Shawnee National Forest Trail Guide

Welcome to my Shawnee National Forest Trail Guide page! Here you can find trail guides for the Shawnee National Forest, Fish & Wildlife Refuges, Illinois State Parks and Preserves, and even for trails and areas that are outside of Illinois. I try to add new guides to this site every week or at least a few times a month. I also make sure I update old guides to reflect new information that comes up. There are over 40-guides on this website making my Shawnee National Forest Trail Guide the largest online. And these guides are 100% free to you!

Shawnee – Hidden Springs Ranger District

Trail guides for the East Side of the Shawnee National Forest otherwise known as Hidden Springs Ranger District.

Lake Glendale Recreation Area Guide

Lake Glendale Recreation Area Guide

Lake Glendale Recreation Area GuideLake Glendale Recreation Area has something for everyone, and it’s located in a central part of the Shawnee National Forest that, gives you easier access to many great areas around the forest and southern Illinois. Lake Glendale is...

Indian Point Trail Guide

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 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...

What to do at Garden of the Gods Illinois?

What to do at Garden of the Gods Illinois?

What to do at Garden of the Gods Illinois?Garden of the Gods Illinois consists of a recreation area, natural areas, and a designated wilderness area. Garden of the Gods is located in southern Illinois and part of the Hidden Springs Ranger District of the Shawnee...

One Horse Gap Hiking Guide – Shawnee National Forest

One Horse Gap Hiking Guide – Shawnee National Forest

One Horse Gap Hiking Guide for the Shawnee National ForestOne Horse Gap is a beautiful area located in the Shawnee National Forest. There are ample hiking opportunities available at this location. Other great activities in this area include fishing, paddling,...

Shawnee – Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District

Trail guides for the West Side of the Shawnee National Forest otherwise known as Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District.

Abneyville Rock Trail Guide

Abneyville Rock Trail Guide

Abneyville Rock Trail GuideThe Abneyville Rock Trail is a short but very remote hiking trail located in the northwestern Shawnee National Forest near Sand Ridge, with the closest city being Murphysboro. The trail is around four miles out-and-back and has roughly 600...

LaRue Pine Hills Snake Road Guide

LaRue Pine Hills Snake Road Guide

LaRue Pine Hills Snake Road GuideLaRue Pine Hills Snake Road is the only road in the world that closes annually so snakes can migrate across, and that road is located in the Shawnee National Forest. The road closes two times a year. During the closer-horseback,...

Pomona Natural Bridge Guide – Shawnee National Forest

Pomona Natural Bridge Guide – Shawnee National Forest

Pomona Natural Bridge Guide Shawnee National ForestPomona Natural Bridge is a popular natural bluff feature located near Pomona, Illinois, in the Shawnee National Forest, Mississippi Bluff Ranger District. Pomona Natural Bridge is a moderately difficult loop trail...

Cove Hollow Trail – Cedar Lake – Shawnee National Forest

Cove Hollow Trail – Cedar Lake – Shawnee National Forest

Cove Hollow Trail Cedar Lake Shawnee National Forest Trail GuideCove Hollow Loop is a trail system located in the Shawnee National Forest near Pomona within the Cedar Lake area. This lollipop loop uses a combination of Cove Hollow and Wolfden Hollow trails. The total...

Shawnee National Forest Iron Mountain Hiking Guide

Shawnee National Forest Iron Mountain Hiking Guide

Shawnee National Forest Iron Mountain Hiking GuideHave you ever been to Shawnee National Forest Iron Mountain? No, I don’t mean Iron Furnace, either. Shawnee National Forest Iron Mountain is located between Anna-Jonesboro and Alto Pass here in southern Illinois. This...

Hiking with Shawn’s Ultimate Trail Guide Series: LaRue Pine Hills

Hiking with Shawn’s Ultimate Trail Guide Series: LaRue Pine Hills

Hiking with Shawn’s Ultimate Trail Guide Series: LaRue Pine HillsLaRue Pine Hills is one of my favorite areas to visit throughout all the seasons of the year but especially during the spring and during the fall. LaRue Pine Hills is home to the world-famous Forest...

Shawnee – Designated Wilderness Areas

Trail guides for Designated Wilderness Areas in the Shawnee National Forest. General Wilderness Guide

Panther Den Wilderness Guide

Panther Den Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Panther Den WildernessPanther Den Wilderness is a 1,195-acre designated wilderness area within the Shawnee National Forest. Panther Den Wilderness is the smallest wilderness area within...

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...

Burden Falls Wilderness Guide

Burden Falls Wilderness Guide

Hiking with Shawn’s Guide to the Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest: Burden Falls WildernessBurden Falls Wilderness is a Designated Wilderness Area within the Shawnee National Forest. This wilderness area consists of 3,775-acres and is located in...

Crab Orchard & Cypress Creek Refuges

Trail guides for Crab Orchard and Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuges

Illinois State Parks & Preserves

Trail guides for Illinois State Parks and Nature Preserves

Cache River State Natural Area Guide

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 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,...

Bork Falls to Cedar Bluff Hiking Guide

Bork Falls to Cedar Bluff Hiking Guide

Bork Falls to Cedar Bluff Hiking GuideHave you ever hiked Bork Falls to Cedar Bluff (or reverse)? If you haven’t yet, and you’re looking for a nice long out-and-back hike, this would be an excellent hiking trip for you to enjoy. This hike is around 10 miles out and...

Giant City Red Cedar Trail Guide

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...

Giant City Indian Creek Trail Guide

Giant City Indian Creek Trail Guide

Giant City Indian Creek Trail GuideGiant City Indian Creek Trail is a short but scenic hike that is often overlooked by many people enjoying a visit to Giant City State Park. Like with most things with the word "Indian" in the name, this trail has some Native American...

Giant City Stonefort Trail Guide

Giant City Stonefort Trail Guide

Giant City Stonefort Trail GuideGiant City Stonefort Trail gives you a glimpse into a period so long ago that we know very little about its history of it. This short but potentially challenging trail features an ancient rock wall made by the very early-period of...

Kentucky Hiking Trail Guides

Trail guides for National Forest and State Parks in Kentucky

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