In 1961 the Army Corps of Engineers took on a project to develop a flood control program for the Kaskaskia River Valley through Central Illinois. The end result of that project was the construction of Lake Shelbyville.

In addition to better utilization of scrubby and mostly useless bottom-land for controlling the seasonal floods, the lake provided excellent opportunities for recreational development. The buffer zone around the lake contained some high ground which was perfect for parks and campgrounds. An example of that was the former Boy Scout Camp Podesta which became Wolf Creek State Park. The Corps designed several parks, campgrounds, boat ramps, eta, and turned them over to the Illinois Department of Parks.

Southeast of Findlay is a small campground with a boat ramp called Lone Point Access Area. East of Findlay, also on the lake, is a large campground with a resort and golf course called Eagle Creek State Park. Lone Point and Eagle Creek are joined by the buffer zone.

In 1980 the Corp of Engineers designed and built a hiking trail from Lone Point to Eagle Creek. The 16-mile hike was entirely in the woods. The trail was hilly in some areas and reasonably flat in other places. There was no road hiking.

The trail saw very little action from the camping community, probably because of the length and abundance of hills to climb. After a couple of years, the Corps said that the Boy Scouts could have jurisdiction over the trail if they would maintain it. The Woapink Lodge, Order of the Arrow, jumped on that deal like scum on a Louisiana swamp.
The advisory committee For The Chief Illini Trail was Jim Kalapis and Al Malone of Decatur, D. R. Caldwell of Effingham, Steve Sell oF Mattoon, Gene Garrison of St. Elmo, and Ranger Lance Farmer of the Rhodes-France Scout Reservation southeast of Pana.

On March 21, 1983, Jim Kalapis, Lance Farmer, Will Sudduth, and Wayne Collins surveyed the trail and compiled a list of materials and duties needed to bring the trail into hikeable shape.

On March 28, 1983, 15 school-aged OA members and 19 adults cleaned up the trail, made the necessary repairs with materials furnished by the Corps, and installed the trail marking signs.

The First Day Hikes were April 11 & 12, 1963 with a special patch.

In 1987 Jim Kalapis, Lodge Advisor representing the Woapink Lodge, was summoned to the White House in Washington, D.C. He was presented a citation and plaque From President Ronald Reagan for operating a successful youth program and pulling the Corps of Engineers’ butt out of the fire by salvaging the Chief Illini Trail.

From 196B through 2000 the Corps of Engineers annually presented citations to the Woapink Lodge for maintaining and operating the Chief Illini Trail.