Find a Sinkhole at Stemler Cave Woods Nature Preserve

Take a hike through the old-growth forest and explore the sinkholes at Stemler Cave Woods Nature Preserve near Columbia, Illinois.

Overview

This 194-acre nature preserve sits between Millstadt and Columbia, Illinois, on Stemler Road. The preserve is known for its karst topography, which includes caves and sinkholes that drain into Stemler Cave.

I hiked the 2-mile Interpretive Trail, which includes signs about the sinkhole, its history, and the plants and animals found here.

*Photo of the crustacean provided by the nature preserve*.

Cave with Rare Crustaceans

The cave itself is outside the nature preserve, off-limits, and home to the only known population of the Illinois cave amphipod. This cave-dwelling crustacean is found only within ten miles of Waterloo, Illinois.

Start of the Hike

I parked in the small gravel lot on the south side of Stemler Road. The trail starts to the left of the lot.

A short way down the trail, there’s a sign about the preserve’s history. On the back, you’ll find a map and information about the local plants and animals. The numbers also match signs along the trail.

*Looking down into the sinkhole. The main blog photo shows how it stands out against the surrounding woods.*

Going Left to the Sinkhole

At the first main intersection, I took the left side of the loop trail. There are some side trails, but those are for nearby residents. After about 0.5 miles, I reached a side trail on the left, and a bit after that, a large, deep sinkhole. A small trail goes around it. Be careful; it is a ways down, and the water is muddy and not clear.

A sign explains that some sinkholes in the preserve can get clogged and stay clogged for just a short time or even for years. The one here seems permanent, but it could eventually drain completely.

Next, I reached a trail to the right that would split the hike in half and shorten it. I decided to keep going south to explore more of the woods.

Upland Forest

A sign explains that Illinois once contained 12 million acres of forest. Today about 4 million acres remain. The woods in the preserve are among the best in Illinois and are considered a Grade A forest because they haven’t been heavily disturbed by logging or grazing.

I came to another intersection with a connector to the half-way trail. This spot is near a prairie area, where the plants have red and yellow hues this autumn.

Now I came to the back, where the trail widened, following an old field road, and went left. I found a marker on the tree to know I was heading the right way.

A sign along the trail talks about migrating birds and the importance of forest habitat for them.

*Marker for the Buffer Trail among the trees*

Going North

Then I came to a red sign on a tree that said “out,” and I went north. For a longer hike, I took the Buffer Trail to the left, which winds back to the Interpretive Trail on the preserve’s north side.

Near the intersection with the half-way trail at the bottom, there’s a pond that supports aquatic life. A large tree has fallen into the water, and it’s probably a good spot to see turtles sunning themselves in the summer.

*Prairie section at Stemler Cave Nature Preserve*

A sign here talks about the prairie grass and how it once covered 22 million of Illinois’s 36 million acres. This prairie was planted in a former crop field.

Along the trail, a sign explains how fire brings new nutrients to the soil. The forest department does prescribed burns in the preserve to help with this.

Then I reached a red sign pointing to the parking lot, at the intersection with the other part of the Buffer Trail. I followed the sign back to the parking lot.

More about the Nature Preserve

This dry upland forest has white oak, post oak, red oak, pignut hickory, and white ash. Several sinkholes create small changes in the land and climate, which leads to different plant species near these spots.

I’ve listed most of the signs here, but I might have missed a few. You’ll find them throughout the walk as part of the interpretive hike.

Final Thoughts

The best part of the hike is the sinkhole. If you visit in the fall, you’ll see the many colors that an old growth forest can show. Next time, I’d try the Buffer Trail for a different route.

History

The Stemler family emigrated from Nordenstadt, Germany, in 1832, and the trail follows along the original family homestead.

DETAILS

Drive: Take Interstate 255 crossing into Illinois on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge. Then take exit 6, head south on Illinois Highway 3, and follow it to Main Street in Columbia, Illinois. Next, turn left onto Cherry Street from Main, then turn left again onto Bluffside Road. Finally, turn right onto Stemler Road and look for the small gravel lot for the reserve on the right. If you come to Triple Lakes Road, you have gone too far.

Hours: Sunrise to Sunset, Daily

Address: 2200 Stemler Rd, Columbia, IL 62236