The River to River Relay in Murphysboro, Illinois, offers an immersive adventure through the heart of Southern Illinois’ rugged landscape. Stretching approximately 154 miles from the Mississippi River to the Ohio River, this multi-leg relay challenges teams to push through forests, blufflands, and winding trails that pulse with natural energy. Murphysboro acts as a pivotal waypoint in the relay, where the currents of nature seem to urge hikers and runners alike to keep moving forward. The terrain features rolling hills with elevation gains often ranging between 200 and 400 feet per leg, weaving through terrain that demands respect and readiness.

Expect to engage with a variable trail profile—gravel paths, forested singletracks, rocky inclines, and occasional creek crossings. Trees form dense canopies overhead, shading runners but also funneling the sounds of the forest, while bluff edges reveal wide, sweeping views of the valley below. The rivers themselves, shimmering and alive, dare you to maintain pace—constantly reminding you that the landscape is fiercely itself and not just a course to run.

Planning for this relay requires more than enthusiasm. Hydration strategies are crucial: water stops are spread but can be irregular depending on the leg, so pack a hydration bladder or bottles with quick refills in mind. Trail shoes with solid grip on wet rock and loose dirt will serve best here; the relay stretches over uneven ground where footing can shift unexpectedly. Timing your start to avoid the summer heat will significantly ease the physical toll—the early spring and fall months offer the most temperate conditions.

The relay’s pace fluctuates as naturally as the trail’s rhythm, with moments that demand a full sprint and others that whisper for steady endurance. Embrace the cadence of your surroundings—the whisper of wind in the leaves, the sun pressing against your back, the river’s persistent push forward. This is not a quick conquest but a measured engagement with a landscape that expects you to listen and adapt.

Whether you’re part of a competitive team or a casual adventurer seeking to experience Southern Illinois’ outdoors in its most elemental form, the River to River Relay offers a route that is at once demanding and rewarding. It challenges your body and sharpens your awareness, rewarding those prepared to meet the trail’s demands with a raw, real connection to a place where rivers run wide and the forest holds its ground.