Hiking with Shawn Blog
Welcome to the official Hiking with Shawn Blog, where you can find my trail guides, gear reviews, and more! I try to post a few times a week! Please feel free to share my posts and leave a comment!
Hiking with Shawn Blog: Latest Posts
The latest posts from Hiking with Shawn!
Top 10 Summer Hiking Hazards in the Shawnee National Forest
Top 10 Summer Hiking Hazards in the Shawnee National ForestThere are many summer hiking hazards not only in the Shawnee National Forest but any other natural area you visit. Now, you can hide inside and avoid the trail in the summer if you live in fear. However, you...
10 Places Where to Swim in Southern Illinois
10 Places Where to Swim in Southern IllinoisAre you trying to find out where to swim in Southern Illinois? It’s after Memorial Day, so all the swimming opportunities are now open. But where to go? That’s the question. There are beaches. There are pools. There are even...
10 Southern Illinois Summer Hikes to Enjoy in 2024
10 Southern Illinois Summer Hikes to Enjoy in 2024Are you looking for some good Southern Illinois summer hikes this year? Just because it’s summer doesn't mean you have to quit hiking. There are still plenty of great spots to go that aren’t overgrown or full of...
10 Family Outdoor Itineraries in the Shawnee National Forest
10 Family Outdoor Itineraries in the Shawnee National ForestAre you looking for family outdoor itineraries in the Shawnee National Forest? You’ve come to the right place. I have 10 different outdoor itineraries made for families visiting the region. These plans cater...
Hiking with Shawn Opposes the National Park Service Transfer
Hiking with Shawn Opposes the National Park Service TransferThis blog is a little different. I’m officially stating my opinion on the Shawnee National Park and Climate Preserves proposal. My opinion is that I and Hiking with Shawn OPPOSES the transfer of the Shawnee...
How to Stay Safe While Hiking (A Guide to Hiking Safety)
How to Stay Safe While Hiking (A Guide to Hiking Safety)It’s important to stay safe while hiking. Hiking is fun. It’s an adventure. It’s a great way to stay in shape and lead a healthy lifestyle. There is so much to see and do as a hiker. But hiking can be dangerous,...
Hiking with Shawn Trail Guides
Free and detailed trail guides for navigating the Shawnee National Forest, State Parks, and Beyond!
Cache River State Natural Area Guide
Cache River State Natural Area GuideCache River State Natural Area is a nearly 15,000-acre Illinois state natural area with ample opportunities for fish and game, outdoor recreation, and educational programming. Visitors can enjoy miles upon miles of hiking, biking,...
Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Guide
Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area GuideHave you ever visited Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area in southern Illinois? It's an amazing spot for all different kinds of recreational uses. Whether you're a boater, kayaker, fisherman, hunter, cyclist, hiker,...
Abneyville Rock Trail Guide
Abneyville Rock Trail GuideThe Abneyville Rock Trail is a short but very remote hiking trail located in the northwestern Shawnee National Forest near Sand Ridge, with the closest city being Murphysboro. The trail is around four miles out-and-back and has roughly 600...
Bork Falls to Cedar Bluff Hiking Guide
Bork Falls to Cedar Bluff Hiking GuideHave you ever hiked Bork Falls to Cedar Bluff (or reverse)? If you haven’t yet, and you’re looking for a nice long out-and-back hike, this would be an excellent hiking trip for you to enjoy. This hike is around 10 miles out and...
Lake Glendale Recreation Area Guide
Lake Glendale Recreation Area GuideLake Glendale Recreation Area has something for everyone, and it’s located in a central part of the Shawnee National Forest that, gives you easier access to many great areas around the forest and southern Illinois. Lake Glendale is...
Indian Point Trail Guide
Indian Point Trail GuideIndian Point Trail, or the Backpackers Trailhead, is a short trail within Garden of the Gods Wilderness in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. This is a popular hiking and overnight backpacking trail used throughout the year. This...
Hiking with Shawn Gear Reviews
Check out my hiking, biking, and outdoor recreation related gear reviews.
3 Osprey Hiking Backpack Reviews for Different Hiking Trips
3 Osprey Hiking Backpack Reviews for Different Hiking TripsThe Osprey Hiking Backpack is well known for being a prominent pack for the hiking community. Osprey Packs is a widely-known hiking backpack brand. It is usually a little bit more expensive than other brands,...
Shop Southern Illinois Local this Holiday Season
Shop Southern Illinois Local this Holiday SeasonThe holiday season is upon us, and you can help your neighbors by choosing the shop Southern Illinois local this year. By shopping locally, you can get the best locally made or sold gifts for your friends and family...
10 Most Important Hiking Gear Items for the Shawnee National Forest
10 Most Important Hiking Gear Items to take to the Shawnee National ForestAre you carrying the most important hiking gear items that you should be? The Shawnee National Forest is a small forest consisting of just shy of 280,000 acres spread across the southern portion...
Oboz Waterproof Hiking Boots Review
Oboz Waterproof Hiking Boots ReviewSince I’ve recently purchased my second pair of Oboz waterproof hiking boots, I figured that was a good time to create a review for it. I’ve used these new Oboz Mid Bridger waterproof hiking boots for a few months and those before...
Day Hiking Gear: 4 Essentials for a Successful Day Hike
Day Hiking Gear 4 Essentials for a Successful Day Hike When it comes to day hiking gear, we tend to think that we don’t need to pack that much day hiking gear because we’re not going to be out in the forest that long. However, we tend to forget the underlining issues...
MPG Cycling Shorts Review
MPG Cycling Shorts ReviewYes, I am a Cyclist... I've been an adult cyclist since 2012 after realizing that I was 300 pounds of fat and laziness. I would become out of breath bending down to tie my own shoes - no joke! So I got a bicycle and started riding every other...
Hiking with Shawn Blog Posts
My latest posts about the Shawnee National Forest, state parks, and beyond!
9 Scenic Creek Hikes in Southern Illinois to Enjoy this Summer
9 Scenic Creek Hikes in Southern Illinois to Enjoy this SummerThere are many great scenic creek hikes in Southern Illinois to enjoy. These kinds of hikes are great in the summer, too. You can take your shoes off and cool down a little. Sometimes, you can find a spot...
10 Delicious Restaurants Near the Shawnee National Forest
10 Delicious Restaurants Near the Shawnee National ForestI’m always looking for restaurants near the Shawnee National Forest. I want something unique, different from the rest, and tasty! I don’t want the same ole fast food burger that’s 90% greasy and a heart attack...
7 Kid-Friendly Hikes in Southern Illinois
7 Kid-Friendly Hikes in Southern IllinoisAre you looking for kid-friendly hikes in Southern Illinois? State parks are scattered throughout the Southern Illinois region. The Shawnee National Forest is vast, covering nearly 300,000 acres. Signage has never been the...
The 2024 Dirty South Roubaix Recap
The 2024 Dirty South Roubaix RecapI did the Dirty South Roubaix this year for the first time. This is my race recap of what I experienced and what my overall thoughts of the race were. A Roubaix (pronounced Roo Bay) is a mix of mud, dirty, paved, and mixed road...
The Hiker’s Code: Unwritten Rules of Trail Etiquette
The Hiker's Code: Unwritten Rules of Trail EtiquetteTo me, there’s something about going out on the trails, either solo or with friends, that will always hold a special place in my heart. It doesn’t matter if I’m having a good or bad day, I always look forward to...
The Outdoor Economic Summit
The Outdoor Economic SummitAbout a week ago or so, I sat in on the Outdoor Economic Summit at SIU’s Touch of Nature Educational Center in Makanda. It was put on by the folks at Southern Illinois Now, which is an organization with an aim to help people move to, stay...
Hiking with Shawn Patreon Posts
Premium blog posts only available to Patreon Members. Learn more at My Patreon Page.
PATREON EXCLUSIVE: 5 Less Populated Areas of the Shawnee for Viewing Fall Colors
PATREON EXCLUSIVE: 5 Less Populated Areas of the Shawnee for Viewing Fall Colors This article is a Patreon Exclusive meaning it was created exclusively for Patreon members of Hiking with Shawn and will not be released to the public outside of Patreon subscribers. The...
Write for the Hiking with Shawn Blog
I’m always looking for one-time guest bloggers as well as reoccurring guest bloggers. If you’re interested in writing outdoor-related articles for my blog, then I am interested in you. While I will allow you to have a link to a related websites (outdoor related), I don’t allow affiliate links or posts that are commercial in nature from guest bloggers. If you’re just looking for do-follow links, you should definitely look somewhere else. I’m looking for articles about Shawnee National Forest, southern Illinois state parks, local events related to the outdoors, state outdoor topics, and general hiking/biking/outdoor articles. If you’re interesting in writing for my blog on a one-time or regular basis, please Contact Me Today!
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