Frequently Asked Questions

We’re a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit founded in 2010, dedicated to promoting responsible outdoor recreation, tourism, environmental education, and land stewardship on the Shawnee National Forest. We work closely with the U.S. Forest Service as an official Interpretive Association.

Joining takes about a minute through our Square store. Memberships are annual and every level includes our quarterly newsletter and invitations to member events. Join or renew here.

No — volunteering is completely free. We provide all tools, equipment, personal protective equipment, and supplies. At times we can even offer benefits to volunteers, including lodging and merchandise. Sign up here.

Directly back to the forest: trash blasts and clean-up gear, trail maps and signage, Master Naturalist scholarships, education programs, and events like the Kid’s Fishing Derby. As a volunteer-powered nonprofit, overhead stays small.

Yes! At approximately 289,000 acres, it’s the single largest publicly owned body of land in the state — with seven designated Wilderness Areas, two National Scenic Byways, and eighty designated Natural Areas.

Our signature cold-water fundraiser, held every March at Pounds Hollow Recreation Area since 2022. Brave the water (or cheer from shore) to support forest stewardship. Watch the events page for the next one.

Forest Headquarters in Harrisburg can be reached at 618-253-7114, or find district office info on our contact page. For trail conditions and alerts, visit the official USFS Shawnee site.

Yes. Corporate memberships start at Beech and go through Chestnut, with individual memberships for your team, public recognition, and project sponsorship at the higher levels. See the corporate tiers, or reach out and we’ll find the right fit.

Illinois’ only national forest — about 289,000 acres of bluffs, wilderness, and waterways in the southern tip of the state.

It was established in 1939 after the Forest Service bought eroded farmland and the Civilian Conservation Corps began restoring the hills.

It is the only one in Illinois, sits where six ecological regions meet, and was spared the glaciers that flattened most of the state.

It was assembled from many purchased parcels, so Forest Service land is interspersed with private land rather than one solid block.

Parts are — wilderness, slot canyons, and bluffs. Developed sites like Garden of the Gods are an easy walk from the parking area.

Many highlight sites are a short walk from a parking area. Backcountry and wilderness take more planning. Ranger districts can advise on conditions — see our Visit page.

Garden of the Gods and Camel Rock, Bell Smith Springs, the River to River Trail, Pounds Hollow and the Shawnee Plunge, and seasonal Snake Road.

Visitors can enjoy hiking, camping, rock climbing, and kayaking.

Yes, the forest offers several campgrounds with amenities.

Notable trails include the River to River Trail and the Garden of the Gods.

There is no entrance fee for the Shawnee National Forest.

White-tailed deer, wild turkey, songbirds, and — seasonally at Snake Road — snakes, frogs, and other herps. Also hawks, owls, and the usual Southern Illinois forest mammals.