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.
2023 Annual Black Friday Hike
2023 Annual Black Friday HikeThe annual Black Friday Hike is approaching. It’s this Friday! Location: Jackson Falls Trailhead Time: 10:00 AM CST Hike: Trail 049 Loop (6 miles) Conditions and Difficulty: Moderately rugged with rolling hills, creek crossings, uneven...
Biggest Hiking Challenges: A Guide to Overcoming Common Hiking Problems
Biggest Hiking Challenges: A Guide to Overcoming Common Hiking ProblemsWhat are the biggest hiking challenges that you run into? Chances are, you’ve had some challenges with hiking. I know I have and still do, and I’ve hiked multiple days a week, every week, for the...
5 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Hiking in the Shawnee National Forest
5 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Hiking in the Shawnee National ForestThere are many things I wish I had known before hiking in the Shawnee National Forest. These are things I now know and practice regularly. But if I had known about them before, I probably would have...
20 Southern Illinois Scenic Overlooks to Hike this Fall
20 Southern Illinois Scenic Overlooks to Hike this FallAre you looking for the best Southern Illinois scenic overlooks around the Shawnee National Forest? I’ve got the perfect list for you. I’ve been all around southern Illinois looking for the best overlooks I can...
Shawnee National Forest Law Enforcement Ride-Along
Shawnee National Forest Law Enforcement Ride-AlongI recently got the opportunity to do a Shawnee National Forest Law Enforcement ride-along. Michelle had sent the Law Enforcement Patrol Captain an email asking if I could ride with them. She did it as a surprise for my...
20 Roadside Attractions in the Shawnee National Forest
20 Roadside Attractions in the Shawnee National ForestLooking for some great roadside attractions in the Shawnee National Forest? Is it hard for you to go hiking? Maybe it is even hard to get out of the car. This article is mainly for you. I wanted to create an...
10 Fall Hiking Tips for 2023
10 Fall Hiking Tips for 2023Would you like some fall hiking tips to start out within 2023? Make this fall’s hiking season a good one with some hiking tips aimed to help you better enjoy your outdoor experience.Fall Hiking Tips for 2034 Here are 10 Fall Hiking Tips for...
How to Road Bike on a Budget (Guide for Cheap Road Biking)
How to Road Bike on a Budget (Guide for Cheap Road Biking)I got the idea for this road bike on a budget guide after writing my recent guide about hiking on a budget. Road biking can be expensive. My basic entry-level race bike was over $3,000 when I bought it new. But...
How to Hike on a Budget (Guide to Cheap Hiking)
How to Hike on a Budget (Guide to Cheap Hiking)Are you looking to hike on a budget but are worried that it will be too expensive? I’m sure you’ve heard that hiking is expensive. Expensive clothes, expensive boots. Expensive backpack, expensive trekking polls. All that...
Latest Trail Guides
Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
Giant City Road Biking Route Itinerary
Giant City Road Biking Route ItineraryGiant City road biking is great for many different reasons. It’s scenic. It’s great for fitness. It’s lightly trafficked. Your selected road biking route can make or break your cycling adventure. You spent all that money on a road...
Glendixon Mountain Biking Trail Guide
Glendixon Mountain Biking Trail GuideHave you enjoyed some Glendixon mountain biking? Have you ever even heard of Glendixon? It combines words from the local mountain biking community in the Shawnee National Forest area. It’s short for Glendale and Dixon. Glendale...
Eagle Falls Waterfall Hiking Guide
Eagle Falls Waterfall Hiking GuideHave you ever heard of the Eagle Falls Waterfall? This amazing waterfall is attached to an old trail in the Bell Smith Springs area that is no longer being maintained, likely due to budget cuts. Access to this waterfall is rugged,...
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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