Buck Creek Picnic Area

If you’re heading out to Ferne Clyffe State Park, Buck Creek is a solid spot to set up before hitting the trails. It’s right near the Hawk’s Cave Trailhead, so you can grab a picnic table, let the kids run around a bit, and then head into the woods without driving anywhere else. The forest setting does a lot of the heavy lifting here — towering trees, that quiet you only really get downstate. Wheelchair accessible too, which not every trailhead area around Goreville can claim.