Snake Road 

DATES: October 5-8, 2023

LOCATION: Larue-Pine Hills, Shawnee National Forest, Illinois

LENGTH: 4 Days

ENROLLMENT: ~10 students

ELIGIBILITY: 14 years old by departure OR special recommendation from Sprout leadership

TUITION: $625

DEPOSIT: n/a

TUITION INCLUDES: Camping gear, accommodations, meals, transportation, park fees, conservation program fees, instructional fees, guides, vehicles, location staff and all other trip activities.

ADDITIONAL COSTS: Personal items, extra snacks while traveling.

FINANCIAL AID: Limited scholarship available

Day 01 | THURSDAY | Travel to Campground
Depart in the early morning for the long drive to southern Illinois. Quick lunch stop on the road. Get to know each other on the trip. Dinner in camp. Overnight: Tents, LaRue Pine Hills Campground

Day 02 | FRIDAY | Explore Snake Road & Surrounding Area
Up for breakfast and introductory information. Drive to Snake Road entrance and begin our 5.4 mile round trip walk to the end and back. It is easy walking on a gravel road, at a slow pace as we search for creatures, and we will take advantage of "teachable moments" as they arise. Lunch back at camp, and afternoon activities TBD. Dinner back at camp. Overnight: Tents, LaRue Pine Hills Campground

Day 03 | SATURDAY | Explore Snake Road & Surrounding Area
Up early to eat breakfast around the campfire and then hit the road. Drive to Snake Road entrance and begin our 5.4 mile round trip walk to the end and back. This time we take the time to explore more “off road” into the woods and rocky areas. Lunch in the field. Dinner back at camp followed by camp fire and s'mores. Overnight: Tents, LaRue Pine Hills Campground

Day 04 | SUNDAY | Return Home
Up early to eat breakfast around the campfire, break down camp, and hit the road. Lunch & Dinner will be quick stops on the road.

Snake Road is a world-class wildlife hotspot. Read this, from National Geographic:

"It’s one of the most unique places in the world, where snakes and other reptiles and amphibians migrate across a country road so famous that we invented a new name for it: the “Snake Road.” In the Shawnee National Forest, Snake Road is closed to vehicles every spring and fall to protect thousands of reptiles and amphibians that migrate between summer and winter habitats.

On one side of the Snake Road are the sheer Pine Hills Bluffs and on the other side are the vast LaRue Swamps. Every spring reptiles and amphibians come out of hibernation in the cliffs and bluffs and must move across the Snake Road to the swamp to feed and fatten up during the summer months. Then in the fall they return to the bluff areas for winter hibernation.

This area is teeming with wildlife, including at least 35 species of snakes. Some unusual animals and birds that make LaRue-Pine Hills their home include the bobcat, bald eagle, spring cavefish, eastern woodrat, golden mouse, Mississippi kite and indigo bunting. Because of the exceptional amount of diversity of plant and animal life recorded in the Pine Hills, it was designated a national Research Natural Area (RNA) in 1991. RNA’s are permanently protected to maintain biological diversity and to provide places for research and monitoring of undisturbed natural areas."

Pre-Travel meeting
Sprout will have a ZOOM meeting for students and families prior to program departure.

Sprout program leaders
For Snake Road, we travel with a minimum of three Sprout leaders.

Number of participants
We will accept up to 10 students for this program.

Packing list
Once you enroll and are accepted into the program, Sprout will send you a packing list. Sprout does provide all camping gear such as tents and camp chairs.

Departure day
From CLE to the campsite is about a 10 hour drive with stops for lunch and restroom breaks. At the Zoom meeting, Sprout will share the drop off point for the day of departure.

Students should have $20 -25 for lunch (for driving there and home). Students should have car snacks and a drink.

Arriving back home
We will break camp and head out immediately for CLE after breakfast. We will stop for a quick lunch and bathroom breaks along the way. Sprout will keep you updated on our travel times and arrival time.

Accommodations
Sprout students and staff will sleep in tents which are provided by The Sprout Experience. Our primitive camp site is located in the LaRue Pine Hills Campground. Students will sleep 2 to a tent. Male and female campers will be separated.

Restroom accommodations
Our campsite is primitive, which is perfect for accomplishing the goals of this program. There are camp-like toilets. There are no showers at the campsite.

Communication during the program
Sprout asks that students and families use WhatsApp, which is a free app that you download to your phone. This allows Sprout to create a SNAKE ROAD FAMILY CONTACT LIST which allows Sprout to send messages to every family at one time. WiFi is very spotty once we are at LaRue Pine Hills Campground, so please know that communication is limited. However, in the event of an emergency, Sprout can always reach you. Parents/Guardians will also be given the name and number of a Sprout Leader located in Cleveland to reach in the event of an emergency as well.

We also ask that families do not schedule specific check in times with your child during the program. This can lead to unnecessary worry. Cell batteries may die, service may not be possible at that moment, etc. Remember the key is to unplug and be a part of the national forest and the program.

Emergency contacts
Rest assured that a Sprout leader will be able to contact a family in the event of an emergency. If a family member needs to contact Sprout, they will use the cell number provided to them. Families will also be provided with an emergency contact number for a Sprout leader that is in the CLE area.

Dietary restrictions and needs
Specific dietary needs were requested to be listed when the program application was completed. Sprout will adhere to those dietary needs.

Medication during program
Prescribed and over the counter medication needs were requested to be listed on the program application. Sprout will check in with the student guardians prior to departure to update medication needs. While on program, a Sprout leader will do medication reminders with students.

American Toad Anaxyrus americanus
Black Racer Coluber constrictor
Blanchard's Cricket Frog Acris crepitans blanchardi
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys
Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus
Central Newt Notophthalmus viridescens
Chorus Frog Pseudacris triseriata
Corn Snake Elaphe guttata
Cottonmouth. Agkistrodon piscivorus
DeKay’s Brownsnake Storeria dekayi
Eastern Pondhawk Erythemis simplicicollis
European Earwig Forficula auricularia
Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus
Five-lined Skink Plestiodon fasciatus
Flat-Backed Millipede Eurymerodesmus spp.
Fork-Tailed Bush Katydid Scudderia furcata
Fowler’s Toad Anaxyrus fowleri
Green Frog Rana clamitans
Green Treefrog Hyla cinerea
Grey Treefrog Hyla versicolor
Ground Skink Scincella lateralis
Leopard frog Rana pipiens
Map Turtle Graptemys geographica
Midland Brown Snake Storeria dekayi wrightorum
Midland Water Snake Nerodia sipedon pleuralis
North American Millipede Narceus americanus
Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta
Plains Gartersnake Thamnophis radix
Rat Snake Elaphe obsoleta
Red Paper Wasp Polistes spp.
Redbelly Snake Storeria occipitomaculata
Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus
Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus
Shawnee kingsnake Lampropeltis getula
Spotted Cave Salamander Eurycea lucifuga
Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer
Western Ribbonsnake Thamnophis proximus
Yellow-bellied Watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster
Zigzag Salamander Plethodon dorsalis

This is a work in progress. New species will be added as they are observed.

For someone that wants to go into education, my experience with Sprout was an inspiration. We weren’t just reading some facts from a textbook but we there in person, hands on, learning from leading experts in their fields. That’s the kind of learning that sticks with you for life. - J.F.

Wow! What a great experience for these kids. Daniel, Don and Jason were wonderful guides in finding all kinds of wildlife at all hours of the day. The kids learned all about camping in all types of weather and social conditions. They all pulled together to focus on learning about reptiles that migrate into the cliffs of Pine Hills in the Shawnee National Forest. Our son cannot wait to do the other trips coming up in the future. Bravo Sprout Experience!! - C.J.

It was an amazing experience and I had so much fun. We sang, laughed and told stories around the campfire each night. Also found many reptiles and amphibians along with making some great friends along the way. great trip, 100% recommend it and would definitely do it again. - K.F.