Hiking with Shawn Blog
Welcome to the Hiking with Shawn Blog! You can expect weekly blog posts featuring hiking, camping, cycling, and kayaking tips. I also post trail guides around Southern Illinois and beyond. You’ll also find gear reviews on the Hiking with Shawn Blog, as well.
Latest from the Hiking with Shawn Blog
The Hiking with Shawn Blog will feature one post a week featuring outdoor recreation tips, trail guides, and gear reviews.
Finding Abandoned Places in the Shawnee National Forest
Finding Abandoned Places in the Shawnee National Forest A Recap of Last Week's Hiking with Shawn Episodes!I'm always finding abandoned places in the Shawnee National Forest. And in today's first-ever article of my new "Weekly Recap Series," I will recap last week's...
10 Fastpacking Gear Items to Take with You this Summer
10 Fastpacking Gear Items to Take with You this SummerThe following fastpacking gear items are what I love to take with me when I go fastpacking in the Shawnee National Forest. Fastpacking is a term coined for fast hiking or fast backpacking. You can fast pack in a...
10 Unique Waterfalls in Southern Illinois
10 Unique Waterfalls in Southern IllinoisAre you looking for unique waterfalls in Southern Illinois? Everyone already knows about Burden Falls, Cedar Falls, and Jackson Falls waterfalls, right? But there must be some unique ones you've not been to yet, right? There...
How to Prepare for a Hiking Trip the Right Way
How to Prepare for a Hiking Trip the Right WayIt’s important to prepare for a hiking trip before you go. If you don’t prepare, it can be a bad trip. You could get hurt. You could get stranded. You could have a bad enough experience that you never want to go hiking...
What are the Best Hiking Trails Nearby in Southern Illinois?
What are the Best Hiking Trails Nearby in Southern Illinois?Are you looking for the best hiking trails nearby where you live? This is a list of some of the best hiking trails in the area of five different communities spread across the southern Illinois region. Surely,...
How To Go Caving at Illinois Caverns
How To Go Caving at Illinois CavernsAre you planning to go caving at Illinois Caverns this year? Illinois Caverns recently opened back up to the public a few years ago after being closed to help protect the native bat population from White Nose Syndrome, a disease...
15 Most Asked Hiking Questions with Honest Answers
15 Most Asked Hiking Questions with Honest AnswersThese are the 15 most asked hiking questions I commonly see. When it comes to hiking, no question is a bad question. Hiking can be rewarding and life-changing as long as you do it right. But if you don’t do it right,...
How to Try Solo Dispersed Wilderness Camping for the First Time
How to Try Solo Dispersed Wilderness Camping for the First TimeHave you ever been solo dispersed wilderness camping? The chance is, if you’re on this article, you haven’t tried it. Or maybe you have, and you’d like more advice to ensure the next time is better. Either...
Banning Pets on Hiking Trails: Agree or Disagree?
Banning Pets on Hiking Trails: Agree or Disagree?How do you feel about public lands banning pets on hiking trails? The banning of pets from hiking trails isn't uncommon. It's a big practice in National Parks, Nature Preserves, State Parks, and other natural areas...
Latest Trail Guides
Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
Trail of Tears State Forest Campground Review
Illinois Campground Review: Trail of Tears State Forest Campground Jonesboro, IllinoisTrail of Tears State Forest Campground is located in Jonesboro, Union County, in the southern Illinois region. Class C (tent with vehicle access) and Class D (tent with backpacker...
Fort Massac State Park Guide
Fort Massac State Park GuideFort Massac State Park was the first state park in Illinois. This Illinois State Park offers many activities, including historical reference, cycling, hiking, disk golf, boating, and more. There is even a substantial world-famous encampment...
Hotel California Trail Hiking with Shawn Trail Journals
Hotel California Trail Hiking with Shawn Trail JournalsHave you been to the Hotel California Trail at Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky? Welcome to the first edition of “Hiking with Shawn Trail Journals.” This article series will give you stories, legends, and lore...
Latest Gear Reviews
Check out my latest outdoor gear reviews posted in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
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I am currently accepting guest contributions from outdoor enthusiasts and local businesses and organizations that are interested in posting on my blog. For the most part, guest posting is free as long as it’s non-commercial in nature. Just to be clear, I do not sell links. While I do accept paid sponsored posts from time to time, I reject around 9 out of 10 of sponsored post requests. If the content isn’t of the highest value to my readers, I will not accept it.
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