Things to Do in Makanda, Illinois
The best things to do in Makanda, Illinois, are hiking Giant City State Park’s sandstone streets, eating fried chicken at the CCC-built lodge and catching Vulture Fest in October. Makanda is a Jackson County village of 547 people in the Shawnee Hills, just south of Carbondale.
The village took its name from Makanda, a local Native American chief. It also has an odd astronomy claim. The center lines of both the August 21, 2017, and April 8, 2024, total solar eclipses crossed here.
Giant City State Park
This 4,000-acre park sits in the Shawnee National Forest. It’s named for the Giant City Streets, towering sandstone bluffs that line narrow corridors like city blocks. It became a National Natural Landmark in 1980. Ferns, mosses and more than 75 kinds of trees grow along the trails.
★ Good to know Start at the visitor center, which has exhibits on the park’s geology and history and a short film.
Giant City Lodge
The Civilian Conservation Corps’ 696th Company built the lodge and its first cabins in 1934 and 1935. They used sandstone and white oak and chose the park’s highest point. The Great Room still has its massive stone fireplace and much of the original oak furniture. The Bald Knob dining room is known for all-you-can-eat, family-style fried chicken.
★ Good to know The lodge closes for winter, from mid-December to early February, so plan a cold-weather visit around that.
Giant City Stone Fort
On a bluff inside the park, a stone wall marks a Late Woodland site used around AD 600 to 900. Settlers took the original stones for building, and the CCC rebuilt the wall in 1934. It’s been on the National Register since 2002.
★ Good to know The Stone Fort has its own named trail; ask at the visitor center how to pair it with the Streets.
Red Cedar Trail and park climbing
For a longer hike, the Red Cedar Trail is 12 miles long with a backcountry campsite at its midpoint. Trillium Trail is known for spring wildflowers. Climbing and rappelling with ropes is allowed at two spots, Devil’s Standtable Cliff and the Shelter 1 bluff.
★ Good to know The park runs wildflower walks in April; most programs need pre-registration.
Giant City Stables
The park’s stables offer guided trail rides and lessons, and there’s a separate 12-mile equestrian trail for riders with their own horses.
★ Good to know The stables run spring through fall and close on Tuesdays, so call ahead before you go.
Makanda Vulture Fest
Each October, Makanda throws a two-day festival for the black vultures and turkey vultures that migrate through the area. The village also hosts a two-day Spring Fest with local artists and live music.
★ Good to know It’s held the third weekend of October each year.
Also in town
Downtown’s historic Boardwalk holds local artisan shops, and the smiley-face water tower got a bow tie after Senator Paul Simon’s death in 2003.
How far is Giant City State Park from Makanda?
The park’s address is in Makanda, at 235 Giant City Road, and it spreads across Jackson and Union counties. Carbondale is just to the north.
Is Giant City Lodge open year-round?
No. The lodge and its dining room are open from early February through mid-December, then close for winter. The park itself stays open.
When is Vulture Fest in Makanda?
It’s held the third weekend of October each year, when black vultures and turkey vultures migrate through southern Illinois.
Did the solar eclipses really cross in Makanda?
Yes. The center lines of the 2017 and 2024 total solar eclipse paths both crossed in Makanda. For more trip ideas, see our small towns in Illinois.
Where to find them
- Giant City State Park 235 Giant City Road, Makanda, IL 62958 Website Directions
- Giant City Lodge Giant City State Park, Makanda, IL 62958 Website Directions
- Giant City Stone Fort Giant City State Park, Makanda, IL 62958 Directions
- Giant City Stables Giant City State Park, Makanda, IL 62958 Website Directions
- Makanda Vulture Fest Downtown Makanda, IL 62958 Website Directions
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Where to stay in Makanda
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