Explore Shawnee National Forest in a New Honda SUV

Shawnee National Forest in Illinois is known for its beautiful scenery because it includes hills, state parks, rolling farmland, and charming towns. Whether you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life or go somewhere to explore with your family and friends, this is a perfect spot for driving and sightseeing. But you’ll need a reliable vehicle to get you there.

You can explore Shawnee National Forest in a new SUV from Ike Honda in Marion, Illinois. Honda has a fantastic SUV lineup with several options to choose from, including the CR-V, Pilot, and Passport. These SUVs have what it takes to help you get to and from your destination and allow you to explore trails or highways. Also, each of these vehicles has enough space for the entire family to enjoy the trip.

Exploring Shawnee National Forest

“Burden Falls Waterfall” licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr by Joe K Gage

While driving in your Honda SUV, make your way along the Ohio River Scenic Byway, which is about a 100-mile long trip with additional side trips available. A good portion of the drive goes through the Shawnee National Forest, about 289,000 acres full of streams, lakes, and bluffs. You’ll find areas for camping, hiking, and animal watching if you want to take in the wilderness firsthand.

There’s no end to the beautiful scenery, and a capable SUV makes all the difference in being able to see it all. Also, with a performance-packed Pilot, CR-V, or Passport, you can make the trip year-round.

The Honda CR-V

The 2022 Honda CR-V is perfect for long drives. Thanks to an EPA-estimated 30 mpg combined fuel economy and a 14-gallon fuel tank capacity, you can explore all the Shawnee National Forest. Each CR-V trim comes with an in-line four-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a continuously variable transmission with a sport mode for 190 horsepower. Also included are an available real-time all-wheel-drive intelligent control system and standard Hill Start Assist.

To help keep you safe on your travels, you’ll get a suite of Honda Sensing technologies. These include a Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Warning. Driver assistance technologies include automatic high-beam headlights, and with the EX, EX-L, and Touring, you get a Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Monitor.

You can use the CR-V to help you navigate the historic Trail of Tears, where over 15,000 Cherokee Indians passed through Southern Illinois from their homeland located near the Smoky Mountains. You can also drive out to Bell Smith Springs, which has scenic canyons and clear streams surrounded by sandstone cliffs and local Illinois plants.

The Honda Pilot

The 2022 Honda Pilot is for the bold and adventurous. A 280-horsepower V-6 engine allows you to power through. An Intelligent Traction Management system and available torque-vectoring AWD system keep you on the right track when the roads might get rough. If your Pilot has AWD, the Intelligent Traction Management system includes modes for sand and mud. (The snow mode is standard.) Additional performance features include hill start assist, vehicle stability assist with traction control, and brake assist. An all-new TrailSport edition comes with more ground clearance and rugged tires.

The Pilot’s spacious interior includes premium features and comfortable seating for up to eight people, with a sizable third row so everyone can enjoy their drive. The second row has heated captain’s chairs to comfort passengers, even in cold weather. You can get access to the rear seats easily with one-touch second-row seating. You can even describe the area and sights with the available CabinTalk PA system.

The Honda Pilot helps you navigate the Inspiration Point Trail at LaRue Pine Hills with a touchscreen and wireless phone connectivity such as Apple CarPlay. You can access your navigation, messages, and favorite playlists while on your way to take in these majestic views. You can also find your way out to Camel Rock, located at the Garden of the Gods. There are places to camp, picnic, and the area is one of the most photographed places in all of Illinois, so don’t forget your camera.

The Honda Passport

Take over the roads and trails at Shawnee National Forest in the 2022 Honda Passport. It comes equipped with a V-6 engine that produces up to 280 horsepower and an independent suspension system for smooth riding on any surface. You also find an Intelligent Traction Management system with available torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive to help keep you steady.

Inside the 2022 Passport, you’ll find a spacious cabin, so you and your passengers will have enough legroom and headroom. Tri-zone climate control helps keep you comfortable in Illinois’ cold winters and hot summers. A one-touch power moonroof gives you an open-air feel and allows you to view the sky above you. With the TrailSport trim, you get leather-trimmed seating with embroidered headrests and warm amber ambient lighting throughout for a relaxing drive.

You can take the Honda Passport out to some of the seven wilderness areas along the Shawnee National Forest. These areas make up about 10% of the Shawnee National Forest and are full of things to see and places to explore. Just off Highway 127, you can hike to the Pomona Natural Bridge or head over the Little Grand Canyon, where you can see the Big Mudd and Mississippi Rivers. This lush habitat with bluffs and cliffs is stunning during the fall.

Browsing the Honda SUV Selection at Ike Honda

If you want to explore Shawnee National Forest in one of these great Honda SUV options, visit Ike Honda today to see what we have to offer. Whether you’re leaning toward the CR-V, the Pilot, or the Passport, we have various trim levels in stock that you can take out for a test drive and see how they handle for yourself.

You can find us at 4407 W. DeYoung St. in Marion, Illinois, or you can search our new vehicle inventory online 24 hours a day. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out at 618-422-9020 or contact us via our secure online form, and someone from our team will be glad to help you.