Totaling 18,047 acres in Johnson, Massac and Pulaski counties, the site offers a wide array of recreation opportunities, including hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing and seasonal hunting. Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center:
Completed in November 2004, the Henry N. Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center is a high-quality destination that fosters natural resource appreciation and education while interpreting the unique natural and cultural history of the Cache River Wetlands—one of the most biologically diverse regions in Illinois. Barkhausen, who served as Director of the Illinois Department of Conservation from 1970 to 1973 and spent 18 years as Secretary of the Citizens Committee to Save the Cache River. His leadership helped encourage collaboration among government agencies, conservation organizations, and local residents to protect and restore the natural character of the Cache River Wetlands. The Wetlands Center features: A 2,000 square foot exhibit area, a 725-square foot audio visual room, a wildlife viewing area overlooking a restored wetland on the east side of the building
Visitors are invited to explore the cultural and natural history of the Cache River watershed through a detailed timeline of exhibits. The Center grounds include a 2,600 foot, handicap-accessible hiking trail with a wildlife viewing mound overlooking a re-established wetland along the former channel of Cypress Creek. Wildlife, tracks, s**t, and other signs of animal activity are commonly observed throughout this habitat. The Wetlands Center also serves as a trailhead for the Tunnel Hill State Trail, part of the Rails-to-Trails system. This 48-mile trail extends to Harrisburg, Illinois, offering walkers and cyclists views of wetlands, upland hills, historic trestles, and a railroad tunnel constructed in 1872. A visit to the Tunnel Hill State Trail office and visitor center adds cultural and historical context to the trail experience, including the distant sound of passing trains.
