I'm planning a trip to the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois. It borders Kentucky, and features Bluffs, Canyons, rivers, and even abandoned structures from past settlements. There are also copperhead snakes, bobcats, mountain lions, and poison ivy.

Has anybody been to this park? I've never done a hike in this kind of terrain before, and I wondering what I should do to prepare for it, and also if there are any trails I should check out.