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.
Required Hiking Permits: Should we pay to use hiking trails?
Required Hiking Permits: Should we pay to use popular hiking trails?This article questions and debates the required hiking permits for using popular trails. In most cases, permits for hiking trails will cost money. Some may cost a few dollars, while others could cost...
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...
Top 10 Causes of Death While Hiking and How To Avoid Them
Top 10 Causes of Death While Hiking and How To Avoid ThemThere are many causes of death while hiking that you can take practical steps to avoid. For the most part, hiking is generally safe for everyone. But like with any activity, there are dangers present. Some...
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...
Top 5 Most Popular Hiking Destinations in Shawnee National Forest
Top 5 Most Popular Hiking Destinations in the Shawnee National ForestAre you looking for the most popular hiking destinations in southern Illinois? Well, it just so happens the Shawnee National Forest is down here, and we have quite a few popular spots. I’d have to...
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,...
Hiking Hydration: How much water should you take?
Hiking Hydration: How much water should you take?Hiking hydration is extremely essential to your safety and health. I recently published an article about items not to take on a hiking trip. The main idea for the article was to make it humorous. I failed to make that...
18 Easy Camping Hacks to Make Camp Better
18 Easy Camping Hacks to Make Camp BetterAre you in search of some easy camping hacks? Well, I’ve got 18 camping hacks just for you. These hacks are bound to improve your camping trip, whether you’re glamping or backpacking to your camp spot. Camping should always be...
16 Things Not to Pack for Hiking
16 Things Not to Pack for HikingDISCLAIMER: due to some of the content from comments made on this blog post, I’ve decided to add this disclaimer. first of all, my reasoning for this article is mainly geared at hikers who are looking up cut weight. If you were with...
Latest Trail Guides
Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
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...
Ranbarger Hiking Trail
Ranbarger Hiking TrailMy recent video features the Ranbarger Hiking Trail within the Shawnee National Forest. This trail is a part of the Bald Knob Wilderness. To access the Ranbarger hiking trail, start at Godwin East. Enter Bald Knob Wilderness Area on the River to...
Latest Gear Reviews
Check out my latest outdoor gear reviews posted in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
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