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.
Mill Branch Trail Guide
Mill Branch Trail Guide Mill Branch Trail is one of the most unique hiking trails in the Shawnee National Forest. (Moderate – 1.8 miles – Loop)There’s no other trail quite like Mill Branch. This trail can be accessed at Bell Smith Springs in the Shawnee National...
Glendixon Mountain Biking Trail Guide
Glendixon Mountain Biking Trail GuideHave you enjoyed some Glendixon mountain biking? Have you ever even heard of Glendixon? It combines words from the local mountain biking community in the Shawnee National Forest area. It’s short for Glendale and Dixon. Glendale...
Eagle Falls Waterfall Hiking Guide
Eagle Falls Waterfall Hiking GuideHave you ever heard of the Eagle Falls Waterfall? This amazing waterfall is attached to an old trail in the Bell Smith Springs area that is no longer being maintained, likely due to budget cuts. Access to this waterfall is rugged,...
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 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 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...
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 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 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 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 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 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 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
Shawnee National Forest Wilderness Areas: A Hiking with Shawn Wilderness Series
Shawnee Nation Forest Wilderness Areas A Hiking with Shawn Wilderness SeriesThe Shawnee National Forest is home to quite a few designated wilderness areas. In fact, there are 7 designated wilderness areas within the Shawnee National Forest. These 7 different...
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
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
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
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
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
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Rocky Bluff Trail & Wild Turkey Trail
Hiking with Shawn’s Trail Guide Series: Rocky Bluff Trail & Wild Turkey TrailThe Rocky Bluff Trail and Wild Turkey Trail is a part of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge system. They are actually some of the few areas you can hike at within the refuge. A...
Illinois State Parks & Preserves
Trail guides for Illinois State Parks and Nature Preserves
How To Go Caving at Illinois Caverns
How To Go Caving at Illinois CavernsAre you planning to go caving at Illinois Caverns this year? Illinois Caverns recently opened back up to the public a few years ago after being closed to help protect the native bat population from White Nose Syndrome, a disease...
Giant City Road Biking Route Itinerary
Giant City Road Biking Route ItineraryGiant City road biking is great for many different reasons. It’s scenic. It’s great for fitness. It’s lightly trafficked. Your selected road biking route can make or break your cycling adventure. You spent all that money on a road...
Glendixon Mountain Biking Trail Guide
Glendixon Mountain Biking Trail GuideHave you enjoyed some Glendixon mountain biking? Have you ever even heard of Glendixon? It combines words from the local mountain biking community in the Shawnee National Forest area. It’s short for Glendale and Dixon. Glendale...
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 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 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...
Kentucky Hiking Trail Guides
Trail guides for National Forest and State Parks in Kentucky
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...
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