Giant City Gnome Roam 2024

Have you done the Giant City Gnome Roam yet?

The Giant City Gnome Roam is an annual event put on by Giant City State Park in Makanda, Illinois. The event consists of finding 7 gnome cutouts in order to earn a free Gnome Roam patch. You can do all 7 trails in one day or split it up.

The Giant City Gnome Roam will continue throughout December and January 2025.

How to do the Giant City Gnome Roam

The best way to do the Giant City Gnome Roam is to start at the Visitor Center to get all the information you need.

After that, you can knock out the first trail at the interpretive trail right next to the Visitor Center. Then, you can head down to Indian Creek, the Nature Trail, Devil’s Stand Table Trail, Post Oak, Stone Fort Trail, and finally, Trillium Trail. There are 7 trails with 7 gnomes that you have to snap a photo of.

After you get all 7 gnome-photos, return to the Visitor Center to get your free patch.

How hard is the Giant City Gnome Roam

The Giant City Gnome Roam is a fairly easy challenge designed to be enjoyable for all participants. While it may present a moderate difficulty for some, it’s a manageable and exciting adventure for those who love the outdoors.

The Interpretive and Post Oak trails are very easy to hike. However, the remaining 5 trails are moderately difficult and may not be intended for all users. While the challenge is easy in the long run, it still requires hiking to complete.

Rest assured, the Gnome Roam is designed with your safety in mind. All the gnomes are strategically placed on the trail in safe selfie positions.

The Trails of the Gnome Roam

There are seven trails at Giant City State Park, where you’ll be hiking during the Gnome Roam.

1. Arrow Wood Interpretive Trail: This short trail consists of about a third-of-a-mile loop. It features QR codes on trees to tell you more about what you’re looking at. This is a great trail for families with kids and those interested in learning more about the trees in the park.
2. Indian Creek Trail: This is about a mile in length and is a lollipop loop trail. Native Americans used the bluffs along this trail long ago. Aside from the bluffs, during the wet season, there are amazing waterfalls and scenic creek views along this trail.
3. Giant City Nature Trail: This is a one-mile lollipop loop trail. This trail features amazing bluffs and natural shelters. You can also visit the famous balancing boulder and the Streets of Giant City which has historical carvings from Civil War soldiers and others. It’s also where “fat man squeeze” is, which is a crack that people love to attempt to squeeze up. Aside from many people getting stuck and needing rescue, the crack also hosts a hibernaculum of venomous copperhead snakes, so it’s not the best idea to squeeze through it.
4. Devil’s Stand Table Trail: This is a 1.5-mile out-and-back hike. It features amazing bluffs, natural shelters, scenic overlooks, waterfalls when it’s wet outside, and, of course, its main feature, the Stand Table rock formation.
5. Post Oak Trail: This is a small ADA-compliant paved trail on top of Devil’s Stand Table. It is wheelchair accessible and also features signage for “forest bathing” use. This is an easy but great trail for everyone.
6. Stone Fort Trail: This is a short trail that features a Native American Stone Fort at the top of the bluff. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) reconstructed the fort when they built the park in the 1930s and 40s. There is also a beautiful overlook and a nice waterfall cascade along the trail.
7. Trillium Trail: This is the Nature Preserve of Giant City State Park. It’s a true loop consisting of about 1-mile. You’ll see neat bluffs, natural shelters, scenic overlooks, creeks, and a well-managed forest as you hike this trail. This is a nature preserve, so you must stay on the designated trail at all times.

During firearm hunting seasons, the Indian Creek Trail will be closed to hikers. However, the gnome is often placed on the trailhead sign in the parking area so that you can still get all seven gnomes if you decide to do the Giant City Gnome Roam challenge during hunting season.

What to wear and pack on the Giant City Gnome Roam

The trails at Giant City State Park are very well maintained, but you still need to use the right gear.

Dress for the weather and season you’ll be hiking in. Wear comfortable hiking or athletic clothing suitable for the outdoors. Avoid clothing that doesn’t breathe or wick moisture, such as cotton, denim, and leather.

You should also make sure you bring the right hiking gear with you when doing the Giant City Gnome Roam.

Bring plenty of water and a snack, especially if you’ll be hiking all seven trails in one day. Also, bring a sturdy hiking backpack to store your gear. You might also want to bring some extra layers and a rain kit, just in case you need it.

If you hike all the trails in one day, you will cover about five miles, and it could take a few hours to complete.

Final Thoughts about the Giant City Gnome Roam

This year was the first year that my wife and I did the Giant City Gnome Roam challenge. We did all seven trails and gnomes in one day. We’re both avid hikers, and we can put on that kind of mileage in one day. We also did it during firearm hunting season so that we could give hunters plenty of space but still enjoy the outdoors.

I highly recommend taking on this challenge. It was a rewarding experience, filled with fun and adventure, suitable for families with kids or adults looking for a good time. It’s not an overly difficult challenge, as long as you’re in good hiking condition. You have until the end of January to complete the challenge, so don’t miss out on this opportunity for a memorable outdoor adventure. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until next December to do it all over again.

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