Lusk Creek Wilderness
Rugged terrain and winding canyons characterize the Lusk Creek Wilderness, offering an unusually diverse topography for Illinois. This Wilderness protects broad, relatively flat ridge tops and terraces that overlook narrow ravines and deep sandstone gulches. Throughout the area, you’ll find sheltered caves, sinkholes, and sheer rock walls that rise up to 200 feet above the creeks. You may also discover small tracts of old-growth timber and spring wildflowers, including wild columbine and French's shooting star. Lusk Creek itself is considered one of the state's highest-quality streams, running year-round along with several other waterways in the region. Anglers can fish for bass and bluegill in its waters.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Illinois |
| Size | 6,352 acres |
| Designated | 1990, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.53° N, 88.53° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 14) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Trails
14 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 31 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Lusk Creek ↗ | 16.2 | |
| Bear Branch | 2 | |
| Barger Branch | 1.9 | |
| Little Lusk Creek | 1.7 | |
| Indian Kitchen Trail | 1.5 | |
| Ragan Ford | 1.5 | |
| Bowed Tree | 1.1 | |
| Wishing Well | 1.1 | |
| Cactus | 0.9 | |
| Blanchard Church | 0.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedCretaceous Hills State Natural Area Rx
21 mi from the center point · 48 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 9.3 miIllinois Iron Furnace ↗Rosiclare, IL
- 10.8 miSaline County Poor Farm ↗Harrisburg, IL
- 11.2 miRose Hotel ↗Elizabethtown, IL
- 11.8 miDupont, John, House ↗New Burnside, IL
- 12.1 miHarrisburg City Hall ↗Harrisburg, IL
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Illinois
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lusk Creek Wilderness?
6,352 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Lusk Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Lusk Creek Wilderness in?
Illinois.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Lusk Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1990.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Lusk Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.527° N, 88.530° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Lusk Creek Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Cretaceous Hills State Natural Area Rx at 21 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Lusk Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Illinois Iron Furnace and Saline County Poor Farm.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.