Shawnee National Forest
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 1,453 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 2
- Longest rig
- Not published
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 2 campgrounds shown
Shawnee National Forest
Shawnee National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois, United States. Administered by the United States Forest Service, it consists of approximately 498,615 acres (201,782 ha) of federally managed lands. In descending order of land area it is located in parts of Pope, Jackson, Union, Hardin, Alexander, Saline, Gallatin, Johnson, and Massac counties. Forest headquarters are located in Harrisburg, Illinois. There are local ranger district offices in Jonesboro and Vienna. Shawnee National Forest is also the single largest publicly owned body of land in Illinois.
Extract from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Agency description not published.
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Lusk Creek Wilderness6,636 acres
- Bald Knob Wilderness5,817 acres
- Clear Springs Wilderness4,667 acres
- Garden of the Gods Wilderness3,896 acres
- Burden Falls Wilderness3,740 acres
- Bay Creek Wilderness2,760 acres
- Panther Den Wilderness988 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
Drive to Shawnee the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.