Photo caption: Mountain Biking is the pinnacle of adventure in Southern Illinois, with opportunities waiting to be discovered all around the region.
There’s a plethora of opportunities for cyclists of all disciplines, each offering a unique experience. The best part? These trails are not overrun by visitors, ensuring you’ll always find a great spot to ride. With trails scattered all across Southern Illinois, there’s always something new to explore.
Multiple backroads for road biking exist, as do miles upon miles of gravel and dirt roads for adventure cycling. We have one of the largest rails to trails in the state of Illinois at Tunnel Hill State Trail, and numerous other bike paths are all across our state parks.
Shawnee Forest Country has many different cycling opportunities.
Mountain Biking is the pinnacle of adventure in Southern Illinois, with opportunities waiting to be discovered all around the region.
Mountain biking in Shawnee Forest Country is a very physical form of cycling. The singletrack trails offer levels for beginners and advanced riders. Most are created and manicured by dedicated mountain bikers who love to make only the best trails possible.
Start shredding through the Shawnee Forest Country on our many mountain bike routes today!
On the eastern side of the region, GlenDixon is a great option. This is nearly 20 miles of pristine designated mountain bike trails between Lake Glendale and Dixon Springs State Park. There is an easy trail around Lake Glendale. The more technical and moderate trails are beyond the lake in between there and Dixon Springs. Download the Avenza Maps for this area at https://tinyurl.com/shawneechallenge.
Suppose you want trails catered to all levels of riders. In that case, you need to check out the Touch of Nature trails at SIU Touch of Nature Education Center in Carbondale. There are trails for all levels of riders from small children to advanced riders. These trails were created from scratch by mountain bike trail builders and volunteers. Touch of Nature puts on various mountain biking competitions each year, too. The trails are marked very well and easy to navigate without a map. https://tinyurl.com/touchofnaturetrails
The newest mountain bike trails in Shawnee Forest Country are located at Kinkaid Lake with around 11 miles of singletrack mountain biking trail goodness. You’ll enjoy twists and turns, hills, and beautiful views of Kinkaid Lake while shredding this route. This is the newest mountain bike trail system that has been officially designated by the US Forest Service. There are even more miles in the planning phase to be constructed in the near future. https://tinyurl.com/kinkaidlaketrails
Shawnee Forest Country is the Midwest’s top cycling destination, offering miles of well-maintained singletrack mountain biking trails for all ages and abilities. Remember, safety first-always wear a helmet and ride a well-maintained bike. With these precautions in place, you can fully enjoy the unique experiences that Shawnee Forest Country has to offer in Southern Illinois.