Cabin camping is an amazing way to experience Cairo, while still enjoying a little rustic luxury. Finding a place to cabin camp in Illinois is easier than ever. You're sure to find the perfect cabin for your Illinois cabin camping excursion.
This 34 acre farm in Western Kentucky is surrounded on all sides by rolling woodland and farmland. Wildlife, sunsets and starlit skies abound.
**Visit us April 8th, 2024 for the total Solar Eclipse!
$30 - $90 / night
Large lots with shade trees and Big Rig Friendly, with full hook-ups on the river. Little off the beaten path, but worth it.
$45 - $65 / night
A former Girl Scout camp of over 50 years, this 257-acre property now known as Camp Manitowa – Cedar Point is located in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Camp Manitowa – Cedar Point offers beachfront access with a new swim dock to 1200-acre Little Grassy Lake. This expansive property includes a full commercial kitchen, a dining hall that seats several hundred, and air conditioned / heated bunkhouses with showers for around 80 people. There are three villages of hogans and two of platform tents complete with fireplaces and restrooms, as well as large spaces for tent camping on this property that offers outdoor retreat experiences for groups big and small.
Camp Manitowa – Cedar Point is available for school groups, church groups, festivals, business and corporate retreats, family reunions, and weddings.
We are located in the heart of southern Illinois in the middle of all of the nice horse back riding hiking and kayaking drop offs we have several cabins to choose from and guided horse back rides to offer. You can bring your own horse and venture out on the trails or requests a guide by appointment.
$30 - $200 / night
At Hayes Canyon Campground we have 34 RV campsites available for rent for a day, weekend, week, or longer!
We offer 2 cabins and 3 rental RVs. There is a rental available for all budgets so book now! They go fast!
Reservations are recommended, especially during peak seasons and holiday weekends, when we often are fully booked months in advance.
We specialize in catering to campers with horses who want to enjoy trail riding on the many scenic trails in the Shawnee National Forest. Other campers, backpackers, hikers, and hunters are always welcome. To view a trail map online . . .
$15 - $32 / night
Ranger
We called from the road to get an overnight stop - the staff were super nice both on the phone and in person. When we arrived, the lady who checked us in gave me a coupon for the drive-in movie theater that was literally down the road. Normally, when we camp we arrive so late it’s impossible to take advantage of area attractions so we decided to go and can I tell you, it was awesome!!! The theater accommodated our camper and the food (cheese fries especially) at the snack stand was great. As far as the campground, our site was a bit hilly but we had a nice view of the lake and close proximity to the playground. My kids also enjoyed the pool. Solid place to overnight!
Guide
We stayed at Giant City in February on a very cold weekend. It was still a fantastic trip! The campsites, fire pits and pit toilets were well maintained. The shorter trails in the park were beautiful even in the winter. The Lodge also had excellent food and a very cozy feel. Definitely visit the Lodge!!
Traveler
Very great stay. Nice well kept rv park. All the spots are full hook up and are right next to the river for a great view. It’s very quiet and peaceful. Nice place off the beaten path. All the spots are spaced out too.
Traveler
We spent 5 nights on Site A5 at Crab Orchard Campground. All sites are FC/FS. Full hookups are in Loop B & it was full. Overall the campground was full but not very many people around. Appears many locals take spots on the weekends & then hold onto them during the week. The 2 nearest to us we saw on Sunday (Easter) and the only 1 more time during the 5 days. Someone in one of the sites by the late (A9, A11 or A13 I think) said they saw snakes but we never saw any and our dogs would have noticed.
Showers and restrooms are nice. Ones in Loop A are no new (Loop Bs are new) but still nice. Lots of hot water.
Lots of trails (within 10-30 minute drive). Fishing was good (especially catfish and crappie). Went into Carbondale a few times. Also went South to Alto Pass but wineries all closed on Tuesday; locals told us they are open more hours during summer.
ScoutWe only stayed one night but staff was very pleasant and sites are reasonable size. There is a nice dog park with disposable bags. Our site overlooks a nice little pond. There is a clean laundry facility and heated restroom and showers. We did not need to use the facilities so I cannot comment on those. Campground is easily accessible from I24. We would definitely stay here again.
Scout
Well, this is a great place for a hypothesis writer to relax and write some good stuff. Everything looks soothing and beautiful here. Five stars!
Guide
Lots of choice camping spots! Serene and private. Beautiful rolling farmland, just minutes from town. They also offer tiny home rentals, yurt-style glamping tents, RV spots with 30 amp, 50 amp and 110 outlets, and The Art Barn for larger groups, retreats or family reunions.
GuideStayed 4 nights visiting the area. Close to roads so there is lots of road noise. Clean. Very super friendly helpful staff.
GuideCheap campground that is clean and quiet. The back in site we had overlooked the lake. For the price, you can’t beat the view. If I return to the area, I would stay here again
Legend
Very few other campers, campground was empty, no attendants. Pit toilets with no hand washing station or showers and no water hook ups. There is water at the entrance to fill up, however. There were electric hook ups and dump station. A few trails surrounding the campsite and a fun pool with a slide attached to the campground with an entrance fee of $6. Besides the pool none of the facilities were great and the site just had a weird vibe. You can shower at the pool— but those showers are truly, not good. Close to garden of the gods—which is why we went. And it honestly wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either.
Lots of ticks (pulled some off every day) and fireflies.
GuideCame here for a weekend getaway, to camp, hike and visit wineries, and was not disappointed. The campground is good, and camp hosts very friendly and helpful. Lots of trees for shade. Narrow roads with tight curves, along with the trees, made for a bit of a challenge. The hiking trails are beautiful, and not too crowded. There are many wineries within a short drive of the camp, which made for a fun afternoon. Really enjoyed our weekend here, and plan to return.
LegendStayed in Shawnee Lodge in camp campus. Camp Amenities include: lodges, cabins, shelters, parking, fire pits/ fireplaces all with wood supplied, amphitheater s, fishing along Little Grassy Lake, trails, swing set.
GuideWe had a very nice time and this campground and wish we could have stayed a few more nights to see more of it. There was a couple nice playgrounds for the kids to play on and plenty to walk around and see.
Guide
We found this place on the Dyrt, it was our last hope, since all others in the area were full. Thankfully they had an opening for both our trailers.
Called and spoke to the owner Kim, she was super sweet and helpful, we pulled in right before dark and she drove us down to our spots on the waterfront.
My oh my what a beautiful view these spots have, and the price is cheap for the view and the size of the spots. We had water, electric, and sewage. We were able to stay right next to our son and daughter-in-law who were traveling with us in their trailer.
The view of the Ohio River at sunset is breathtaking, the huge maple trees in the fall and the sunset was far beyond our expectations.
Kim, is super sweet and helpful stood around and chatted with us for a little bit, gave us some history on the area and the river, and then we decided to get settled in for the night.
You could see the barges going up and down the Ohio, while looking across and seeing Illinois.
In the middle of the night you could hear the horns of the barges, which we realized they were blowing because of the fog.
Oh my when we woke up at 6:30 in the morning and open the door to see the fog rolling in and a huge barge docked right next to us on the river. The sounds that it was making were incredible it was experience that we are so glad we got to be part of.
The fog burned off about 10:00 in the morning but it made for some beautiful photos and a nice cool start to our day.
The owners are fabulous the views are exquisite and for the price and what you get you can't beat it. They haven't been open too long and they're closed for the winter, but if you get a chance to go book yourself a spot along the river do it, you won't be disappointed
We will be coming back for vacations each year.
Scout
What an absolute craphole. We rented the Wrangler cabin for 2 nights, the cabin(single-wide trailer) looked as if it it was placed in the 1980's and has never been touched. The floor in the cabin was soft(rotted), they had about 3 or 4 stick in air freshners in the cabin, so many that both my wife and I got a headache as soon as we walked in. We took them out, then after about an hour the smell that they were covering started to show up, musty, moldy smell. The furniture in the place I am sure they found on the side of the street. Broken tables, the one couch in the place was full of sweat stains, the beds were so soft and old, felt like sleeping in a bowl. The so-called microwave in the kitchen had food cooked in it. The black stuff near the air vents on the ceiling of the cabin is not dust, pretty sure its mold. There are water stains all over the ceiling. The cabin has stairs at both end of the front, the one end looks to be an old set of plastic pool stairs, that are busted. The floor in the bathroom was actually a sub-flooring, without flooring on top of it. IT IS A DUMP. Health and human services needs to go out and condemn this place. If you have dogs with you, and keep them on a leash, don't worry, they will have plenty of friends to play with, as there are loose dogs all over the place, we counted about 12. Like I said, we rented it for 2 nights, left first thing in the morning after the first night. I spent a lot of time in the Army, and slept in some bad spots before, this place is worse. Glad I got some money back. I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND THIS PLACE, not even to someone I don't like!
GuideThis little gem is off the beaten path but well worth it! Super nice owner, very clean small park without a lot of extra frills. All open sites waterfront, 30 or 50 amp, sewer and water hookups. Right on the Ohio river! This isn’t a huge place with coordinated activities, but they did have horseshoes, basketball, and a hammock area along with a small playground. The owner told us they bought this campground after it had been closed for several years. They were in the process of updating and trying to get the word out about it. There is a second row of campsites behind the waterfront row that are not in use. I think if both of them were being used it would make it hard to get in to the sites. Also make note that the electric poles and water and shared between each site (you have your own plug but it’s in the middle of the two sites) which means the odd number sites are back in, even numbers are pull in (or if you had cords and hoses long enough you could also back in knowing that you’d have to go under your camper to hookup.). Also easy for buddy sites if you could arrange side by side sites. We enjoyed the low key weekend with lots of fun things to do with a little bit of a drive. Definitely will Plan a return trip!
GuideLiked the state park and it’s beauty a lot. Pool was closed on Labor Day weekend???Pretty wooded campground on the side of a hill has a lot of shade but most sites are not level for larger RVs. Our reserved site #6 was so sloped for our 24’ C class that we had to give up on it and move to a vacant more level spot. The pit toilets leave a lot to be desired and the lack of showers on site is reprehensible. The campers deserve better from this camping
TravelerPlanned on a 2 night stay but added 3 nights to our stay to get out of the way of Ida. Led to site 15 by Keith and Kim the hardworking owners. Beautiful site on the Ohio River. Magnificent sunsets. Sites alternated pull in and back in sharing water and electric pedestals. Lots of space on door side of TT. Trash picked up daily from end of the site.
GuideThis is our second visit and we absolutely love it. Nice shaded lot on the Ohio river. Right after getting set up, we got to see a big barge go by. We would definitely recommend this place.
TravelerWas fortunate to get a short notice reservation for an overnight at this KOA. The hosts were very friendly and helpful, the pool was a hit with the kids, and there's quick food options just down the road. The campground itself is somewhat hilly with plenty of tree cover, but the lots are gravel and fairly uneven. Leveling your camper will take a bit of finesse, which was my only issue getting set up here. Really great overnight spot, though!
ScoutWe found a jewel of an RV park on the Ohio River in Kentucky. Our campsite was right on the river bank. We enjoyed a quiet and relaxing stay at this wonderful park. Watching the barges go up and down the river along with an occasional recreational boat or 2. The host couple were super nice and felt like friends to us. The spaces are big enough for anything you can drive. We have a 27’ Class A and a Jeep in tow. Other campers drove in a big class A and a tow car with no problem. There is a small dock on the property if you are interested in boating or fishing. I wish we could have stayed longer than just 2 nights. We will return someday and stay longer if we can. I recommend this gem to all my family and friends.
GuideWe were a bit nervous about this campground when reading reviews and seeing the location (there is an Impact Incarceration Program that shares the border), but I'm glad we found it. We booked this spot a few weeks in advance for Memorial Day weekend, and honestly we only booked it because it was the only campground left that seemed somewhat acceptable out of campgrounds that accept reservations. I'm glad we did. The location is amazing, it didn't seem as crowded as other campgrounds in Shawnee National Forest, it was well maintained, and had lots of features that range from hiking trails to a swimming pool (and pretty confident a basketball court as well). Even though we did not take advantage of these features, the campsite itself was wonderful. It was exactly what we wanted - a little pine forest to sleep in and get away from the city and take it easy for the weekend. There were lots of kids and other people as expected for the holiday weekend, but that did not interfere with our stay. The campsites are very compacted, but it still feels very personal and private due to all the tree cover and bushes. Additionally, there are bathrooms onsite that are pretty clean, but expect lots of mosquitos on them. Finally, Golconda is only 10 miles away and has a grocery store that was stocked with essentials we forgot and a gas station to fill up.
Here are some of the negatives: LOTS of poison ivy and ticks. Luckily, we expected this and came prepared with tweezers, tick remover, insect repellant, and poison ivy wipes. I gave my dog tick medicine two days prior to our departure, and the tweezers and tick remover came in handy since I was bit despite the ample amounts of insect repellant. The poison ivy is EVERYWHERE. Anywhere you see trees and bushes, there will be poison ivy. It was definitely nerve wracking putting up the hammock and unfortunately did not get to cuddle our dog at all since we were nervous of the possible oils on his fur. Also, their system for reservation is flawed - when we arrived the campsite we booked had a family already all settled in, and luckily we were able to find another available campsite otherwise we'd need to talk to the superintendent and kick that family out in order to get settled in. I would have been incredibly disgruntled if this ended up happening, but luckily the campsite we ended up having was better than the one we originally booked. Could have gone either way though. Finally, cars aren't allowed next to the campsite. We initially parked next to it and the superintendent asked us to move it to the parking lot. Makes it a hassle and is a bit of a bummer, but it was fine.
ScoutWe came down for a spontaneous camping trip to explore SNF and found Giant City to be a great place to stay. We stayed in the primitive camp site, while there were others there, everyone was dispersed far enough that it felt private. Camp grounds were clean, quiet, and the camp host and park ranger were very kind. There is a nice trail across from the primitive camping site which also has a pond for fishing as well. Bathrooms and shower house were all clean! Overall we had a great time and will absolutely be back.
RangerThe biggest thing about this campground is first come first serve..and one loop is closed for renovations (as of 2021 camping season, May). Most you can spend here is 14 days, which lots of locals do. Very quiet family friendly with large mostly level spots. Our go to when visiting the local college.
GuideGreat campground, park ranger very close and comes around often. Nice big spaces for rv or tents.
Down side its not super close to alot of trails.
GuideWe didn’t know exactly what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised by how kind everyone is. The amenities are clean and the setting is gorgeous. Felt very safe. The water is beautiful and the only sound is nature and the cracklings from the fire at night.
GuideWanting to explore some of the Shawnee Forest, we selected Giant City as it was recommended by a friend (and one of the few places that accepts reservations ahead of time!) The campsite was good and we loved that it backed up to some woods, which our kids explored often. The vault toilets were fine and the play ground was good. We really enjoyed the hikes, seeing the sandstone "walls" that makes the area famous. We found several short but gorgeous hiking trails, which was perfect for our young children. We also had the entire loop of the campground to ourselves, as it was early spring and our spring break was an off time. We ate a great dinner at the lodge, which has beautiful panoramic views and the food was tasty too. We liked the family style fried chicken dinner! Very prompt service, too.
Cabin camping near Cairo, Illinois offers a serene escape into nature, with various options that cater to different preferences and budgets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Cairo, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Cairo, IL is Giant City State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Cairo, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 cabin camping locations near Cairo, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
