Southern Illinois
🧭 Discover Southern Illinois
Where ancient stone meets quiet forest — and every trail leads to wonder.
Southern Illinois is where the Midwest dissolves into something wilder, older, and more expressive. Sandstone bluffs tower above hardwood forests; river valleys braid between fertile farmland; and geological time reveals itself in sculpted canyons, weathered arches, and cavern-like passages.
Here, the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers shape both land and life. Garden of the Gods rises like an open-air cathedral. Vineyards pattern the rolling hills of the Shawnee. History lives in river towns, trading posts, and preserved natural corridors. Outdoor wanderers, quiet-seekers, and regional travelers find a landscape that invites slow exploration — step by step, overlook by overlook, story by story.
Discover the Heartland organizes Southern Illinois into distinct subregions — each with its own geological character, cultural rhythm, and sense of place.
🏞️ Great River Road Bluffs
🌾 Prairie Uplands
💧 Crab Orchard & Rend Lake Region
Here, water brings the landscape — and the community — to life.
⛰️ Shawnee Hills
Here, the hills hold stories older than stone.
🌳 Shawnee Forest & Garden Corridor
Here, wilderness becomes a way of life.
🌊 Cache & Ohio River Corridor
🪶 Shared Regional Identity
All subregions share a connection to the Shawnee National Forest — a protected landscape linking ecological heritage, frontier history, and outdoor recreation. Canyons, arches, bluffs, and wetlands shape a regional identity rooted in ancient geology and preserved through federal and state stewardship.
This shared landscape ties together communities from river towns to rural hillsides — forming a unified story of nature, resilience, and quiet discovery.
Discover the Heartland partners with local tourism groups, trail organizations, and heritage partners to elevate this identity and guide visitors through Southern Illinois via stories that unite land, forest, and river.
Explore Southern Illinois on the Map
A visual guide to the region’s subregions, trails, overlooks, and geographic highlights.
Explore More in Southern Illinois
Browse the stories, guides, and events shaping Mississippi River Hills.
