Garden of the Gods, Shawnee National Forest, Southern Illinois |4K|

Garden of the Gods is famous for spectacular views with a short hike among some of the most unique rock formations in the United States. More than 320 million years ago, the wind and rain patiently started to chisel away at large deposits of sedimentary rock located in what is now, Shawnee National Forest . Over the years, the elements have sculpted some of the most stunning and extraordinary rock formations. We started from Chicago and drove through Indianapolis and finally reached Shawnee National Forest before sunset. We enjoyed the beautiful nature of the Southern Illinois while driving. We went there during summer, so lakes, green trees, everything looked so beautiful. For the night we stayed at the Shawnee Forest Cabins, which is just 5 minutes drive from Garden of the Gods. Shawnee Forest Cabins has few wooden cabins and also a tree house. Some of the cabins has hot tubs and fire places. Shawnee Forest Cabins also have few Electric vehicle charging spots, so we charged our Tesla there overnight. The cabin looked like they are in the middle of the forest and we really enjoyed our stay at Shawnee Forest Cabins. https://www.shawneeforestcabins.com Next morning we went to Garden of the Gods. There were lots of free parking spot. Entry at the Garden of the Gods is also free. The hike through Garden of the Gods is the most popular hike in the Shawnee National Forest. There are also plenty of trails for backpacking and horse riding. I think hike through the observation trail at Garden of the Gods is the most attractive hike. The observation trail has wooden and rock steps located midway through. There are signs along the trail highlight the various historical and geologic features of these unique sandstone bluffs. We will show some of the signs during the walk tour. At the observation deck, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the pristine woodlands below. So, let's enjoy the Beautiful Garden of the Gods at Shawnee National Forest.