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.
10 Places to Stay Near Shawnee National Forest
10 Places to Stay Near Shawnee National ForestDo you need a place to stay near Shawnee National Forest? You're not from Southern Illinois. You don't know your way around that well. There are so many little towns around the Shawnee National Forest. You don't know where...
10 Shawnee National Forest Backpacking Loop Trails
10 Shawnee National Forest Backpacking Loop TrailsAre you struggling to find good Shawnee National Forest backpacking loop trails? There are more than 400 miles of trails in the Shawnee National Forest. It's hard to determine what trails loop and which ones will have...
10 Strenuous Hikes in the Shawnee National Forest
10 Strenuous Hikes in the Shawnee National ForestThere are quite a few strenuous hikes in the Shawnee National Forest. Those last two words (“to enjoy”) might make some of you look at this article twice. Who in their right mind wants to go on a strenuous hike? Many...
Speed Hiking: A form of exercise that’s actually fun!
Speed Hiking: A form of exercise that’s actually fun!Have you ever considered speed hiking as a hobby or form of fitness? When I first started hiking, I hiked pretty fast. Once I met Michelle, she explained why I should slow down, stop, and smell the roses. But I...
How To Pack for a Long Distance Hike: Essential Tips & Tricks
How To Pack for a Long Distance Hike: Essential Tips & TricksImage Source If your dream is to take an epic journey through the great outdoors, then you've come to the right place. Long-distance hiking is one of the most satisfying and rewarding ways to explore the...
How to be an Ultralight Hiker
How to be an Ultralight HikerDo you want to be an ultralight hiker? Do you even know what ultralight hiking is? Ultralight hiking can be summed up as hiking with the least amount of gear possible and only taking what you really need rather than what you might need....
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,...
Waterfall Safety Tips for Hikers and Backpackers
Waterfall Safety Tips for Hikers and BackpackersInstead of just throwing out a couple of waterfall safety tips, I wanted to create this guide for you to consume. Where I come from, the Shawnee National Forest, we’ve had our fair share of severe injuries and even...
Latest Trail Guides
Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
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...
Illinois Iron Furnace Guide
Illinois Iron Furnace GuideIllinois Iron Furnace isn’t just a nice spot for a picnic on a warm sunny day. It’s the last remaining Iron Furnace in the region. It’s a piece of southern Illinois history worth seeing for yourself. Illinois Iron Furnace is the last iron...
Giant City Red Cedar Trail Guide
Giant City Red Cedar Trail GuideGiant City Red Cedar Trail is the longest hiking trail within Giant City State Park. It is commonly used by hikers, backpackers, trail runners, birders, and nature watchers. Getting to Giant City Red Cedar Trail is easy. The trail is...
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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