See Why Garden of the Gods in Illinois is a Must-Visit Place
When you mention "Garden of the Gods", most people will think of Colorado Springs for good reason. However, there is a "Garden of the Gods" in Illinois and new drone video shows why it is also a must-visit destination.
If you're not familiar with the Illinois version of this, Garden of the Gods is located near Heron, Illinois. A few days ago, a man who took his family there dropped brand new drone video showing the beauty of this Illinois place. There's a reason why this is one of the most photographed places in the state.
If you watch that and think "hey, I should go there", the US Forest Service has a helpful guide for that area. It's located in extreme southern Illinois that is so far south, it's practically Kentucky. However, it's one of the premier hiking places in Illinois and is well worth the half-day drive to get there.
Shawnee Forest also has a website which describes all of the fun things you can do in this heavily-forested part of Illinois which really should be on just about everyone's bucket list.