National Forest trails in Illinois
208 named trails in 2 national forests pass through Illinois, about 414 miles within the state. 24 have their own page and are listed below. Trails are grouped by the forest that administers them, longest forest first.
Shawnee National Forest198 trails · 385 miles
| Trail | Miles | Class | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lusk CreekLusk Creek Wilderness Wilderness | 16.2 | ||
| Kinkaid Lake Trail | 15.2 | ||
| Beaver Trail | 9 | ||
| One Horse Gap | 8.8 | ||
| New Gog - Karbers RidgeGarden of the Gods Wilderness Wilderness | 8.3 | ||
| Bay Creek | 7.3 | ||
| Bell Smith Springs | 7.3 | ||
| Hayes Creek | 6.9 | ||
| GodwinClear Springs Wilderness Wilderness | 6.8 | ||
| Dog Hollow Trail | 6.5 | ||
| Millstone Lake | 6.4 | ||
| Zimmer Cemetery | 6.1 | ||
| Thacker Hollow | 5.9 | ||
| Jackson Falls | 5.1 | ||
| Little Cache | 5.1 | ||
| Whistle | 5.1 | ||
| Horse Creek | 4.8 | ||
| Panther DenPanther Den Wilderness Wilderness | 4.6 | ||
| Inspiration PointNational Recreation Trail | 0.8 | ||
| Rim Rock National Rec TrailNational Recreation Trail | 0.8 | ||
| Oakwood Bottom Interp. BdwlkAccessible | 0.2 |
177 more trails, including every one under 4.5 miles, are listed on the Shawnee National Forest page.
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie10 trails · 29 miles
| Trail | Miles | Class | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Oaks Trail | 5.8 | ||
| Henslow Trail | 5.2 | ||
| Blodgett Marsh Trail | 4.6 |
7 more trails, including every one under 4.5 miles, are listed on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie page.
The 60 longest trails with a page are listed for each forest. The forest pages list every named trail. A trail that crosses a state line is listed in both states with its full length. Data refreshed September 17, 2026.