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.
How to Leave The Trail Better Than You Found It
How to Leave The Trail Better Than You Found ItHave you ever heard the saying, how to leave the trail better than you found it? It’s like Leave No Trace but with some extra effort from you to make the trail even better. You can do a couple of things to leave the trail...
5 Hiking Emergency Items Worth Taking on Every Hike
5 Hiking Emergency Items Worth Taking on Every HikeSome hiking emergency items are worth taking, just in case. You might plan for an uneventful day hike, but in nature, anything can happen. Humans really control nothing in nature, either. It’s rugged and unforgiving...
My Favorite Trails Per Season
My Favorite Trails Per SeasonI have favorite trails per season to hike at in the Shawnee National Forest and Southern Illinois. My favorite trail during the spring season is the River to River Trail section between Bowman Bottoms Road and Tunnel Hill State Trail....
5 Hiking Exercises to Improve Your Hiking Skills
5 Hiking Exercises to Improve Your Hiking SkillsIt’s good to do some hiking exercises to help strengthen your body and muscles for general hiking abilities. Hiking itself is a great exercise. However, it’s often low impact and doesn’t give you the strengthening you...
How to Adjust Your Hiking Backpack the Right Way
How to Adjust Your Hiking Backpack the Right WayDo you know how to adjust your hiking backpack the correct way? You make your hike miserable by not adjusting your backpack how it should be. Poor adjustment can result in pain, strain, and wear on your body. In...
How to Pack Your Hiking Backpack the Right Way
How to Pack Your Hiking Backpack the Right WayIf you don’t pack your hiking backpack properly, it could make you hate hiking. Knowing how to pack your backpack correctly can do a lot for you. It can prevent pain. It can prevent wear. It can ensure you keep your mind...
Leave No Trace in the Shawnee National Forest
Leave No Trace in the Shawnee National ForestWould you like to know how to Leave No Trace in the Shawnee National Forest? Leave No Trace is an excellent practice to follow. This is especially true and important in fragile areas. One of the biggest problems in Shawnee...
Hand Warmers
Hand WarmersDo you ever use hand warmers when hiking? Michelle and I don’t necessarily like cold weather. We tolerate it because you can see more and explore areas of the forest that are usually harder to get to during warmer months. But we’re not exactly fans of cold...
Adopt Your Favorite Trail
Adopt Your Favorite TrailHave you ever wanted to adopt your favorite trail? Guess what! You don’t have to ask for permission. Just do it. I mean, you have to have permission to do maintenance on the trail that would be big enough to need tools, saws, and stuff like...
Latest Trail Guides
Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
Millstone Lake Guide – Shawnee National Forest
Millstone Lake Guide Shawnee National Forest From the Hiking with Shawn Trail Guide SeriesMillstone Lake is a lake located in rural Pope County near the Village of Simpson, Illinois. The lake is about .2-square miles. Millstone Lake is open all year long, but visitors...
Hotel California Trail Guide – Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
Hotel California Trail Guide Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Hotel California Trail consists of old logging roads that lead to a former homesite structure that is now infamously used as a hangout spot for party goers and people who use spray paint for...
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Trail 001T Cove Hollow
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Trail 001T Cove HollowTrail 001T Cove Hollow is a spectacular trail. Most people refer to Cove Hollow as being a trail connected onto Cedar Lake on the west side of the Shawnee National Forest. However, there is another Cove...
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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