The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail is located in southern Illinois, in the Shawnee Hills. The name comes from the Shawnee Hills Indians who lived in this area during the early 1800s. Today, there are about 11 wineries within the Shawnee Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA). Eleven of them are included in the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.
After visiting wine regions across four continents, we have to say we were a bit skeptical about what we were about to taste and explore in our home state of Illinois. However, this post shares the three best wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and what to expect during a visit to the area.
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
📌Planning a special getaway? This gorgeous Makanda cabin is one of the nicest on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.
Beautiful Makanda Cabin > Check Availability
What Makes the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Worth Visiting?
Combining the beautiful rolling hills of the Shawnee National Forest and excellent wine makes visiting the area a no-brainer. The loveliness along the trail can be enjoyed all year round.
We visited during the late fall when it was very cold and cloudy but still enjoyed ourselves immensely. We made sure to balance our time between the natural beauty of the Shawnee National Forest and the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.
The shoulder seasons are a great time to visit the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail as some of these wineries may have up to a thousand visitors per day during the summer. This means fewer crowds, lower room rates, and more intimate experiences.
Things To Do in Southern Illinois
- ⛰️ Hike to the Garden of the Gods and enjoy panoramic vistas and large rock formations
- 🔭 If you are traveling as a family, visit The Science Center – a museum with an array of exhibits to explore
- 🏞️ Explore scenic roads, valleys, canyons, and waterfalls of Shawnee National Forest
- 🍷 If you are looking for a quiet place to relax, enjoy the beautiful view, and drink wine – go to the Monte Alegre Vineyard and Cellars
Best Accommodations in Southern Illinois
If you’re looking to stay near Carbondale, the best accommodation options include:
- Budget: Best Western Saluki Inn
- Mid-Range: Holiday Inn Express & Suites or Home2 Suites (modern, with many amenities)
Vacation Rentals
Looking for a vacation rental to enjoy the area? Below are the three best vacation rentals near Carbondale sorted from least to most expensive.
- $ > Cabin Located in the Heart of the Shawnee National Forest – 1 BR, 1 BA
- $ > Cozy Cabin in Shawnee National Forest Area – 2 BR, 2 BA
- $$ > Upscale Designer Studio Across from SIUC Campus – 1 BR, 1 BA
- $$ > Cabin on Indian Creek Near Everything – 2 BR, 2 BA
- $$$ > Couple’s Retreat Cabin With Hot Tub – 1 BR, 1 BA
- $$$ > The Mediterranean is Calling! Grab Your Summer Dates Now! – 4 BR, 4 BA
Shawnee Hills Wines – Quick Overview
We suspect that the quality of the grapes and wines stems from the pride and passion we saw on display as we toured the wineries. The four elements of making great wine include:
- The Grapes
- White: Traminette, Vignoles (Vin-yole), Chardonel, Seyval
- Red: Chambourcin (Sham-boor-sin), Norton, Cabernet Franc
- The Terroir: Loose and thin soil sitting mainly on limestone that extends from the Ohio to Mississippi rivers.
- The Climate: A unique meso-climate that benefits from warmer winter temperatures and higher elevations, the result is a longer growing season.
- The Winemaking Process: The Shawnee Hills AVA is acknowledged in the wine industry as having a unique growing process and high-quality grapes.
Visiting the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
The Shawnee Hills AVA covers a huge chunk of land, about 2,000 square miles. On the other hand, the wine trail only covers about 40 miles. The best way to enjoy the trail comfortably and safely is to book at least two nights in a winery that provides accommodations.
The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail map makes touring the area much easier. Also, make sure to double-check what times the wineries are open because all of the wineries are independent operators.
We stayed at Blue Sky Vineyard, which provides overnight guests with a truly hidden gem. Two spacious suites are located just above the winery’s tasting room. Our suite, the Tuscany Romance Suite, includes a balcony that overlooks the wine bar and an additional balcony overlooking the vineyards and Shawnee Hills.
The Tuscany Romance Suite also offers a small kitchenette with a coffee pot, sink, microwave, and refrigerator. A European-style breakfast comes with each stay.
However, guests may decide to choose a bottle of their signature wines in place of breakfast. The two suites get booked extremely quickly. In cases where there is no availability, consider staying in nearby Carbondale.
Best Wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
There are 11 wineries open for wine tastings along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Even though they’re spread out over a 40-mile distance, it is possible to visit all of them over a couple of days. However, if you’re short on time and only have the opportunity to visit a few, here are our picks for the best wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail:
- Blue Sky Vineyard.
- Alto Vineyard.
- Owl Creek Vineyard.
If you only have time for one tasting room to visit you should make it to the Blue Sky Vineyard. The setting feels like something out of Napa Valley.
One of the best reasons to tour the area is the budget-friendly cost of touring the wineries. Most of the tastings cost only a couple of dollars and some of them are for nine tastings!
Best Wines to Taste on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
The Shawnee Hills are specifically known for cold-climate varietals; this includes Seyval, Vidal, Chardonel, and Chambourcin. If you were to “drink what the locals drink,” you’d probably be served one of these wines. All are French-hybrid wine grapes but while Seyval, Vidal, and Chardonel are white, Chambourcin is red.
- Seyval: Citrusy with a minerality similar to a White Burgundy
- Vidal: Aromas of pear and pineapple
- Chardonel: Shares the best characteristics of both its parent grapes: Chardonnay and Seyval
- Chambourcin: The signature wine in the region is rich and full-bodied with soft tannins.
After trying about 30 different wines over two days we narrowed down our favorite wine to Blue Sky Vineyard’s Norton. However, the Chambourcin from numerous producers came in a close second. The medium-bodied Norton grape provides flavors of intense berry with aromas of cedar.
Best Places to Eat Along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
A few of the wineries offer on-site dining which mainly consists of snacks, sandwiches, and pizza. A great afternoon option would be to purchase your favorite bottle of wine and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of the Blue Sky Vineyards.
The large estate does feel like you might be enjoying a glass of wine in Tuscany, especially with the old-world architecture, rolling hills, grapevines, and large ponds.
Another option is to head into Carbondale. The west side of Shawnee National Forest is only about 20 minutes from Carbondale where there are many dining options. Our recommendations for dining options near the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail include:
- Giant City State Park Lodge & Restaurant – Makanda, IL.
- Quatro’s Deep Pan Pizza – Carbondale, IL
- Harbaugh’s Cafe – Carbondale, IL
📌 Many people enjoy driving down to Elizabethtown, on the Ohio River, and eating at E’Town River Restaurant. They’re famous in the area for their fried catfish.
Outdoor Attractions Along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
Outside the wineries, there are some other must-see sites around the Shawnee Hills.
Pomona Natural Bridge
A short five-minute loop trail leads to a 90-foot-long natural bridge made of sandstone. The bridge is perched about 12 feet above the tree-covered ravine.
Little Grand Canyon Trail
This three-mile loop hike descends into a canyon surrounded by magnificent bluffs. The upper segments provide wonderful views of the Mississippi and Big Muddy Rivers. The seasonal waterfalls along the way are a bonus.
Other Points of Interest
- Rendleman Orchards and Farm Market
- Flamm Orchards
- General Store at Walker’s Bluff
- Bald Knob Cross
General Tips
If you’re looking to thoroughly explore the Shawnee Forest then you may consider purchasing:
- 20-Day Trips in and Around the Shawnee National Forest
- Shawnee National Forest Map
- Fifty Nature Walks in Southern Illinois
Use caution when visiting the area. Cell phones and GPS have difficulty getting a signal in many areas of the forest. Additionally, a great source for more detailed information on the trail is the Official Shawnee Hills Wine Trail website. Here you can learn about upcoming events, tasting fees, and other recommended lodging and dining options.
We Need Your Help
Did you find this article helpful? If so, bookmark it and when you’re planning your next vacation click on any of the links below before finalizing reservations. You’ll get the best price, we’ll earn a small commission, and you’ll help support future articles.
Thank you!
BEST TRAVEL SEARCH ENGINES
🏘️ Book Your Accommodation
We use Tripadvisor and Priceline’s Express Deals to compare prices and reviews in advance and check availability
✈️ Book Your Flight in Advance
To find the cheapest flight options, you can use WayAway and Skyscanner to find the most suitable choice for you
🚗 Reserve Your Rental Car
Use DiscoverCars and Skyscanner to compare prices and view the largest selection of vehicles
Pinch Penny is the only restaurant you listed that is in Carbondale. Depending on which winery you are at its gonna take more than 20 minutes to get to Carbondale. Actually I can’t think of a winery that is 20 minutes away from Carbondale. Giant City in Makanda, Blue Boar in Cobden, and 17th St in Murphysboro are all in different directions but probably closer to the trail. As you said cell service can be sketchy so giving people directions to Carbondale looking for any of these places will surely get them lost.
We went from Blue Sky Vineyards to Carbondale in 20 minutes at night (pitch black) and didn’t get lost. We never travelled the route before. Maybe we got lucky? But even google maps states that it’s a 26 minute drive from Blue Sky to downtown Carbondale (and that’s typically for fairly slow drivers). We used the Waze application and it did lose track of us during certain points of the route, so it’s good to know ahead of time that GPS may not work in certain area. Some other good tips:
– Proactively gaining knowledge of the general route and direction of where you’re headed
– Be cognizant of the next turn (in case you lose GPS)
– Be able to read a physical map (we did lose GPS signals numerous times traveling throughout the Shawnee National Forest and had to rely on a physical map). Most of the wineries distribute physcial maps of the area, including Carbondale (https://bit.ly/2U5NHmp)
– Finally, as long as you have a reliable vehicle and enough gas, I wouldn’t take getting loss too seriosly. Sometimes getting loss leads to the greatest adventures in life.
Thanks for stopping by!
The 3 restaurants you listed are not in carbondale so if you are looking for blue boar and drive to Carbondale you are now a half hour on the opposite direction. Blue sky is the most convenient to Carbondale but therest of the trail is more or less along Rt. 127 which to get to from Carbondale you have to go through Murphysboro or Cobden. If you have only been to Blue Sky only write about Blue Sky. I live in Carbondale and have been to the wineries many times. I’m sorry but your information is simply wrong
We reworded the paragraph as we could see it may be confusing. We’re trying to highlight restaurants near the Shawnee Wine Trail (not necessarily near Blue Sky). As you can see from the post we visited many wineries, technically we visited 7 of the 11. No worries, you don’t need to apologize. Take a few big deep breaths, everything’s going to be okay! Thanks again!!