About the Area
Go play! You can camp, paddle, hike, horseback ride, photograph, swim, run, hunt, fish and picnic at Shawnee National Forest. So, come explore our 280,000 acres of glades, barrens, prairies, streams, lakes, ponds, waterfalls, woodlands, rocky outcrops — and more!
The area’s beauty is especially charming during the spring and fall seasons. Spring brings blooming dogwoods, redbuds and wildflowers. The fall is saturated with color as the leaves turn.
Southern Illinois also boasts a rich cultural history. Native Americans used the area's resources for more than 15,000 years. French and English explorers traveled the waters of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. And, the earliest settlers built homesteads along these rivers.
Need more help planning a visit? Check out a local chamber of commerce or a tourism bureau.