Piney Creek Ravine Nature Preserve

Randolph and Jackson Counties

Location and Access:

From Hwy. 4 at northwest end of Campbell Hill, take blacktop road west 3.8 miles, then turn and go north 0.7 mile to Shiloh Hill, then continue south 1.8 miles to West Point Church Cemetery. The nature preserve is 0.4 mile west of the road.

Description:

Piney Creek Ravine is 111 acres of forest, stream and sandstone habitat of the Central Section of the Ozark Natural Division. This area was glaciated during the Illinoisan stage of the Pleistocene glaciation. When the glaciers retreated, windblown loess covered the glacial till and meltwaters carved through sandstone, creating Piney Creek Ravine. The dry upland forest on rocky slopes and canyon bluff tops are, for the most part, undisturbed and contain the most notable features. Within the post oak-black oak forest, scattered xeric forest/sandstone glade communities exist. The exposed rock and thin soil conditions are ideal for shortleaf pine, farkleberry, lowbush blueberry and sedge species.

Ownership: Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Dedicated: June 1978

Size: 195 acres with buffer

Topo Map: Welge 7.5

For Further Information Contact: Site Superintendent, Randolph County Conservation Area, Route 1, Box 345, Chester, IL 62233 (618/826-2706) or Illinois Department of Natural Resources - World Shooting Complex, Natural Heritage Biologist, One Main Event Drive, Suite 140, Sparta, IL 62286 (618/295-2877)

1/2009 - R. Heidorn