Visitors will find many interesting rock formations, given names such as Camel Rock, Anvil Rock and Devil's Smokestack. The Observation Trail has some short, steep grades and a few steps, but as a whole, is not tiring. Caution should be used because there are high cliffs in the area. Access is good from Garden of the Gods Recreation Area to the River to River Trail and other trails in the wilderness. Us are encouraged to obtained more detailed maps before entering the back country.
Overnight parking is available at the backpacker's parking lot.
The Shawnee Hills is a very old mountain range that is about 320 million years old. This area was originally covered by a giant inland sea. An uplift caused displacements in the earth that measured into the thousands of feet. Windblown sand, rain, and freezing and thawing are major natural forces which have worn down the Shawnee Hills. The single most significant erosive force was glaciation.