Lake Glendale Recreation Area, near Glendale, Illinois, is a fantastic spot for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors in a serene setting. With spacious campsites tucked among tall pines, it offers a perfect blend of privacy and natural beauty, making it a favorite for many campers.

The campground is known for its clean facilities, including well-maintained bathrooms and hot showers that some visitors have praised as being cleaner than most gas station restrooms. You’ll find plenty of shade from the trees, and many sites come equipped with water and electric hookups, which is a nice touch for those who prefer a bit of comfort while camping.

If you’re up for some adventure, there are hiking trails nearby that lead you around the picturesque Lake Glendale, and a sandy beach area for swimming during the warmer months. Campers have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, with one reviewer noting, “Lake Glendale is a true southern Illinois gem,” highlighting the nearby hiking options and the overall well-kept nature of the park.

While the campground does have a small playground for kids, it’s the natural surroundings and the opportunity for outdoor activities that really shine here. Whether you’re looking to paddle around the lake or just kick back by the campfire, Lake Glendale Recreation Area is a solid choice for a relaxing getaway.

[Lake Glendale](http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd559331.jpg) If you are looking for a place in the center of the Shawnee National Forest, then Lake Glendale Recreation Area is for you. Its central location makes it easy to visit main attractions on either side of the forest or any place in-between. Surrounded by tall pine trees and mixed hardwood forests, Lake Glendale Recreation Area offers a wide range of recreation opportunities including hiking, camping, swimming, boating, fishing and bicycling. The picnic area has a large picnic shelter near the lake with party grills for group gatherings. Recreation Area brochure/map Lake Glendale Campgound Map

Lake Glendale Recreation Area

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Grantsburg, IL has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Grantsburg and user-submitted reviews.

Grantsburg

The Best Camping Near Grantsburg, Illinois

The family that takes care of the campground was very nice and accommodating, and the sites were well-maintained. The beach and swimming area was so nice for us enjoy.

Great site 

**Lake Glendale Recreation Area**, _Shawnee National Forest, I_l is not to far from Harrisburg, Il if you need to stock up on supplies enroute to your camping excursion.

 If you enjoy sampling at local wineries while you visit different areas there is a short tour in this area, one of the wineries is Hogg Hollow. We stopped in while we were in the area. You will see the signs on your route between Harrisburg and Lake Glendale. Nice little winery with a tick covered Lab to greet you in the parking area. There is a longer wine trail further west in Shawnee National Forest.

When I entered Lake Glendale, Cardinal Bay boat launch was the first area I visited. It’s across the lake from the beach and has its own parking area. There were people fishing near the launch and you can access the lake trail from this area. Electric motors only on the lake.

The picnic area is a large area with a nice size pavilion and single tables sitting in several different locations near the lake and trail. The walk from the picnic area to the beach is not far either by road or lake trail.

You have the option of two different camping areas in Oak Point Campground, with several double sites that are ideal for family and group camping. There are electric and non electric sites with plenty of room for the bigger rigs. If you pick a water side site it is a short walk to the lake trail and I saw several personal watercraft sitting on the shore for use. 

There is a group camping area , Duck Campground that is at the very end of the road, so it’s nice and secluded. It has its own pavilion and facilities . I’m not sure if it’s open or closed. The CCC pavilions fire place was closed up but a grill at the pavilion had been used recently. The road in had a gate closed across it but a sign that said you could walk in.

While we were at the lake it was very quiet and peaceful even with the expected noise from the beach. Dark nights with star gazing and even a little bit of that eerie scary movie vibe at the far end of the lake where it’s a little too quiet......just sayin ;) We thoroughly enjoyed floating and hiking.

Saw it in a movie once

Located in the Shawnee National Forest, this sweet little campground has it all. Wooded, semi private sites (at least for tents), full hook ups for RV’s, great campground hosts, CCC buildings, new shower house, amazing trails at Lake Glendale and other nearby areas. Even on a rainy afternoon, there were plenty of campers at Lake Glendale, which resulted in us not getting a preferred site (46) but a perfectly good site instead (49). The sites were spotless and well maintained, with some having space under the trees for tents and some having just gravel pads. Our site was close to, but not on, the lake with easy access via trails. There were a few sites with good lake views, with the majority of those in the RV loop. The trail around the lake is about 3 miles; a nice hike that really gives you a good look at the park. On the hike you pass two large shelters built by the CCC as well as the boat ramp, damn, and swimming beach. For more wild hiking, go down the road 15 minutes to Bell Smith Recreation area (which has its own campground) and hike to the natural rock bridge (and climb the steel ladder), springs, or Devils Backbone.

Rom Outdoors Vertical Limits Ski Pant

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, from time to time I get gear to test and review. On this trip I tested out Rom Outdoors Vertical Ski Pant. In the midwest we rarely get snow before Thanksgiving, and our little ski hill usually doesn’t open until close to Christmas (when they have been able to make enough snow for skiing), so I felt really challenged with this product. However, with a full day of cold rain and overnight temps in the low 30’s, I gave it a real go. A few weeks later we had a sizable snow (for early November and the St Louis area) and was able to further test these out. Here’s what I found: The pants are really waterproof! I didn’t get wet at all even after setting up and taking down a tent in the rain, hiking through tall grass in the rain, and later, hiking several miles in the snow. At first I thought the pants were a bit short and almost exchanged them for a larger size. But then I realized that they are designed with length in mind for wearing ski boots. And I could adjust them a bit by adjusting the suspenders. Overall I was very happy with the ski pants, if only we could have real snow and real ski hills.

Pro’s:

*   Waterproofing is solid
*   Tons of storage pockets that have double closures (zippers and velcro) to protect your stuff; side pockets are deep and large
*   Cuff zippers to help with putting on/taking off ski boots and to vent
*   Zippered vents on insides of the thigh area
*   Adjustable, removable elastic suspenders
*   Fleece lining is super warm and removable if too warm
*   Adjustable waist with velcro as well as belt loops

Cons:

*   Unisex sizing (women are shaped different from men!); no tall sizes for slim builds
*   Only comes in one color, black
*   No reflective areas
*   The adjustable waist is only adjustable by two inches overall

Ranger Review of Rom Outdoors Vertical Limits Ski Pants at Lake Glendale

We love going to Lake Glendale and go several times per year. It is quiet, the campsites are pretty (especially group), there are great hikes nearby, and a beach to swim on. 

Great camping!

This campground is an absolute gem and is by far our favorite in Illinois.Tucked into the tall pines of the Shawnee national forest, this park offers a handful of gorgeous sites for campers to enjoy, many that back right up to Lake Glendale. The sites are mostly private and have water hookups as well as electric. 
A nearby beach is available to enjoy during the summer as well as hiking trails. 
While this campground is certainly off the beaten path it is perfect for those that want to get away and enjoy some quiet time. 
No reservations though so you’ll want to get there ahead of time to ensure yourself a spot
If you enjoy a very 

Our IL #1

We had a wonderful stay! Camp Host was very nice and helpful. One of the cleanest parks we’ve stayed at. Lots of hiking options. The only bad thing was we had to come home.

Super Clean

Lake Glendale is a true southern Illinois gem. They have recently improved the shower houses, the kids love the playground, and there is SO much shade! The campsites are pretty private and some of them are nice and large. There is a ton of hiking nearby, and we visited the Chocolate factory as well, which was a real treat.

We LOVE this campground! 

Easy check in, camped in the tent sight. Unfortunately there was a lot of glitter pieces, plastic kid’s pieces and my self along picked up 34 cigarette butts. Besides the the people that don’t care about using a garbage can. Everything else was wonderful. Trail around lake just beautiful, bathroom clean and fun paddling on the lake. 
Would given 5 starts if it was not for such a messy camp sight. 

Spring camping

Most sites are great size. Lots of trees for shade. Decent price. Lots are first come first serve. My only complaint is that the shower house only had one shower and the door wouldn't shut. Also it is not a super quiet place during the day, lots of dogs barking and loud music. 

Beautiful sites

Great rustic camping

We stayed there 1 night after the other place we stayed was a disaster. Very nice park. Very well maintained and taken care of. Lake was nice with large clean and well kept sand beach for $5 a person. They had paddle boats, kayaks for rent as well. $22 for electric sites, a little pricey at $12 for nonelectric primitive sites. They have firewood available for $4 a bundle and ice at $5 a bag. VERY VERY clean and well taken care of bathroom/shower house. Flush toilets and hot water showers. Was very impressed with them, honestly cleaner than most gas station bathrooms! Nicely located with lots of other parks and activities within driving range, like cave-in-rock and the Ohio river. Paducah Kentucky is only about a 30 minute drive where you can get anything you’d need from shopping to eating. The only bad is they only had 1 very small playground located centrally in the campground. We will definitely be staying there more often when we head down to Shawnee National Forrest. 

Amazing place

We almost had the entire campground to ourselves because it was February. We stayed here one night while coming back from MO. It had a huge campsite, unfortunately the bathrooms and showers were locked. Also part of the campground road was blocked off. We pulled up and didn't think we were going to be able to stay. We did a self registration and put a check in a slot and didn't otherwise speak to anyone in charge. We were able to walk a small trail by the campground along the lake but it started to rain so only got in about a mile. We packed up and headed out after that.

Photos of Lake Glendale Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers