Trail of Tears State Forest is a State of Illinois conservation area on 5114 acre in Union County, Illinois, United States. Trail of Tears was established in 1929 when Illinois purchased 3000 acre acres of Shawnee Hills land and used the resulting land to create the Kohn-Jackson Forest (later Union County State Forest). Soon afterwards, the state park was improved with work performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Subsequent land acquisitions created the 5114 acre Trail of Tears State Forest of today. The forest occupies land near the route followed by the Cherokee in December 1838 during their forced relocation in the Trail of Tears. Today's state forest contains a state tree nursery, the 222 acre Ozark Hills Nature Preserve, and 22 mi of trails for hiking and equestrian use. The nearest town of any size is Jonesboro, Illinois.