Hiking with Shawn
Welcome to Hiking with Shawn, your premiere source for trail guides, services, hiking tips, and resources for adventuring in the Shawnee National Forest and State Parks in Southern Illinois.
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Latest Blog Posts from Hiking with Shawn
Check out the latest blog posts from Hiking with Shawn. Be sure to head over to my main blog for access to all my posts.
Shawnee National Forest for Beginners
Shawnee National Forest for BeginnersThis is your ultimate Shawnee National Forest for beginners guide. The near 300,000-acre Shawnee National Forest spans across most of the southern portion of Illinois. The forest, while large, is perfect for beginners because of...
What You Need to Know Before You Hike the Shawnee National Forest
What You Need to Know Before You Hike the Shawnee National ForestThere are some things you need to know before you hike the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. The Shawnee National Forest is like any other National Forest in the United States of America....
Honker Lake Loop Trail Guide
Honker Lake Loop Trail GuideHonker Lake Loop Trail is a 5-mile loop hiking trail located within the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky. This loop hiking trail is available on the All Trails app. (Affiliate Link) This easy-to-moderately...
Latest Local Hiking Trail Guides
Check out the hiking, cycling, and kayaking Trail Guides by Hiking with Shawn. Visit my Main Trail Guides page to see all the guides.
Honker Lake Loop Trail Guide
Honker Lake Loop Trail GuideHonker Lake Loop Trail is a 5-mile loop hiking trail located within the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky. This loop hiking trail is available on the All Trails app. (Affiliate Link) This easy-to-moderately...
A Guide to Hutchins Creek in the Shawnee National Forest
A Guide to Hutchins Creek in the Shawnee National ForestHave you ever been to Hutchins Creek in the Shawnee National Forest? Hutchins Creek is located near Alto Pass in Union County, Illinois. The creek is known as the landmark which separates the two wilderness areas...
Lower Cache River Area Guide
Lower Cache River Area GuideThe Lower Cache River area is a section of the Cache River State Natural Area that might not be as often visited as much as places like Heron Pond and Wildcat Bluff. It’s a wonderful area that truly offers multiple types of outdoor...
Latest Gear Reviews by Hiking with Shawn
Check out the latest hiking, cycling, and kayaking gear reviews by Hiking with Shawn. Visit my Main Gear Reviews page to see all my reviews.
Men’s Merrell Crosslander 3 Low Hiking Boots Review
Men's Merrell Crosslander 3 Low Hiking Boots ReviewThis is my review of the Men's Merrell Crosslander 3 Low Hiking Boots! These versatile shoes, marketed as low hiking boots but more akin to hiking shoes, have been my trusted companions for a few months now. I'm...
Impetro Gear Backpack: A Comprehensive Review
Impetro Gear Backpack: A Comprehensive ReviewThis is a review of the Impetro Gear Backpack. Just for full transparency, I use affiliate links in this review. That means I earn a commission for every sale made, but it doesn't impact your price. You can search for the...
Peak Refuel Meals Review
Peak Refuel Meals ReviewI'm usually a Mountain House Meals kind of guy, but I wanted to try something new, so I grabbed a couple of Peak Refuel Meals to try out on my last big camping trip. My wife and I went on our last big camping trip, which was to the Great Smoky...
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