Travel writers tour Illinois Ozarks

The Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau recently invited a variety of journalists and photographers on a familiarization tour of the east side of the Shawnee National Forest in Hardin County.

Writers came from Chicago; Nashville, Tenn.; Evansville, Ind.; Central Illinois; and Western, Ky. The group included writers for various media, including online magazines, travel blogs, web sites as well as social media outlets on Facebook, Pinterest and twitter. The journalists also contribute to print publications such as Evansville Living Magazine, Centralia Sentinel newspaper, Alton Telegraph, Jacksonville Courier, Kentucky Publishing, Via Times and Chicago Philippine Reports TV.

Bruce and Sue Hemphill, owners of the River Rose Inn and Innkeepers of the Historic Rose Hotel hosted the group for two nights in the two inns. The group arrived in Elizabethtown after an afternoon of biking on the Tunnel Hill State Trail on Sept. 17 and enjoyed dinner at the E'Town River Restaurant. Hardin County Main Street's President Todd Carr and SITB's Carol Hoffman acted as area guides as the group visited sites of the area.

Mary McCorvie with the Shawnee National Forest joined the group and offered historic information at Forest sites such as Rim Rock Trail, Pounds Hollow Lake, Garden of the Gods and the Iron Furnace. The visitors learned that Fluorite is the state mineral with a stop at the Fluorspar Museum and toured other lodging at Hilltop Hideaway, Timber Ridge Outpost, Cabins & Treehouses and Rim Rock's Dogwood Cabins. The group had a chance to try kayaking on Pounds Hollow Lake thanks to the new kayak rentals at Timber Ridge Outpost, then traveled to Cave-In-Rock for a ride on the ferry, toured Cave In Rock State Park and finished the day with an Italian dinner by Hardin County Main Street, served at the Historic Rose Hotel.

"The travel writers media tour was a collaborative effort of several organizations, businesses and individuals," said SITB Sales Manager, Carol Hoffman. "Everyone working together is what made this a success."

Hoffman reports that as a result of the tour, an article is planned for the November/December issue of Evansville Living Magazine.

"We often hear that this area is Illinois' Best kept secret, we hope this media tour will help to change that," Carr stated.