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.
Shawnee Forest Bigfoot: Legends and Reality
Shawnee Forest Bigfoot: Legends and RealityHave you ever heard of the Shawnee Forest Bigfoot? There are several different bigfoot topics when it comes to the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. Some are for tourism purposes. Some are legends. Some are...
Why do you Hike?
Why do you Hike?Why do you hike? Hiking means many different things to many other people. You might hike for a specific goal. It might be for fitness reasons. Maybe it’s for your mental health. What is the reason that you have chosen to hike for?I hike for a few...
Hiking with Shawn Patreon
Hiking with Shawn PatreonAre you looking for a way to support Hiking with Shawn even more than you’re already doing just by being a fan?I welcome you to join my Patreon page to help support me. My Patreon Page offers daily discussions with me, exclusive videos and...
How to Hike in the Snow
How to Hike in the SnowSome people are terrified to hike in the snow. Some don’t because it’s too cold. Some people will hike in the snow but not the ice. Hiking in the snow or ice, for that matter, isn’t always a bad thing. You can see a lot of cool stuff during...
Outdoor Freelance Work
Outdoor Freelance WorkDid you know I provide outdoor freelance work? I’ve been interested in and practicing various digital marketing, content creation, writing, and social media activities for the past twenty-five years. I’ve always been interested in maintaining the...
How to go Hiking in the Rain
How to go Hiking in the RainDoe the very idea of hiking in the rain scare you or make you think it’s too dangerous to do? What if I told you that hiking in the rain could be as safe as hiking in any condition and make for a much better hiking experience? Hiking in the...
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...
Why Early Morning Hiking is the Way To Go
Why Early Morning Hiking is the Way To GoAre you into early morning hiking, or do you like to sleep in before getting up to go for a hike? Did you know that hiking in the morning might be what you need to make your day better? Not everyone can hike in the morning...
5 Best Illinois State Park Trails to Visit the Year
5 Best Illinois State Park Trails to Visit this YearThere are a lot of Illinois State Park Trails to choose from in the southern part of the state! I wanted to feature five great trails you should check out this year. Here are 5 of my favorite Illinois State Park...
Latest Trail Guides
Check out the latest trail guides published in the Hiking with Shawn Blog.
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Bulge Hole Ecological Area
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Bulge Hole Ecological AreaBulge Hole Ecological Area or Bulge Hole EA for short is a wonderful hidden gem of the Shawnee National Forest. The ecological aspects of Bulge Hole deals with precious plants and flora that could be...
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Packentuck Waterfalls
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Packentuck WaterfallsPackentuck Waterfalls are a series of unofficial trails located in the Shawnee National Forest off Packentuck Road. This area borders private property as well as Camp Ondessonk so a map/app with boundary...
Ultimate Trail Guide: Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area
Hiking with Shawn’s Ultimate Trail Guide Series: Bell Smith Springs Recreation AreaBell Smith Springs Recreation Area is a popular recreation area of the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. It contains over 8-miles of various types of hiking trails and many...
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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