1. Ranking Matthiessen State Park Trails by Hazard Rather Than Difficulty
Levi Gambill, Danielle Conrad, Josh Woodard, Dr. Max Reams Department of Chemistry and Geosciences, Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais Illinois, 60914
Abstract
Left - A map of the trails in the Dells Area. Upper Dells in Green and Lower Dells in Blue.
Right - View of Lower Dells
Left - A map of the trails in the Vermillion River Area. Big Hill in Purple, River Trail in Lt. Blue, Ziggy Trail in Lt. Green, Ridge Trail in Red.
Right - View of Vermillion River
Conclusion
Matthiessen State Park offers differing perspectives of the geology of the area, from the stunning views of bluffs and floodplain of the Vermilion River to the deep, winding canyons of the park’s Dells Area. A numerical system was used to rank the severity of hazards along the various park trails similar to the work of Ross (2014a, 2014b), who pioneered the ranking of trails by hazard, specifically for Starved Rock State Park. Ross showed that ranking trails by hazard may be more useful for visitors than simply ranking trails by degree of difficulty. Ranking of trails for Matthiessen State Park proved somewhat different from those of Ross, since hazards in the two parks are not exactly the same. The most hazardous trail is the Upper Dells, which is closely related to erosional surfaces. Steep cliffs and drop-offs are especially significant in the specific ranking concerns. It is hoped that such studies will be used to inform visitors of the hazards associated with each trail and enhance the safety of park visits.
By using a numbered system to rank the severity of natural hazards, we determined which trails of Matthiessen were the most hazardous. The highest ranking trail for the Vermilion River Area was River Trail and the Upper Dells for the Dells Area. The most common hazard found in both areas were shear surfaces. Shear surfaces, which rank 6 on our scale, are not only dangerous because of their steep slopes, but they can also lead to several problems in the future resulting in more rock falls or destroyed paths. After discovering all of the hazards recorded, it’s safe to say that significant work needs to be done to the failed supports and erosional features of the trails to prevent additional hazards or injuries.  One possible solution is to increase the effectiveness of drainage pipes since the majority of the pipes examined were clogged or broken. This would allow water that is flooding and eroding the paths to be transferred under the path directly to a lower elevation, thereby preserving the trails and increasing safety. Another possible solution is to add effective railings or fences at shear faces and replace the visible failing supports. In worse case scenarios, the park employees could close down the dangerous trails and create safer new ones. These possible solutions would greatly increase the safety of the park. This, in turn, would make the park more enjoyable and help to preserve the park over generations, allowing many to continue to enjoy the natural wonders of Matthiessen State Park.
Introduction
Matthiessen State Park is located just off Route 178 in Oglesby, IL.  The park is divided into two major areas:  the Vermilion River Area and the Dells Area.  Both of these areas have a network of paths and trails running throughout them.  The stunning views and rich wildlife bring many visitors to this park.  However, this park is no stranger to dangerous hazards.  This research was done to assess the hazards of the park all the while seeing which of the trails would be the most dangerous based on the hazards that are present.  Deaths could be prevented if the general public knew about the dangers that lurk underneath their feet.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Dr. Max Reams for providing assistance throughout the study. We would also like to thank Dr. Charles Carrigan for providing additional assistance. Thanks to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for providing us with the information requested.
The official park map of Matthiessen State Park.
Total Hazard Rating = [(5/1.0miles * x miles)+(3/1.0miles*x miles)] + 6E +2S +6R +1C+2T
E=Erosion/Shear Surface
S=Staircase
R=Rock Fall
C=Steep Climb
T=Trip/Slip
Methods
References
In order to develop a working equation we first had to create values for each of the hazards we encountered using recycled criteria from J. Ross’ study. These criteria included: cases of a past injury, likely future injury, past death, likely future death, and any frequent occurrences. If any of the hazards met these criteria, a one was added to the value. A zero was given if they had not. A final criteria was added to the hazards based on how dangerous each hazard was. Values from 0 – 4 were given to each hazard with 0 being the lowest danger risk and 4 being the highest risk. Flooding was given a value of 5, steep climbs-1, staircases-2, fallen trees-3, erosion/shear surfaces was given a 6, rockfalls-6, sideways trails-1, and trip/slip was given a 2.
Now that each hazard has a value, we were able to create an equation based on Ross’ previous work. When walking the trails we recorded the distance the trail had a risk of flooding or tree falls. The hazard value for flooding and tree falls was then divided by this distance. The other values were multiplied by the number of occurrences along the trail. These new numbers were then added together to get the total hazard value.
Churney, D. (2006, May 2).  Starved Rock: Fatal Fall Focuses Attention on Trails. Retrieved from focuses-attention-ontrails/article_863b999b-4d9a-5aea- b79527df90df39dd.html
Illinois State Geological Survey, 2005, Time talks: The Geology of Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks, Illinois State Geological Survey, 50 P.
Matthiessen State Park. (2017). Retrieved from
Reams, M. W. (2013). Geology of Illinois State Parks. Lexington, Kansas. 57 P.
Ross, J. K. (2015). Ranking Trails Based on Natural Hazards Instead of Difficulty: A Case Study on Starved Rock State Park. (Unpublished undergraduate thesis). Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Il.
World Disasters Report Data. (2014). Retrieved from
Dells Area
Trail Name
Distance (Miles)
Total Hazard Value
Upper Dells
1.76
291.28
Lower Dells
1.01
80.08
Vermillion River Area
Trail Name
Distance (Miles)
Total Hazard Value
Ridge Trail
0.59
63.77
Big Hill Trail
0.23
30.69
River Trail
0.64
68.12
Ziggy Trail
0.34
39.02
Contact Information
This figure shows erosion on the Upper Dells trail. Erosion was the main hazard.
Levi Gambill -
Danielle Conrad -
Josh Woodard -