Top Backpacking Trails in Illinois
10 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Backpacking in Illinois centers on the Shawnee National Forest in the state’s far south, where sandstone bluffs, rock shelters, and creek valleys break up the hills between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Most of this site’s trips are there: the Garden of the Gods, Lusk Creek, Panther Den, and Bald Knob–Clear Springs wilderness loops, the One Horse Gap loop, and a 21.6-mile River to River Trail section from Elizabethtown. Giant City State Park’s Red Cedar Trail is nearby. Farther north, the site covers Sand Ridge State Forest’s sandy Yellow Trail and the River Ridge Backpack Trail at Forest Glen Preserve in central Illinois, plus the long, flat Hennepin Canal towpath in the northwest.
Plan around heat, bugs, and water. Backpacker suggests fall at Garden of the Gods to avoid summer humidity and ticks, and some seasonal streams run low by late summer. Fall overlaps with deer and turkey hunting, and the Red Cedar Trail closes during shotgun deer season, per the DNR.
Rules vary by managing agency. The Shawnee allows dispersed camping without a permit, with limits on camping near water, in natural areas, and near developed sites. The state and local sites use designated campsites with a permit or registration. The Forest Service warns that heavy rain can raise creeks quickly and that venomous snakes live in southern Illinois. Treat all water.
Quick picks
- Short overnight loop: Panther Den Wilderness Loop
- Longest loop: Lusk Creek Wilderness Loop
- Point-to-point from the Ohio River: River to River Trail: Elizabethtown to Garden of the Gods (via High Knob)
- Flat multi-day towpath: Hennepin Canal Towpath (Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park)
- Sandy forest loop: Sand Ridge State Forest Yellow Trail
Central Illinois
- River Ridge Backpack Trail, Forest Glen Preserve Forest Glen Preserve, Vermilion County Conservation District (near Westville and Georgetown) 11 miles Moderate Designated backpack campsites (Group Camp and East Camp); advance registration required
- Sand Ridge State Forest Yellow Trail Sand Ridge State Forest, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (near Forest City and Manito, Mason County) 14.8 miles Moderate Designated backcountry sites (12 in the forest); permit from forest headquarters required
Northern Illinois
Shawnee National Forest
- Garden of the Gods Wilderness Loop (River to River Trail) Garden of the Gods Wilderness, Shawnee National Forest (near Herod) 15 miles Moderate Dispersed camping, no permit (wilderness rules apply)
- Godwin Trail and the Bald Knob–Clear Springs Wildernesses Bald Knob and Clear Springs Wildernesses, Shawnee National Forest (near Alto Pass, Union County) 15 miles Hard Dispersed camping, no permit (not in natural areas)
- Lusk Creek Wilderness Loop Lusk Creek Wilderness, Shawnee National Forest (near Eddyville, Pope County) 25.5 miles Hard Dispersed camping, no permit (wilderness rules apply; none in the nature preserve)
- One Horse Gap Loop Shawnee National Forest, North Benham Ridge area (near Herod, Pope County) 20 miles Moderate Dispersed camping, no permit
- Panther Den Wilderness Loop Panther Den Wilderness, Shawnee National Forest and Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (near Goreville and Makanda, Union County) 7 miles Moderate Dispersed camping on Forest Service land, no permit; no camping on the refuge
- River to River Trail: Elizabethtown to Garden of the Gods (via High Knob) Shawnee National Forest, from the Ohio River at Elizabethtown (Hardin County) to Garden of the Gods 21.6 miles Moderate Dispersed camping, no permit (not at the High Knob overlook)
Southern Illinois
Backpacking in Illinois: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in Illinois?
It depends on the managing agency. The Forest Service says no permit is needed to enter or camp in the Shawnee National Forest's wildernesses, though forest orders limit stays to 14 days in 28 and groups to 10 people in the Garden of the Gods, Lusk Creek, and Bay Creek wildernesses. State and local sites work differently: Giant City State Park requires pre-registration for the Red Cedar campsite, Sand Ridge State Forest requires a backcountry camping permit, and Forest Glen Preserve requires a registration form at least two weeks before a River Ridge trip. Check with the managing agency before you go.
Can you camp anywhere in the Shawnee National Forest?
Dispersed camping is allowed in much of the Shawnee, with limits. According to Forest Service orders and its recreation guide, as cited on this site's trail pages, primitive camping is not allowed within 150 feet of water, in designated natural areas, or within a quarter mile of developed campgrounds and picnic areas. Camping is also prohibited on the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge portion of Panther Den Wilderness and in Lusk Creek Canyon Nature Preserve. The Forest Service asks backpackers in popular areas to use established camp spots away from trails, water, and bluff tops.
Can you camp anywhere on Illinois state park and preserve trails?
No. The state and local trips on this site use designated sites only: the single Red Cedar campsite at Giant City, 12 primitive backcountry sites at Sand Ridge, Group Camp and East Camp at Forest Glen, and designated lock and bridge campgrounds on the Hennepin Canal, which are first come, first served. Camping along the Hennepin Canal towpath itself is prohibited.
When is hunting season in Illinois, and does it affect backpacking?
Yes, fall trips overlap with hunting. The Illinois DNR's 2026-27 dates are archery deer October 1, 2026 to January 17, 2027, firearm deer November 20 to 22 and December 3 to 6, muzzleloader deer December 11 to 13, and fall turkey shotgun October 24 to November 1. Hunting is allowed on the Shawnee National Forest and on most of Sand Ridge State Forest, and the DNR's Red Cedar Trail brochure says that trail closes during shotgun deer season. Bright or blaze orange clothing is a sensible precaution, so check DNR dates for the area you plan to visit.
Is there drinking water on Illinois backpacking trails?
Mostly you treat creek, river, or lake water. The Forest Service says no stream water in the Shawnee meets drinking standards and advises carrying plenty or treating it, and some seasonal streams run low or dry by late summer and fall, per trip reports on this site. Forest Glen has a tap at the Audubon Barn but no man-made water on the trail, and Sand Ridge has water at developed campgrounds rather than backcountry sites.
What hazards should backpackers expect in Illinois?
The Forest Service warns of venomous snakes in southern Illinois and says heavy rain can raise streams quickly and keep them high for days, which matters on creek-heavy routes like Lusk Creek. The site's trail pages, citing agency brochures and guides, also list ticks, poison ivy, and slick sandstone. Cell service can be unreliable in the Shawnee, so carry a map and compass or GPS.
Where this comes from
- USFS: Shawnee National Forest alerts
- USFS: Shawnee wilderness
- USFS: Shawnee safety and outdoor ethics
- USFS: Shawnee hunting and shooting
- Illinois DNR: Giant City State Park camping
- Illinois DNR: Sand Ridge State Forest camping
- Illinois DNR: Hennepin Canal Parkway
- Vermilion County Conservation District: River Ridge Back Pack Trail rules
- Vermilion County Conservation District: River Ridge Back Pack Trail FAQ
- Hunt Illinois (Illinois DNR): 2026-27 season dates card (PDF)