Shawnee National Forest Pounds Hollow Quarry Technical Loop

Hidden behind the tourist crowds at Garden of the Gods lies a network of abandoned quarry roads that served sandstone operations from the 1890s through the 1940s. The route climbs through Pounds Hollow on Forest Road 402, then branches onto unmarked spur roads that wind past massive quarry cuts and stone loading platforms. The technical challenge comes at Devil’s Backbone, where the road drops 200 feet down exposed limestone ledges with no guardrails — just you, your spotter, and gravity.

This is expert-level technical driving that demands 4WD low range, skid plates, and experienced spotting. The limestone is slick when wet and unforgiving when dry. Expect body damage on full-size trucks. Best attempted April through October when weather is predictable. No permits required for the forest roads, but camping restricted to designated areas. This loop rewards skilled drivers with some of Illinois’ most challenging rock crawling and complete solitude in the Shawnee backcountry.