Shawnee Trails Wilderness - Carbondale, Illinois

Cindy C.

I have been shopping at this store since 2001 when I attended graduate school at SIU. I have so many items from that store that are still going strong today! Rick is off the charts with his updated knowledge and history about all the products and the companies he deals with. Back in the area today after being gone since 2011 and he still has the best brands at a reasonable price. I bought a kayak today and he loaded it on my roof which was not equipped nor did I have anything to tie it down and make a 4 hour trip back to Kentucky. He handled everything with kindness and my kayak never moved on top of my car for 4 hours! Love the service
And his honesty regarding all of his products! He handles the best brands always! Highly recommend this sporting goods place as I keep coming back after all these years! Thank you for your dedication to the outdoor adventurous folks!

Gary H.

I've been buying my outdoor gear at Shawnee Trails for 30 years! Backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, clothing, stove, even a couple of canoes and a kayak. Rick and his staff are the best! Always a great experience here. Edit: I forgot to list boots and sandals. Huge selection!

Timothy C.

Very friendly fellow takes his time with each customer to fill there needs . Awesome place to shop highly recommend for all the best up to date gear. Prices are great for the top quality gear he carries.

B. B.

Great store! I've bought several pairs of hiking boots here over the years as well as camping equipment. Rick is incredibly knowledgeable. He recommended the best travel coffee maker that is so good we end up using it at home.

captain P.

I'm a general contractor and my roofer left me holding the bag on a job so I needed some climbing gear. We definitely use different equipment buy the guy helping was very helpful and got me lined out. I then remembered I was heading to Coyote Gulch in Utah for backpacking for 2 weeks and needed hiking boots. They definitely had boots waaaay out of my price range but they had size 14 and because of the guys helpfulness I went ahead and purchased them. Let me tell you this, I didn't have time to break them in, a few days later I found myself carrying an at least 50 pound ruck down a wash to get to the gulch in the best pair of boots I've ever worn. I'm so glad I bought them. Keep up the great work.

Jayson S.

This shop is amazing. They offer all of my favorite outdoor brands like The North Face, Patagonia, Osprey, Yeti, etc. The owner is helpful and friendly.

They also match online prices.

Why buy online and guess at a size when you can get your new North Face coat at a local shop for the same price?
If you like the outdoors, this is your place.

Perry L.

I ALWAYS try to support local business first. WAY OVER PRICED. I’m an avid hiker & stopped in looking for a pair of trekking poles. I am willing to pay more than on-line to support local businesses. So I searched online and found many, many pairs starting at $39, $49, $59 and so on. Taking this info, I went in asked the owner. He showed me pairs and said these start out at $99. Of course, I know there’s different brands and qualities. But, starting $99. There’s no set of poles that’s going to give me a safer hike for $60 more. Sorry. If you follow their other reviews, that’s their biggest complaint. Way Over Priced. I hope they read these 1-star reviews and re-brands themselves to survive the onslaught of online shopping.
Unfortunately, the owner never reads these reviews. One can tell because there are no owner responses to any review.

Emily C.

Stopped in to check out hiking shoes. Didn’t end up buying anything, but got to talking to the guys who work there and they were very friendly and helpful with recommendations on great hiking places nearby. Lots of knowledge about the area and a great little shop for hiking/climbing/camping/paddling.