly across a vast wetland basin.

Four major land regions meet right here, and that collision built a rare patchwork of habitats.

You get cypress-tupelo swamps, bottomland hardwood forests, sandstone bluffs and limestone glades all within the same preserve. French voyageurs called the river “Cache,” their word for hidden or secret place.

Some cypress trunks measure 40 feet around

Bald cypress trees in this swamp have been alive for more than 1,000 years. Their flared bases, called buttresses, stretch past 40 feet in circumference.

You can see the state champion bald cypress at Buttonland Swamp from a paved trail and observation deck.

Over at Eagle Pond, owned by The Nature Conservancy, an 850-year-old cypress stands with 209 knees poking from the water, the tallest rising over 11 feet.

The area holds 11 state champion trees total, including a cherrybark oak over 22 feet around and more than 100 feet tall.

This swamp ranks alongside the Everglades

The Ramsar Convention designated these wetlands a Wetland of International Importance in 1996, putting them in the same category as the Florida Everglades.

Two National Natural Landmarks sit within the boundaries: Buttonland Swamp and Heron Pond, both recognized by the National Park Service.

Three dedicated nature preserves protect specific habitats here: Section 8 Woods, Heron Pond-Wildcat Bluff and Little Black Slough.

More than 100 plant and animal species in the area carry threatened or endangered status from the State of Illinois.

A floating boardwalk drops you into the swamp

The Todd Fink-Heron Pond Trail runs 1.5 miles and stays easy the whole way.

You cross a truss bridge over the Cache River, and then a floating boardwalk carries you right into the middle of a cypress-tupelo swamp. Ten interpretive panels explain what you’re looking at along the way.

During the growing season, massive gray-brown trunks rise from a carpet of bright green duckweed that covers the water’s surface. A short side trail takes you to the state champion cherrybark oak.

Section 8 Woods lost its champion tree to a storm

An accessible boardwalk near the Wetlands Center leads you into Section 8 Woods Nature Preserve, where cypress and water tupelo stand in flooded forest.

The state champion water tupelo once grew here with a circumference of 22.5 feet, but a wind storm toppled it in 2020. The boardwalk still gives you clear views into the flooded canopy.

Depending on when you go, you might hear pileated woodpeckers hammering away, prothonotary warblers singing or winter wrens calling from the understory.

Paddle calm water past the oldest trees in Illinois

The Lower Cache River has a canoe and kayak trail running three to six miles through cypress-tupelo swamp. The water barely moves, so you don’t need a car shuttle.

Yellow markers on the trees and trail symbols keep you on course. From the water, you can float right up to views of the state champion bald cypress.

The whole experience feels like paddling through a Louisiana bayou, except you never left Illinois. Bring your own boat or check local outfitters before you go.

Bike through a tunnel built in 1872

The Tunnel Hill State Trail stretches 45 miles from Harrisburg to Karnak along a former railroad bed. A 2.5-mile spur connects Karnak to the Barkhausen Wetlands Center, so you can combine a ride with a swamp visit.

Along the way, the trail passes through the Shawnee National Forest, wetlands and small towns. You’ll cross trestles and bridges and ride through a 543-foot-long tunnel that crews carved from rock in 1872.

The crushed gravel surface works for most bikes and stays gentle enough for beginners.

Bald eagles and warblers work the same water

Cache River sits along a major migratory flyway, and the birding here reflects it. Bald eagles, great blue herons, great egrets, barred owls and pileated woodpeckers all live in the area.

Prothonotary warblers nest in the swamp during warmer months, flashing bright yellow against the dark water. Seasonal migrations bring large numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds through.

Keep your eyes on the banks, too. River otters, bobcats, beavers and white-tailed deer all move through this corridor.

Start your visit at the free Wetlands Center

The Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center covers 7,000 square feet and gives you the best introduction to the area.

Inside, you’ll find interactive exhibits, a wetland diorama, touch screen displays and a 12-minute orientation film. A wildlife viewing area on the east side of the building overlooks a restored wetland.

Step outside and walk a 2,600-foot accessible trail that leads to a wildlife viewing mound. The center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission costs nothing.

Five more trails cut through swamp and bluff

Little Black Slough Trail covers 5.5 miles through swamps, sandstone bluffs and floodplain forests on its way to Boss Island.

Lookout Point Trail runs one mile along a hillside barrens with wide views of the Cache River and surrounding swamp.

Lower Cache River Swamp Trail follows an earthen berm beside Cypress Creek for 2.5 miles, and in spring at dusk, tree frogs fill the air.

Marshall Ridge Trail winds 2.8 miles through reforested fields and connects to Heron Pond and Little Black Slough. Check conditions before you head out, because many trails flood or turn to mud after heavy rain.

Tree frogs here sing one of North America’s best songs

Bird-voiced tree frogs call from the cypress canopy, and their song ranks among the most recognized frog calls on the continent.

At dusk, bats sweep low over the water snatching insects while multiple frog species layer sound on top of each other. White-tailed deer, raccoons, gray foxes and beavers show up regularly along the trails.

The Cache River basin holds 91 percent of all high-quality swamp habitat in Illinois.

Below the tea-colored surface, bowfin, gar and channel catfish move through the same waters the cypress roots drink from.

Explore Cache River State Natural Area in Illinois

You can visit this entire swamp system without spending a dime. No entrance fees, no parking charges, no permits.

The headquarters sit at 930 Sunflower Lane in Belknap, Ill., and the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center is at 8885 State Route 37 in Cypress, Ill. The Wetlands Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Start there for maps, trail conditions and exhibit displays.

The area sits near the towns of Belknap, Karnak and Cypress in the southernmost stretch of the state.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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