The sand and turf beach has modern bathhouses with flush toilets and showers. The tranquil surroundings of the area are a great way to spend an afternoon enjoying the outdoors. Day-use Activities: At 25 acres, Pounds Hollow Lake is large enough to provide its many visitors some seclusion during their visit. So, let’s take a look at how you can spend a day, a weekend or longer at Illinois’s Shawnee National Forest. Campsites & turn radius of campground roads limit truck & trailer size to under 25 ft. Picnic area is open 6am - 10pm. Road to lake and picnic area is closed for the season. Whether you’re interested in hiking, swimming or waking up in a cabin to enjoy a cup of coffee surrounded by woods (the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee is somehow always better outside), Shawnee has it, and it will help your kids learn to enjoy and respect the great outdoors – one of the best environmental lessons you can teach them. For more information, visit. At each office there are outside information kiosks with free recreation and tourism information. No glass or metal containers allowed on the beach. Its central location makes it easy to visit main attractions on either side of the forest or any place in-between. If waking up to the aroma of coffee and bacon is your idea of an ideal morning, the camping sites at Shawnee National Forest are made for you. The trail can be challenging, so there are benches for breaks, or just to take in the gorgeous surroundings of this mysteriously beautiful place quite deserving of its name. The Best Hikes in Southern Illinois – Camping in Shawnee National Forest. Smoke-Free Beach. Willowbrook is found near Shawnee sites including Millstone Bluff Petroglyphs, Burden Falls, Jackson Falls, Lusk Creek Canyon, Sand Cave, Bell Smith Springs and other great hiking trails. In the southern tip of Illinois lies the rolling Shawnee Hills where 289,000 acres await you to relax, unwind and explore the Shawnee National Forest. Primitive camping is allowed in the Shawnee National Forest with the exception of developed recreation areas, natural areas, along lake shores, near streams or on trails. Rustic log cabin rentals with modern comforts such as hot tubs, Wifi and satellite TV located near Garden of the God in the Shawnee National Forest. The cabins are the closest to Garden of the Gods, but also just down the road from Rim Rock hiking area and Pounds Hollow Recreational & swimming area. Campsite $10/night - 8 people & 2 vehicle maximun Campground has 13 electric sites and 42 non-electric sites. Ticks are a problem in any wooded setting, but use a bug spray with DEET and inspect all the family members after a hike. The only remaining iron furnace structure in the state, this site offers a look at how iron was manufactured using charcoal in a furnace constructed of rock quarried near Cave-In-Rock as well as brick from Pennsylvania. Please read and follow posted rules. The usual list of great camping activities rings true here—boating, fishing, swimming, biking, and hiking are all nearby, and you … If you are looking for a place in the center of the Shawnee National Forest, then Lake Glendale Recreation Area is for you. Shawnee Forest Cabins are the perfect cabins for any getaway trip to the Shawnee National Forest. The forest system has many … We hiked in the Shawnee National Forest at the Garden of the Gods & Pounds Hollow. Garden of the Gods Recreation Area. There are several lakeside picnic sites, plus a fishing pier and a large picnic shelter overlooking the beach. Best of all, they won’t even realize that they’re learning. The closest cabins to Garden of the Gods Recreation Center – and down the road from both Pounds Hollow Recreation Center and Rim Rock hiking trail, Shawnee Forest Cabins are packed with amenities. These luxurious two- and three-bedroom cabins have all the amenities you need, including a full bath, a washer and dryer, central heat and air and in some cases, a hot tub off a shaded porch to help ease away any soreness from your day’s hike. There are also 6 picnic sites with grills outside of the picnic shelter. It will just be an unforgettable, innate part of them that will linger, long after you leave. This lovely place actually contains many holes in which you can swim. by Shawnee-Blogger | May 15, 2020 | Uncategorized | 0 comments. Equestrian users are prohibited from camping in designated wilderness areas. Shawnee National Forest Camping: Campendium has 28 reviews of 14 Campgrounds in Shawnee National Forest. Both Jackson Falls and Burden Falls are ideal hikes that will help you better get to know Shawnee National Forest, even during the rain. Swimming is allowed at the beach only. There is a fishing pier just below the parking lot. Along with history lessons, the historic site features three old-fashioned swimming holes and a short hike to a picnic area with bottomland habitat. For more information, click here or call (618) 672-4815. While there are no motels close to the best day hiking trails at Shawnee National Forest, there are some spots to stay in Harrisburg, which is 30 miles away. Surrounded by tall pine trees and mixed hardwood forest, its central location makes it easy to visit main attractions on either side of the forest or any place in-between. Shawneeforestcabins.com or call (618) 751-9926. From Harrisburg: Take Highway 34/145 south 6 miles, then continue on Highway 34 south for 9 miles. There is no lifeguard so swimming is at your own risk. he Shawnee National Forest is famed for its awesome Garden of the Gods, and is home to the Rim Rock Recreational Trail (the forest has a system of 403 miles of equestrian/hiking trails). 6 / 51. This scenic trail has plenty of highlights, including a wooden staircase, unique rock formations and two ways to get back to the parking lot, the paved upper trail or the dirt lower trail, which includes the historic Ox-lot Cave, a rock overhang where loggers in the 19th century protected their horses and oxen. The beach is open from late-May to mid-September, 8:00 A.M. until sunset. There is a maximum of 2 tents, 8 people and 2 vehicles allowed per campsite. Illinois' first iron furnace, it is the only one left in the state today. The Shawnee National Forest is an economic engine for southernmost Illinois. There are three motels in Harrisburg, including: It features free Wi-Fi and an indoor pool. GPS Map of the Shawnee (PDF/730k) This map has GPS coordinates for many of the major attractions within the Shawnee National Forest. Completed in the early 1940's, Pounds Hollow Lake is popular for the same reasons it was 60 years ago and continues to provide opportunities to picnic, fish, swim, camp and hike. We offer several beautiful lakes for fishing in our Campground & we are pet friendly. The gate remains locked but visitors can access the area by walking around the gate along the maintenence road, to reach the picnic shelter and ramps to the beach and lakeside picnicking. State Route 141 to Highway 1. Picnicking is offered at the Lake and beach areas. If you are looking for a place in the center of the Shawnee National Forest, then Lake Glendale Recreation Area is for you. The skilled craftsmanship of the Civilian Conservation Corpsmen (CCC) can still be seen today in the hand-cut sandstone foundation of the picnic shelter. More than a few lakeside picnic areas are available for Shawnee Forest visitors. Its central location makes it easy to visit main attractions on either side of the forest or any place in-between. Campground closes December 15th. A picturesque setting, Pounds Hollow campground and lake are tucked away amongst the Shawnee Hills, where you can relax and get away from it all. No reservations, campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The pools are most frequented during the spring and summer. Little Lusk has 3 trailheads that lead to beautiful trails in the Shawnee National Forest, Lusk Creek Wilderness area, & Bay Creek Wilderness area. Vending machines are available. Visit our offices on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, between 8 a.m.— 4:30 p.m. for contact-free customer service. The E-Town River Restaurant, Elizabethtown, Mom’s Guide to the Shawnee National Forest. Illinois’ largest expanse of wooded land, the Shawnee National Forest, is located in the heart of Southern Illinois. Pine Ridge Campground, located on the ridgetop above Pounds Hollow Lake, offers 13 electric campsites (20,30,50 amp) and 22 non-eletric campsites. That’s the ultimate beauty that nature has to offer. From Evansville, Indiana: Take Highway 62 west & continue on IL. Shawnee National Forest, Illinois: Hours, Address, Shawnee National Forest Reviews: 4.5/5 Swimming at Shawnee State Park. Later use of the cave was just as dastardly, and well worth a visit to find out more. There is no better way to introduce your kids to the wonders of nature than to take them on a journey that immerses them into the woods, where the sounds, scents and overwhelmingly beautiful scenery can connect them to the earth in ways that are both invigorating and restorative. You can also call 911, but be prepared to give your exact location or nearest landmark. Beach area is open dawn to dusk. These rustic, welcoming log cabins located in the heart of Shawnee National Forest feature one-bedroom cabins with hot tubs – a must after day-long hikes – as well as two-bedroom cabins, each ideal for a relaxing getaway. Still looking for more places to cool off? Leave city life behind and roam the hills, valleys, lakes, and 63,000-acre Shawnee Forest at Shawnee Lodge and Conference Center. Be aware that Loop One's turn around is narrow and not wide enough to accommodate vehicles pulling RVs. Enjoy a getaway to nearby Southern Illinois with Shawnee National Forest Cabins. The Campsites are not large enough for RVs. Stay within the buoys for a safe swimming … As for predators – all rarities, by the way –  there are coyotes as well as three venomous snakes – copperheads, rattlesnakes and cottonmouths, but they are usually spooked by loud noises, and most families make enough noise that you will be unlikely to run across any of them. Brandilynn V./yelp.com ... Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area in Shawnee National Forest serves up clear streams and scenic canyons, linked by eight miles of hiking trails. No dogs are allowed on the beach and must be leashed in surrounding picnic areas and trails, etc. (That means it’s good for parents who need to relax and for the kids, who need to let off some steam!). 20, 30 & 50 amp at electric campsites. Use trash receptacles in developed areas. Shawnee National Forest. The Lake contains largemouth bass, channel catfish and sunfish. Pounds Hollow is just down the road from Rim Rock and is a beautiful quiet section of Shawnee National Forest but a popular swimming hole in the summer! Map showing recreational areas. It is part of the Shawnee National Forest and features sandstone cliffs, creeks, and eight miles of trails. While this majestic hike is the park’s most popular trail – the quarter-mile trek takes about an hour to walk – it can also be dangerous, so families should stick close together, especially when walking along the trail’s 120-foot cliffs. Lay back in the sand while the children splash on the shoreline or dive in with them from dawn until dusk! Usda Forest Service, Illinois. The lake contains largemouth bass, channel catfish and sunfish. Here you will find vast forests, wetlands and rugged bluffs home to a variety of plants and animals. If anyone in your family should become injured – bee stings are possible – the nearest hospital is Harrisburg Medical Center, which has a 24-hour emergency room. Each cabin features air conditioning and heat, a fireplace, high-speed Wi-Fi, a DVD player and satellite TV – just in case it rains – a microwave, coffee maker and toaster as well as cooking utensils along with a fire pit and a charcoal grill, so you can make burgers, steaks or even pop popcorn the old-fashioned way over a fire, then watch a movie and relax after a day of hiking some of the most beautiful areas in Illinois. vault toilets; Picnic area/beach has flush toilets, vault toilet in campground; Picnic Area are open seasonally. Explore the spacious Shawnee Lodge and Conference Center with attractions and amenities for the entire family. Swimming Beach Area - $5.00 ages 6 and up, $3.00 1-5, under 1 free. Such trips are also unforgettable, and will leave indelible memories of the crunch of leaves beneath their feet, the aroma of pine and the sound of birds singing from tree branches above. See more ideas about Shawnee national forest, Southern illinois, National forest. 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