Cave-in-Rock State Park

Was the only one there $ 20 with Electricity, what a Deal Steve is a great Host Also had free Music….. Cicadas

Quiet campground. Nice shower house. Quick walk to cave in rock or the cave in rock restaurant. Very few campers. Large open grassy areas. Lots of deer…and ticks. Campground host is really nice but the ranger is a pain

General: I was a bit apprehensive about this state park because it did not take reservations, so we made sure to arrive by 11 am but we had no reason to worry – compared to other Illinois campgrounds we visited on this trip, this one was almost empty on a Wednesday in mid-October. Steve, the host, was very friendly and checked us in. The rate of $20 for an electric site was reasonable; we put a tag on our site and set off to explore nearby Garden of the Gods for the rest of the day, secure that we had a place to rest our heads for the night! 

Sites/Facilities: The sites are set a decent amount of space apart and have an additional parking space for a second vehicle. A large picnic table and fire ring (although the windy conditions were not favorable for a fire) completed the site. Some are not completely level, so it was good to be able to select the best site. 

Bathhouse: The bath/shower house was clean, and the shower had nice hot water and good water pressure. The drainage wasn’t optimal, however, and much of the water ended up in the rest of the bathroom. The only other thing to note is that the generator for the bathhouse is VERY loud so if you are in a site close by (we were across the street and one up), you WILL hear it but thankfully, when not in use, it was quiet through most of the night. 

Activities/Amenities: There is a playground and picnic shelter, and the (not very deep) cave is cool to explore (a short walk from the campground). There are a dump station and dumpster. I had good cell service (Verizon/three bars) in this campground. 

Conclusion: Although this state park is right on the Ohio River, the campground is set apart from the river so you will not see the river from the campground but it is close enough to walk to the banks of the river when exploring the cave. Nice place to spend a night.

I have been coming here for a really long time. My parents always brought me and my two younger brothers here since we were very young and I’m 64 years old now. We would buy fresh caught catfish right here and have a great picnic with all the trimmings. I just love it here. Now me and my wife and kids, well they are grown now, but we have been bringing them since they were little. Really laid back and very relaxing. I highly recommended this place for a really great day.

The sites are decent size. It can be a bit of a walk to the bathroom. It does have a restaurant and small store on site. Can spend a large portion of the day hike to the cave and other little trails. If you are coming from the south you will have to take the ferry across the river. Sometimes there is a pretty good wait.

Nice camping, the restaurant/diner was really good. 

The cavern was a great respite on a really hot day!

This was a very peaceful and beautiful place to camp and explore. We took a break from cooking one night and ate at the Lodge located at the park. We also visited the cave and explored Garden of the Gods. We rode the Ferry to KY and picked up more camping supplies. We will definitely return!

Very beautiful campground and park. Very spacious sites, and there was hardly anyone there , so it seemed like we had the campground to ourselves. So peaceful. The shower house was very nice and clean and had flush toilets. However the other restrooms were not so nice (pit toilets with spiders and mosquitoes everywhere). The campground host was really nice. Also note that there is no place to buy ice or firewood nearby. We crossed the ferry and went to Marion Kentucky and found some there. The park and ferry is really cool. There is a lodge that has a nice restaurant and a bar. If you want to buy alcohol the nearest place is Elizabethtown where they have a liquor store. Overall this is a wonderful campground and we will return someday!

We drove up through the Amish Country. Saw a lady mowing her lawn barefoot with a horse. We made it up to the ferry which is a quick fun ride. By the time we got to Cave-in Rock, we were hungry. There is a little diner right inside the park that I cannot say enough great things about! We all thought we would grab something light before we hiked but once we saw the menu and the prices we could not pass on some hearty comfort food and a beer served in an ice cold mug! The waitress was so sweet and took our picture for us and gave us directions to get to Garden of the Gods on our way out. We did not actually camp here but the cabins looked really nice and with a view of the river. I would definitely go back and recommend!

Cave in Rock State Park, Il is sorta out in the middle of nowhere. That being said it is an adventure worth the trip. Weekday visits will supply you with more things to do but weekend adventures are just as fun. 

If your coming from the Kentucky side first there is Amish country to visit. Check in Marion for what’s available and where (fill your gas tank up!)

Next there is the ferry ride across. If you’ve done it a lot no big deal, but my kids used to love it every time.

Write your directions down for this whole area, the cell phone coverage is spotty and it will keep frustration down.

Signage will greet you as soon as you exit the ferry and Cave in Rock city has several small businesses you might want to visit. Plus a bunch of painted bikes...

To the right down the road a bit and your in the park.

The RV area is spread throughout a hilly, tree’d area, after being in Army Corp of Engineers last week which uses every foot of area available this campground seems huge and vacant. There were many sites occupied they are spread out across a huge area which is awesome. There is a playground near the showerhouse and a pond back in behind the playground.

The primitive area is up another hill back in the woods, my favorite. Two handicap accessible spots next to the pit toilet let’s everyone have some fun. 

If you want a shower you have to return to the RV area. These basic sites have a grill, fire pit and picnic table. Some are pretty level some not so much ;) Best of all there are several options if you have a Tentstile. 

We took a 2 mile loop hike across to the lodge, along the cliff face and down to the cave. A lot of history here and some nice views. 

This was our second outing with our new to us EVAC Trailer (www.evactrailer.com) I added some metal poles and a tarp and bam! we have an impromptu sitting area. The tool box made a nice meal prep and cooking area. Still looking at other ideas, but it’s a sturdy little trailer that is serving its purpose well!

Electric and primitive sites are spaced so you don't have to listen to a generator all night. Not super private but never that busy either. Bathrooms are clean and showers are free!

Went here several times with the kids. Short walk down to the historical cave where river pirates and a few other notorious bad guys stayed. Definitely worth a look after taking the ferry across from Amish country enroute to GOG. Camping area is well kept and usually not crowded.

Its been a long time since I've camped here. 6 yes or so. The campground is located on a bluff overlooking the Ohio river. The cave has some pretty interesting history it was once a hideout for river pirates. It now seems to be frequented by bikers and locals. It was pretty dirty and questionable during our short stay. My suggestion. More of a day trip location if you have young kids. The history in the location is well worth the visit.