Shawnee National Forest · Illinois

Jackson Falls

5.2 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 049 · trail class 1 · typical grade 10-12% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse

Begins at the forest's mile 0, 37.4880, -88.6908 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins

Jackson Falls the Forest Service's write-up

season Year-round to

The bluffs and rock faces found at Jackson Falls offer excellent technical climbing surrounded by a beautifully scenic area of the Shawnee National Forest. Considered part of the general forest area the Jackson Falls has a vault toilet. Camping is free, but limited to a maximum of 14-days continuous stay.

From the trailhead a short trail leads to the top of Jackson Falls. High bluffs are in the area, visitors should be cautious and aware of their surroundings.

Jackson Falls brochure/map

Restrictions <ul><li>Stay on the designated trails.</li><li>Pack It In, Pack It Out rules apply to the entire trail system.</li><li>Camping is free throughout the year up to 14-days continuous stay. No permanent structures may be built.</li><li>Camp and wash at least 150 feet from any water source.</li><li>Burn dead and down trees only, making sure campfires are completely out.</li><li>Do not build campfires on top of the bluffs.</li><li>Confine rock climbing activities to existing climbing routes to avoid resource damage.</li></ul>

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Shawnee National Forest

All 277 trails in Shawnee National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.