Hiking with Shawn

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 Awesome Hiking Gift Ideas this Holiday Season

10 Awesome Hiking Gift Ideas this Holiday Season

10 Awesome Hiking Gift Ideas this Holiday SeasonAre you looking for hiking gift ideas for that particular hiker in your life? Christmas and other holidays are almost here, and there is little time to shop. Hiking gifts are perfect for our outdoorsy significant other,...

How to Dress in Layers for Hiking in the Cold

How to Dress in Layers for Hiking in the Cold

How to Dress in Layers for Hiking in the ColdHiking in cold weather doesn’t have to be dreadful if you dress in layers before you go. Layering up for cold-weather hiking will keep you comfortable in any temperature. Dressing in layers is one of the most used and...

3 Osprey Hiking Backpack Reviews for Different Hiking Trips

3 Osprey Hiking Backpack Reviews for Different Hiking Trips

3 Osprey Hiking Backpack Reviews for Different Hiking TripsThe Osprey Hiking Backpack is well known for being a prominent pack for the hiking community. Osprey Packs is a widely-known hiking backpack brand. It is usually a little bit more expensive than other brands,...

27 Safe Hiking Trails in Southern Illinois during Hunting Season

27 Safe Hiking Trails in Southern Illinois during Hunting Season

27 Safe Hiking Trails in Southern Illinois during Hunting SeasonShotgun hunting season starts this weekend, and you might wonder if there are safe hiking trails! Just because it’s hunting season doesn't mean you have to give up a weekend of hiking. Hiking is the main...

Tunnel Hill Century Ride

Tunnel Hill Century Ride

Tunnel Hill Century RideI finally got around to completing and Tunnel Hill century ride. That’s 100 miles, in case you didn’t know. I rode 100 miles in one day, all on the Tunnel Hill State Trail in beautiful scenic southern Illinois. If you wanted to know how it went...

Section Hiking Versus Thru-Hiking

Section Hiking Versus Thru-Hiking

Section Hiking Versus Thru-HikingSection hiking versus thru-hiking, do you know the difference between the two? Both section hiking and thru-hiking are usually associated with longer hiking trails. Some of the longer hiking trails are ones you’ve probably heard of....

Bell Smith Springs Illinois Hiking with Shawn Trail Journal

Bell Smith Springs Illinois Hiking with Shawn Trail Journal

Bell Smith Springs Illinois Hiking with Shawn Trail JournalBell Smith Springs Illinois is one of the most unique places you’ll ever visit in the Shawnee National Forest! Welcome to another one of my Hiking with Shawn Trail Journal articles, where I feature trail...

How I Find Waterfalls Hiking with Shawn Trail Journal

How I Find Waterfalls Hiking with Shawn Trail Journal

How I Find Waterfalls Hiking with Shawn Trail JournalHave you ever wondered how I find waterfalls throughout the Shawnee National Forest? Welcome to another Trail Journal, where in this edition, I discuss my tactics on how I find waterfalls throughout remote areas of...

Snake Road Illinois Hiking with Shawn Trail Journal

Snake Road Illinois Hiking with Shawn Trail Journal

Snake Road Illinois Hiking with Shawn Trail JournalHave you ever been to Snake Road Illinois? It’s a forest road of a few miles that is closed to vehicle traffic two times a year so that snakes can safely migrate across. Welcome to another edition of the Hiking with...

Latest Trail Guides

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

Lusk Creek Wilderness Guide

Lusk Creek Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Lusk Creek WildernessLusk Creek Wilderness is a 6,293-acre designated wilderness area within the Shawnee National Forest. Lusk Creek Wilderness is the largest wilderness area for the...

Garden of the Gods Wilderness Guide

Garden of the Gods Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Garden of the Gods WildernessGarden of the Gods Wilderness is a 3,318-acre designated wilderness area within the Shawnee National Forest. Garden of the Gods Wilderness is located in...

Clear Springs Wilderness Guide

Clear Springs Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Clear Springs WildernessClear Springs Wilderness is a 4,730-acre designated wilderness area within the Shawnee National Forest located in rural southwestern Jackson and northwestern...

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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