This month it was Toby's turn to pick an adventure, and in true, perfect, Toby form, he selected the ideal adventure in our own backyard. He voted that we stay in one of the 1930s CCC cabins at White Pines State Park and hike some of the fun trails there.
Pictured: A cabin built in the 1930s by the CCC at White Pines State Park.
CABIN REVIEW
Even though we began our adventure with hiking, I want to regale readers with the amazingness that are these quaint cabins. These cabins were originally built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and for anyone who has visited some of the older National Park sites, you'll feel right at home, as the cabins and main lodges reminded me of the facilities at Devil's Tower National Monument. The challenge for this weekend getaway was finding the right cabin for our family of 4. There are 13 one-room cabins, perfect for couples, as well as 2 quad-cabins that would be perfect for multiple families or single families who don't mind sharing, as well as 2 suite cabins that are pegged as "romantic" cabins, but this was what we opted to reserve for our family of 4 since there was a king bed and 2 full-sized futons.
Pictured: Layout of the Deluxe Romantic Suite Cabins
This particular cabin allowed Toby and I to have a king bed (which we are used to at home), and each of the kids to have their own full-sized bed. In addition, there were two bathrooms, so we had precisely what we needed if we wanted an extended stay! The beds were comfortable, there was ample bedding for the kids and the futons, the bathrooms were adequate (especially considering the 1930s construction!), and we all got a kick out of the honeymoon suite tub in the middle of the living room area!
Pictured: August and Toby giggling and generally being "cheeky monkeys" in the honeymoon tub!
There were two TVs with cable, allowing the kids some cartoon time in the evening, as well as a small table and chairs for looking at maps, and a coffee maker, mini fridge and microwave. It was exactly what our family needed! Our favorite feature was the fireplace, which we sat around to warm up after our very cold hikes!
Pictured: Map of the facilities available at White Pines Lodge.
FACILITIES REVIEW
While the main focus of this adventure were the hikes, what blew our family away the most were the facilities here. The cabins were adorable, the gift shop was incredible, but the restaurant was out of this world. Maybe it was because we were hungry, or maybe it was because we made a game out of ordering for one another, but this was a 10/10 experience for a family.
The gift shop included "necessities" that one may forget when hiking and camping, but it also had trinkets and toys for children, as well as stickers and shirts comparable to any national park I've visited. It wasn't over-priced, and it wasn't chintzy. We enjoyed infusing the economy with a purchase that allowed us to rep our visit.
Pictured: Augie & Harper in front of the fireplace at the Gift Shop/Front Desk.
Our family enjoyed the restaurant for both dinner and breakfast. I made reservations for both meals several weeks ahead of time, just in case, not knowing what to expect, and I'm glad I did. It ensured that our family would have a seat without waiting. For dinner, after a long afternoon hiking in the cold, our family decided it would be fun to select dinner for one another. Toby ordered for me, I ordered for August, August ordered for Harper, and Harper ordered for Toby. Fortunately, we all had previously mentioned what we were in the mood for, and it was easy ;) I had the pulled pork, Toby had a jalepeno burger, Harper had the BLT, and Augie had a burger. Every single plate was licked clean.
Pictured: Augie's "Build Your Own Burger" via his Instagram @AugieEats
I was unaware that the only Sunday breakfast meal offered was a buffet. After surviving all of 2020 and 2021 without catching C0v!d, I wasn't particularly eager to jump back into such a risky (and kind of gross) eating experience, but we were already seated and decided to throw caution to the wind and attempt to enjoy breakfast. It was good, but not as noteworthy as dinner. I suppose it's because breakfast is just that way. If we stayed, I would do it again, but know that Sunday mornings are buffet only!
TRAILS REVIEW
Over the course of the 24 hours we were at the park, we hiked 5/7 trails. This trail map was very handy in helping us decide which trails to tackle and when.
Pictured: The White Pines State Park Trail Map
TRAIL 1: We started with the Red Squirrel Trail. While this trail intersects with the Grey Squirrel Trail, we wanted to maintain the integrity of our exploration by taking one trail at a time.
Pictured: Harper and August at the trail head of Red Squirrel Trail.
This medium, 3/4-1 mile trail took us 27 minutes. It was pretty muddy, since it was raining most of our hike, but it wasn't too difficult.
TRAIL 2: From there, we immediately tackled Grey Squirrel Trail, a medium .9 mile trail.
Pictured: Harper, Toby and August at the Gray Squirrel Trailhead.
This trail allowed us to hike right along the border, so we could see and hear cars along the road; however, we did disturb two deer, which was pretty fun to see. This trail took us 43 minutes because we stopped at a bench to have a snack and look over down at the Pine Creek meandering through the forest. We also stopped at the tree identification area, picking our favorite trees. Augie liked the Kentucky Coffee Tree, but I preferred the gnarly Osage Orange. This was, by far, our favorite trail! If you can only do one, definitely do Gray Squirrel!
Pictured: August, Harper and Heather at one of the overlooks above the Pine Creek.
TRAIL 3: From there we took a quick potty break in the gift shop and headed back into the cabin area to tackle Whispering Pines Trail.
Pictured: Toby, Harper and August at the Whispering Pines Trailhead.
This easy 1/2 mile trail only took us 16 minutes, and it was a trail we had hiked before; however, we ended up hiking it backward, so it was important to be mindful of the difference between the yellow trail markers and the cross country skiing signs! This trail also has lots of nettles, and Augie can tell you how obnoxious they are, so be sure to stay on the trail!
TRAIL 4: At this point it was time to check in to our cabin, so we got the keys, unpacked and warmed up by the fire. By the time we were warmed up and relaxed, we still had a little time before our dinner reservation, so we opted to tackle one more trail for the day: the medium Lookout Trail.
Pictured: Harper, Toby and August at the Lookout Trailhead
This medium 1/2 mile trail was nothing to write home about, but the railroad bridge was neat, along the Pine Creek. This trail only took us 16 minutes as well. Clearly we have a consistent pace!
TRAIL 5 : We tackled our final trail after breakfast on Sunday morning. We felt energized and ready to celebrate our last day of Spring Break. The trail we opted for was the Medium Sunset Trail, which we had already done on a previous visit as well.
Pictured: Harper at the Sunset Trailhead
This 1.1 mile medium trail is more rigorous than the other trails and include several sets of stairs and some steeper inclines , especially as it weaves along the drive into the park/camping areas. It also has several opportunities to exit the trail, or join another trail, so it could certainly take longer than the 32 minutes it took us. The end of the trail is actually alongside the road, so it is an anticlimactic way to end a hike. At this point, we were feeling the Sunday Scaries and decided we would come back and hit up the last two "hard" trails when it gets a little warmer since there are water crossings on the Sleepy Hollow Trail!
Each trail here is very clearly marked, even when the trails intersect. Our children had no difficulty navigating the trails, and the walkways were well maintained. This state park is cared for and well-utilized by locals and travelers alike. We will definitely be back for more ...with friends next time!
Pictured: The happy Johnson family enjoying a brisk hike along the Gray Squirrel Trail.
#Hiking #Adventure #TravelWithKids #Staycation #StateParks #EnjoyIllinois #WhitePinesStatePark #WhitePines #HugATree #GetOutdoors
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