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.

Are you Following Me Everywhere?

Are you Following Me Everywhere?

Are you Following Me Everywhere?Aside from this blog, I’m all over the place, and I’d love to invite you to follow me everywhere else! I run a hiking forum that’s free to join called Outdoor Adventure Topics I’m on Facebook as Hiking with Shawn, and I have a local...

35 Easy Southern Illinois Hikes with A Lot to See

35 Easy Southern Illinois Hikes with A Lot to See

35 Easy Southern Illinois Hikes with A Lot to SeeAre you looking for some easy Southern Illinois hikes with a lot of cool stuff to see? You and about a hundred thousand others! I get this question all the time. So, I thought to myself, “Why not make an article about...

Subscribe to the Hiking with Shawn Newsletter

Subscribe to the Hiking with Shawn Newsletter

Subscribe to the Hiking with Shawn NewsletterBefore you click off, hear me out… Please subscribe to my free monthly Hiking with Shawn Newsletter. Once a month, I send a lovely big newsletter with all sorts of exclusive goodies that I only post on that newsletter....

Hiking with Shawn’s 5 Favorite Hiking Trails

Hiking with Shawn’s 5 Favorite Hiking Trails

Hiking with Shawn's 5 Favorite Hiking TrailsEveryone is always asking me what my favorite hiking trail are. I really don’t have one favorite. I have a few. So, I figured I might as well create an article about it so that you have some ideas of where you might want to...

6 Essential Shawnee Forest Beginner Hiking Tips

6 Essential Shawnee Forest Beginner Hiking Tips

6 Essential Shawnee Forest Beginner Hiking TipsThere have been a lot of Shawnee Forest Beginner hiking folks in these last couple of years. The global pandemic, mixed with just wanting to get out and get some fresh air, had a lot to do with it. Many people were stuck...

Shawnee National Forest Bushwhacking Guide

Shawnee National Forest Bushwhacking Guide

Shawnee National Forest Bushwhacking GuideShawnee National Forest bushwhacking sounds like a scary thing to do. Doesn’t it? The truth is that it can be scary for some people. If you’re prone to get lost and panicking, bushwhacking isn’t going to be wise. If you like...

How to Survive after getting Lost in the Woods

How to Survive after getting Lost in the Woods

How to Survive after getting Lost in the WoodsGetting lost in the woods might be one of the greatest fears of many hikers. It is a reasonable fear because many hikers yearly get lost in the woods. Some hikers don’t make it as they die from the elements, falling, or...

Shawnee National Forest Geocaching Guide

Shawnee National Forest Geocaching Guide

Shawnee National Forest Geocaching GuideShawnee National Forest geocaching lets you enjoy a hike around the forest while also going on a treasure-hunting adventure. But there is a little more to geocaching than it seems. You want to make sure you’re doing it the right...

Shawnee Forest Guided Hiking & Itinerary Services

Shawnee Forest Guided Hiking & Itinerary Services

Shawnee Forest Guided Hiking & Itinerary ServicesAre you looking for Shawnee Forest Guided Hiking and Itinerary Services by chance? I offer these services if you need them. I’m a permitted hiking guide outfitter for the Shawnee National Forest. I’m also insured,...

Latest Trail Guides

Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.

Burden Falls Wilderness Guide

Burden Falls Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Burden Falls WildernessBurden Falls Wilderness is a Designated Wilderness Area within the Shawnee National Forest. This wilderness area consists of 3,775-acres and is located in...

Bay Creek Wilderness Guide

Bay Creek Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Bay Creek WildernessBay Creek Wilderness is a Designated Wilderness Area within the Shawnee National Forest. Consisting of 2,866-acres, Bay Creek Wilderness is located in rural Pope...

Bald Knob Wilderness Guide

Bald Knob Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Bald Knob WildernessBald Knob Wilderness is a 5,973-acre designated wilderness area within the Shawnee National Forest. This wilderness area is located in the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger...

Latest Gear Reviews

Check out my latest outdoor gear reviews posted in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.

Interested in Writing on the Hiking with Shawn Blog?

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.

Copyright © 2025 Hiking with Shawn™ All Rights Are Reserved.

Hiking with Shawn® is a Registered Trademark of Hiking with Shawn, LLC

Hiking with Shawn is not affiliated with any local, state, or federal government agency.

Subscribe Today!

Get Your FREE Gift Now!

Subscribe now to receive free monthly newsletters packed with unique hiking tips, gear reviews, and upcoming local events. As a bonus, you'll also receive my 35 Hiking Trails of Southern Illinois Guide! Unsubscribe anytime with the click of a button. Be sure to check your junk mail just in case the email goes there, and add my email address to your address book.

Thanks for subscribing! Go check your email!