MARION - For those interested in taking the road less traveled, the Crab Orchard Discovery Tour was the place to be Sunday.

The annual tour, held each Sunday in October, gives visitors access to some 14 miles of normally restricted areas of the national wildlife refuge. The self-guided auto tour allows a glimpse into the portion of the refuge that exists primarily for conservation of natural resources.

A brilliant blue sky provided the perfect backdrop for Sunday's tourists. The bright sun fell on trees that were already offering hints of the spectacular fall colors to come. Cattle grazed contentedly by the side of the road and the water shimmered at the Wolf Creek Causeway.

The sun also gave light to some of the more ominous features on the tour. The gravestones in Hampton Cemetery, for instance, tell the tale of some of the region's early settlers, a tale fraught with casualties of war, sickness and other hardships.

Several Civil War veterans are buried in the cemetery, as is Marshall T. Crain who was executed after committing three murders during the "Bloody Vendetta" in late-1800s Williamson County. Tombstones marked "1918" must surely mark the graves of some who died during a flu epidemic that year.

Ken and Geri Scranton stopped by the cemetery during the tour to search for long-lost relatives who may have been buried at the site. "Ken's great or great-great-grandmother was a Pagel and we thought we might find that name up here," Geri Scranton said. "It's been many, many years since we've been here, so we wanted to take the opportunity while we could. And the weather is so perfect today, it couldn't be better."

A few miles from the cemetery, thick concrete "igloos" sit on the side of the roads. The large, earth-covered mounds were used during World War II to store bombs, mines, shells and other explosives. Wildlife in the refuge like woodchucks and foxes don't seem to mind the igloos' history and frequently use the mounds for their dens and burrows.

Tour volunteer Paul "Ed" Addison was stationed at the igloos to assist visitors.

"I'm just helping out where needed," he said. "This is my third year doing this and I just enjoy meeting all the people."

Addison said Sunday's tour traffic was slow. "We usually get quite a few more cars. Maybe the cost of gas has kept people away," he said. "Maybe more people will come out next week. It's a nice drive."

The tour continues each Sunday in October, from 1 to 4 p.m. Driving maps are available at the visitors center or the causeway.

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