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Great Escape to the Illinois Ozarks | What to do in the Illinois Ozarks

Track Bigfoot or just get some food at the Garden of the Gods Outpost, or grab a sweet treat at The Red Onion and Chocolate Factory.

ILLINOIS, USA — Just one mile from the entrance to the Garden of the Gods, a creature roams the Shawnee National Forest. Dana perfected her Bigfoot call and scoped out the best supplies at Garden of the Gods Outpost. This local shop fills all your Bigfoot needs.

The Illinois Ozarks’ connection to Bigfoot is unclear, and the jury is still out on whether he makes his home there. It all depends on who you ask. People come from all over and visit Garden of the Gods Outpost, and many come for the history books and camp supplies.

Hungry? The Illinois Ozarks can help with that, too! At Garden of the Gods Outpost, you can find everything from candy to homemade chili and Kentucky maple syrup.

ILLINOIS, USA - Garden of the Gods A great starting place for your trip to the Shawnee National Forest is Garden of the Gods. It's the most popular spot to visit there. You can take in sights like Camel Rock, which is a well photographed spot that was featured on the reverse side of a 2016 Illinois quarter.

If you’re looking for a place to sit down after your hike, The Red Onion in Equality, Illinois is just the place. Images of the forest fill the walls of the cozy restaurant, known for its homestyle cooking. It serves up giant portions of fish and hand-cut steaks, but make sure you save room for dessert!

Speaking of dessert, don’t miss out on Chocolate Factory. Located in Golconda, Illinois, this shop goes through about 12,000 pounds of chocolate in a year. The staff hand paints most of their products+ making beautiful, edible works of art. This store has been in Southernmost Illinois for more than 40 years, and also offers fudge, ice cream and sugar-free chocolate.

With options like these, it is safe to say you won’t leave the Illinois Ozarks hungry!

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