Are you as ready for spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest as I am?

It’s when the wildflowers start to bloom, and the green slowly starts to return to the vast Shawnee National Forest.

I’m just about ready to go for a walk in the woods without having to put on a bunch of layers, too. How about you?

Keep reading my guide on my top 10 spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest. I tried to throw in a few great spots that you might not have been to yet.

What to See on Spring Hikes in the Shawnee National Forest?

Are you ready to see something amazing on the following spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest?

Spring is when daffodils bloom. It’s when native plants and flora start to bloom, too. Critters start to come out from hibernation. The trees start to green up again. It’s a warmer hiking season before we get too humid, and the forest fills up with spider webs.

This spring, you’ll be able to see some amazing scenes in the Shawnee National Forest, such as old homesites and maybe even some rare plants and flora.

The following spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest are likely some of the best you’ll ever go on during this time of the year.

The Top Spring Hikes in the Shawnee National Forest

Check out these great spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest, and tell me which ones you’ve been to and haven’t been to in the comments below.

1 – Hurricane Bluff near High Knob

Hurricane Bluff is a bluff of the River to River Trail near the High Knob Picnic Site close to the High Knob Horse Campground. This bluff features multiple overlooks, old homesites, a cemetery, and amazing rock formations at the bottom of the bluff. Hikers and horseback riders often use this trail.

To get to this trail, take Karber’s Ridge Road to Karber’s Ridge and turn onto High Knob Road. After you drive nearly 2 miles, turn right into the High Knob Campground. It is a public road, but please drive slowly to ensure the safety of horseback riders in the area. Drive through the campground and up the hill. At the River to River Trail crossing right before the Picnic Area sign, there is a small parking lot to your left. Park there.

Hike along the River to River Trail going east of the parking lot (across the road). You’ll pass a cabin on your left and then another cabin after that also on your left. Turn left by the second cabin. Take trail 146 to hike the top of Hurricane Bluff (loop) to see the overlooks. An old road in the middle of the loop will take you to Old Settlement, but it is out and back. Trail 164 on the bottom is another loop where you can see a lot of the base of the bluffs of Hurricane Bluff. You can easily get 3 to 8 miles of hiking in this area. The trails are moderately rugged.

For dining options nearby, The Gap Bar in Herod has good burgers. The Red Onion in Equality has a good steak. Mackie’s Pizza in Harrisburg has great pizza. Harbison’s and Mitchellsville gas stations also serve very good food. Garden of the Gods Outpost has great ice cream and snacks.

Multiple lodging options are nearby. You can camp at Garden of the Gods or Pounds Hollow. Some great cabins in the area include Rim Rock Dogwood Cabins, Shawnee Forest Cabins, and Timber Ridge Cabins. Hotels are available in Harrisburg.

2 – Horse Creek near Thebes

Horse Creek Trail is a quiet, scenic, and lightly trafficked loop trail near Thebes on the far west side of the Shawnee National Forest. It features beautiful overlooks, scenic portions of Horse Creek, old homesites, and a nice hike through the National Forest.

To reach this trail, take Route 3 to McClure and turn onto the Grapevine Trail. Drive just about 5 miles until you see a Forest Service Road to your west. Take it and drive towards the end of the road, where the trail starts.

Horse Creek Trail is around 4.5 miles in length. It is a loop that starts and ends on the gravel road you drive to. This trail can be moderately rugged.

There are not a lot of dining options nearby. However, there is a Horseshoe Bar and Grill along Horseshoe Lake in Alexander County. They make a really delicious burger, and the staff are very friendly.

The Rested Duck is a nearby lodging option. Otherwise, you’ll need to drive towards Anna to find other cabins and hotel options.

3 – Bowman Bottoms to Tunnel Hill near Vienna

This is one of my favorite spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest. It’s a section of the River to River Trail that leads to a very large field of daffodils. It uses a section of R2R trail that is heavily abused by ATVs and Jeeps (illegally), so when it’s wet, it can be difficult to traverse at times. However, it’s worth it to see everything that trail section has to offer.

Take Dutchman Lake Road to Bowman Bottoms Road around the Dutchman Lake area. Turn onto Bowman Bottoms Road. Drive until you see a Forest Service Road to your west. Park by the Odum Tract sign off the road.

Take the dirt road (by foot) up to Tunnel Hill State Trail and turn around and walk back. In the gas line right-of-way are where the big field of daffodils is. There are numerous other old settlements and beautiful scenic sites to see along the hike. It can be moderately rugged, especially when wet.

Vienna offers most of the dining opportunities near this trail. Vienna Diner and Ned’s Shed are among our favorite places to eat.

Perkins House Inn and Hotel 7 are two great lodging options near this trail in Vienna. You could also camp at Shawnee Forest Campground.  

4 – Rocky Bluff and Wild Turkey Trail near Carbondale

Rocky Bluff and Wild Turkey Trails are a great combination of spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest. However, they’re not exactly in the forest. These are in Crab Orchard Refuge, and you need a sticker on your vehicle to access them. But during this time of the year, it’s worth it. This is especially true when it’s wet out. Daffodils, wildflowers, and even waterfalls will be your scenic views along these awesome trails.

If heading south on Giant City Blacktop, turn left (east) onto Grassy Road. Drive until you pass Little Grassy and Devil’s Kitchen Lakes, and turn right onto Tacoma Lake Road. Take it a short distance to the signed trailhead.

Take the Rocky Bluff Trail and connect with Wild Turkey. Wild Turkey will be out and back, and Rocky Bluff will be a loop. You’ll get a few miles of moderately rugged hiking in.

There are many great dining options in Carbondale. Some of our favorites include Italian Village, Quatros Pizza, and more.

There are a few places to stay nearby, including the Refuge Bungalow, Giant City State Park Campground, Giant City State Park Cabins, and various camping areas along Little Grassy and Devil’s Kitchen. Multiple hotels are located in Carbondale.

5 – Trillium Trail near Makanda

Trillium Trail is located in Giant City State Park. There are many wildflower viewing opportunities along this trail. There is also plenty of bluffs, overlooks, and scenic viewings. This is a nature preserve, so you should remain on the designated trail in order to help preserve the precious plants and flora growing in the area.

Take Giant City Road into the state park. Turn west on Giant City Lodge Road. Turn north on Stonefort Road. Drive a few miles to read Trillium Trail on your left.

Take the trail in any direction you’d like. It is about a mile in length. This is a loop trail starting and ending from the parking area. The trail is moderately rugged. Remember to stay on the trail.

If you want some delicious food and it’s open, check out Giant City Lodge. They’re known for their fried chicken on Sundays.

For camping, check out Giant City Lodge Cabins and Campground. Makanda Inn is another great place to stay when visiting this area.

6 – Wolfden Hollow Trail near Pomona

Wolfden Hollow Trail is one of our favorite spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest because of all the wildflowers we saw there. There are a few sections of the trail where each side of the trail is covered in pretty little blooming flowers. The views of Cedar Lake are also amazing in this spot.

Take Highway 127 south of Murphysboro towards Pomona. Instead of turning towards Pomona, turn left onto Boat Dock Lane. Drive to where the trail crosses the road before the boat ramp area. Park on the right.

Take the trail across from where you park to get to Wolfden Hollow. Connect with Cove Hollow to make it a loop of around 4 or 5 miles. The hike is moderately rugged. No wolves are denning up out there, but you might encounter friendly neighborhood dogs.

For eating options nearby, check out Bunmakers in Murphysboro for a great breakfast. For lunch or dinner, check out Martel’s Pizza or 17^th Street BBQ.

There are many lodging opportunities around this area. Murphysboro has a few good hotel options. If you want a more rustic cabin experience, check out Tomcat Hill Cabins, CornerStone Cabins, and the Havishham House.

7 – Happy Hollow Trail near Goreville

Happy Hollow Trail at Ferne Clyffe State Park is another great spring hiking trail. This trail offers a very diverse set of scenic views with plenty of wildflowers and bluffage along the way. You’ll see scenic creeks, bluffs, wildflowers, and even waterfalls when the area is wet. There is also a very cool natural arch along this trail.

From Route 37, drive south out of Goreville. In about a mile, turn into Ferne Clyffe State Park. Drive into the park until you get to the T. Turn left. Pass the lake and merge right at the Y. The first parking area on your left is where you want to park.

The trail goes down and across the creek. The loop itself is about 4 or 5 miles, but if you hike all the trail systems in that particular area, it’s closer to 8 miles with a few out-and-back trails mixed in. Several creek crossings are making this hike moderately rugged.

The best place to eat nearby is at Wiffle Boy’s Pizza in Goreville. This is a favorite among hikers and bicycle travelers in the area.

You can camp at Ferne Clyffe State Park with primitive and full-hookup options. A few cabin options are also available, including Shawnee Trails Lodging and Suites and Cedar Rock Cabins.

8 – Heron Pond Trail near Belknap

Heron Pond is where Hiking with Shawn began. During the spring, the trail comes alive. You’ll not only see daffodils in some parts of that area but a lot of native swamp plants and flora, too. However, the area becomes quite slithery during the spring – meaning snakes, venomous ones, too. Make sure you drown yourself in insect repellent when visiting this area. It’s a swamp, after all.

Take Belknap Road to Heron Pond Lane. Drive all the way to the end of Heron Pond Lane to reach the trailhead. Please use caution and drive slowly as the road becomes narrow.

Take the trail to the Y and go to your left to walk on the Heron Pond Boardwalk. You can then pass the boardwalk to hit the loop. The total distance will be around two miles, including the loop. This trail is easy.

Vienna is the closest place nearby with better food options, or you can drive to Metropolis, which has many different dining options.

Perkins House Inn and Hotel 7 are two great lodging options near this trail in Vienna. You could also camp at Shawnee Forest Campground. There is also Main Brothers Campground in Karnak right down the road. There are camping and hotel options in Metropolis, too.

9 – Lake Glendale Trail near Golconda

The Lake Loop at Lake Glendale is another one of the easier spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest. It features aquatic plants and flora during the spring and some daffodils in the old homesite areas. This trail is open to hikers and mountain bikers. You can also kayak the lake if you want to. It’s my favorite lake to kayak to be honest.

Take 145 north of the Dixon Springs State Park area until you reach Lake Road on your right (east). Turn on Lake Road and take your first right past the Lake Glendale sign. The trailhead will be on your left. It’s the Cardinal Bay boat ramp area.

The trail starts and ends at Cardinal Bay trailhead. The lake loop is around 3 miles in length. At some point, there will be a fork in the trail. Stay on the trail closest to the lake, or you may end up hiking all the way to Dixon Springs State Park.

Golconda offers a few great places to eat. Lusk Creek Bar and Grill, Dairy-Barr, and Diver Down are all great options. The Chocolate Factory across from Dixon Springs State Park has great sweets and ice cream.

You can camp at Lake Glendale, with full-hookup options available. There are shower houses, too. Full-hookup camping and primitive camping are also available at Dixon Springs State Park. There are more lodging opportunities available in Golconda, too.

10 – Rim Rock Trail near Karber’s Ridge

Rim Rock National Recreation Trail is a great hike with ample spring viewing opportunities. Daffodils, plants, and wildflowers bloom here. You’ll also see an ancient Stonefort and old settler relics. There is a lot to see in this particular area.

Take Karber’s Ridge Road east. Pass Garden of the Gods and High Knob. Rim Rock will be on your left, right before Pounds Hollow.

For dining options nearby, The Gap Bar in Herod has good burgers. The Red Onion in Equality has a good steak. Mackie’s Pizza in Harrisburg has great pizza. Harbison’s and Mitchellsville gas stations also serve very good food. Garden of the Gods Outpost has great ice cream and snacks. Cave-in-Rock State Park has a good lodge with great food, too.

There are multiple lodging options nearby. You can camp at Garden of the Gods or Pounds Hollow. Some great cabins in the area include Rim Rock Dogwood Cabins, Shawnee Forest Cabins, and Timber Ridge Cabins. Hotels are available in Harrisburg. Cave-in-Rock State Park has cabins and a campground. Warning – there is a quarry nearby to Cave-in-Rock, and it can be very load when camping outside in the campground.

Final Thoughts About Spring Hikes in the Shawnee National Forest

There are many great spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest to choose from. These are 10 of my favorite hikes. There’s way more than these. Feel free to leave a comment telling me about other great spring hikes that are not listed in this article.

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