Hiking is available year-round in the rolling hills of Southernmost Illinois and if you have visited in another season winter can offer a very different experience.  The weather is generally mild, and you can pretty much have the trails all to yourself.  Enjoy a peacefulness that only winter can provide.  If you are really lucky, the waterfalls will be flowing or frozen, either sight is beautiful!  If you don’t want to explore on your own, there are options for guided hikes with Hiking with Shawn, Bart Lane’s guided hikes, a packaged stay with Steve of Rim Rock’s Dogwood Cabins, or a photography adventure.   

In December and January, Roam for Gnomes along the seven trails of Giant City State Park.  There is one winter hiking gnome just waiting to be discovered!
Each gnome is holding a different item recommended for a winter hike!
· Record all 7 gnomes by taking a photograph of you and the gnome, or by making a list of the items they are holding.
· Make sure to date when you found your gnome (locations will be changing) and what trail you found it on. Gnomes will be located along the designated trails.
· Bring your proof into the Giant City Visitors Center for your super cool and FREE Giant City Gnome Roam patch!
These rosy-cheeked gnomes will be hanging out on the Giant City State Park Trails during the months of December and January.

Get started on the Shawnee Challenge! This free mobile passport takes you to areas across the Shawnee National Forest where you will earn points for a chance at prizes.  Sign up for free today! 

After a day of hiking, bicycling, horseback riding or zip-lining relax in front of a fire, or roast hot dogs and marshmallows.    Some cabins and cottages also offer hot tubs, as well as booking incentives for January and February.  You will also find more last minute availability this time of year. 

For January and February, the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail provides great incentives to visit, with their passport program.  Enjoy savoring their wines and saving with great discounts on wine, merchandise, food and more.  

With your purchase of a $20.00 winery passport, you will receive discounts at each of the member wineries as well as other businesses along the trail.  Passports are available for sale at www.shawneewinetrail.com.    Spend Valentine’s Day at a Shawnee Hills Wine Trail winery!  On site lodging is available at several of the wineries. 

There are twelve wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and they are all open year round. Fewer people mean a casual pace and more intimate tasting experience.  Make it a romantic weekend, or a girlfriend getaway! 

Winter is a great time to enjoy the slower, quieter side of Shawnee Forest Country in Southernmost Illinois.  The cooler temperatures mean no bugs or snakes and the trees are bare, allowing you to see much further into the forests. Bluffs hidden behind the summer foliage emerge dramatically into sight.  The Shawnee National Forest can be magical any time of the year but the transition to winter can be especially dramatic.

For more info call 1-618-833-9928 or  visit southernmostillinois.com