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.
No More Daily Blogs
No More Daily BlogsHowdy folks! Daily blogging is doable, but it requires more allocation of time and resources. I’ve ultimately decided not to do daily blogs anymore. But never fear – I still plan to blog on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That’s still more than I...
Please Take My Guided Hiking Services Survey
Please Take My Guided Hiking Services SurveyI’m entertaining the idea of going full-time as a hiking guide for the Shawnee National Forest and state parks. Right now, I do it on the weekends. I’m interested in what you, my followers, and my friends think about this...
10 Beginner Cycling Tips to Help You Love Cycling
10 Beginner Cycling Tips to Help You Love CyclingAre you thinking about getting into cycling? I think you should. I have some great beginner cycling tips to ensure you love riding bikes after every single ride. I’ve been a cyclist for over a decade. It saved my life....
How to Train for Hiking the Right Way
How to Train for Hiking the Right WayIt’s important that you train for hiking because it will help make you a better hiker. Hiking is a form of fitness. The only way you get better at a fitness routine is to strength train for that routine. Hiking is similar to...
Make Your Shawnee National Forest Visit Unique
Make Your Shawnee National Forest Visit UniqueDo you know how to make your Shawnee National Forest visit unique? Shop, dine, and lodge locally. Buy Shawnee Forest merchandise from places like Garden of the Gods Outpost, Harbison's Country Market, and Mitchellville...
Giant City State Park Presentation
Giant City State Park PresentationI did a presentation at Giant City State Park today about Hiking. I covered the basics of gear, safety, and hiking hacks. I showed what was in my backpack. I showed some great places to go to that you might have heard of. I showed a...
Top 10 Hiking with Shawn Articles
Top 10 Hiking with Shawn ArticlesDo you enjoy my Hiking with Shawn articles? I post a new article every day at 10:00 AM CST. I've posted daily articles for over 100 days and plan to keep doing it. Every now and then, I like to recap some of my best articles. For...
Top 10 Hiking with Shawn Shorts by Views
Top 10 Hiking with Shawn Shorts by ViewsBy Hiking with Shawn Shorts, I don’t mean short pants. I mean short videos called “Shorts,” a feature released on YouTube a few years ago to compete with Instagram and TikTok. I started using YouTube Shorts to fill in the days I...
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 Trail Guides
Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
Giant City Trillium Trail Guide
Giant City Trillium Trail GuideGiant City Trillium Trail is a popular trail located near Makanda in Southern Illinois. Trillium Trail is a part of Giant City State Park. The trail is also known as Fern Rocks Nature Preserve. As a designated nature preserve, it is...
Trail of Tears State Forest Campground Review
Illinois Campground Review: Trail of Tears State Forest Campground Jonesboro, IllinoisTrail of Tears State Forest Campground is located in Jonesboro, Union County, in the southern Illinois region. Class C (tent with vehicle access) and Class D (tent with backpacker...
Fort Massac State Park Guide
Fort Massac State Park GuideFort Massac State Park was the first state park in Illinois. This Illinois State Park offers many activities, including historical reference, cycling, hiking, disk golf, boating, and more. There is even a substantial world-famous encampment...
Latest Gear Reviews
Check out my latest outdoor gear reviews posted in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
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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.
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