Best Cabin Camping near Chester, IL

Kind of a bare bones campground but this state park does offer rock climbing (if you have the expertise and your own gear). A few picnic shelters and an amazing CCC lodge that has a cabin rentals and a pretty good area restaurant. The park used to have an interp center but I believe the state closed it do to funding. The trails aren't always maintained it definitely depends on the season but the park itself is not to be missed.

This is a great little campground with a fishing lake. Sites are gravel but well maintained. Sites are fairly close with most shaded. Getting around is a little right for bigger rigs but still doable as long as you’re careful. Make sure you fill up at the dump station before you get to the campground because there’s no easy way to turn around if you miss it. It’s approximately a mile before the campground on your left. Be aware that there are no showers though, only bathrooms. Fifty-one Class BE campsites, 95 Class C campsites, an equestrian site with eight stalls for horses, and four Class D (primitive) campsites are available throughout the area. A group camp area has its own shelter, stone fireplace, electricity and tables. Some campsites at Randolph County SRA can be reserved online through Reserve America at www.reserveamerica.com Randolph County State Recreation Area is a mecca for outdoor recreational activities. Fishing, hiking, picnicking, boating, hunting and camping are just a few of the choices on the 1,101 acres at the site. Located five miles northeast of Chester, Randolph County SRA lies in the rolling hill country of southern Illinois. Offering a cool retreat from hot summer days, well shaded picnic areas, hiking trails and scenic forest stands await park visitors.

Park Information:

West Central Illinois

4301 S. Lake Drive Chester IL 62233

618-826-2706

N: 37.968 W: -89.802 History In 1958, land was purchased and plans started to build a dam and spillway for a 65-acre lake. The lake was completed in 1961, and since that time, recreational facilities have been added to provide picnic shelters, toilets, a boat ramp and a concession stand at Randolph County SRA..

Directions All access to Randolph County SRA is from the west entrance off Palestine Rd. Coming from the North on Route 3, visitors will turn east on Shawneetown Trail south of the town of Ellis Grove. At Palestine, turn south on Palestine Road and proceed two miles, then turn left at the entrance sign. Coming from the north on Route 150, turn west on Shawneetown Trail and proceed to Palestine, then turn south on Palestine Road and proceed to the entrance sign and turn left into the area. Coming from the south from Chester, head north on Palestine Road to the entrance sign and turn right into the area.

Small lake. Has tent camping or cabins. All roads are gravel. We have stayed in the cabins. It was a double bed and also had a set of bunks. So plenty of room. Lake has sandy beaches. Small playset I the water for kids.

Stayed 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.

My family and I are new to the RV World. We are currently renting a Class A Motorhome(33ft; double slide) and traveling to the 48 contiguous states. Our trip originated in Columbus, OH(our home), and we made our way to St. Louis for our second-night stay. 

When we arrived, we checked-in at the office, and the customer service was amiable and accommodating. Our site was across from campground cabins where the occupants of the cabin street-parked their trucks. The campsites are so tight; we couldn't back-in and park. Fortunately, management was responsive to our needs and asked the cabin occupants to move. Sadly, our location was next door to smokers, which necessitated we keep our windows shut during our stay. 

Full hook-up was relatively clean and easy to use. The campsite is off a hectic road, but we didn't mind as we only stayed one night(if you are looking to sleep under the stars surrounded by trees and squirrels, this place is not for you). The proximity to the Gateway Arch was terrific. We parked our RV, summoned an Uber, and were at the top of the arch in an hour! 

Our favorite part of this park is the onsite Sawmill BBQ restaurant. While we prepare most of our meals, we were so tired; we decided to give the joint a try and, wow, are we glad we did! Delicious food for a reasonable price!

Great time of year to visit! Surrounded by trees changing colors the fall is beautiful here. The campground has several hiking trails and also river access to go canoeing. You can rent a cabin here as well. Very nice and quiet campsite!

This campground is located on a small lake in Southern Illinois and managed by the department of natural resources. Good place for Camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking and boating. There is also hunting, so some seasons are iffy. There are water and electric hookups, and a dump station. Modern shower and bathroom. Located five miles northeast of Chester IL for supplies.

Campground here has both electric sites for campers and primitive sites for tents. All are shaded and quiet. Showers/bathrooms are really nice and clean. In addition to campgrounds, there's a very nice lodge with a good restaurant, and the cabins here are pretty good too.

Lots of amazing, beautiful hikes in this park, especially if you're into bluffs and large boulders. Easy drive to many other picturesque and unique parks (i.e. Garden of the Gods, Ferne Clyffe), and easy drive into town if you want something more civilized.

We absolutely love this park. It’s just under an hour from St. Louis, with river access, amazing hiking trails & great views. Very clean campsites with lots of shade for tent campers & nice level lots. There is even a swimming pool if the river isn’t your thing & a couple playgrounds too. There is a dollar general right outside the park entrance which is super convenient if you forget something or your lighter runs out of fluid like us lol. They have cabins to rents as well as Camper spots and basic lots. Pet friendly! Highly recommend this park. The whole family enjoyed staying here.

This was a great place. Again, amidst the corona pandemic but we were happy to find it. It isn’t what we’re used to, we usually like more remote, isolated, rugged, off the grid type sites (we had just travelled from Utah where we spent 15 straight days in the desert on the rim of a canyon and the end of a dirt road and never saw a person other than two raven friends) but, it was nice. The staff were super friendly and accommodating, and the bathrooms and camp store were extremely nice. The draw backs for us were how close it was to the interstate, and the fact that it’s just not what we’re used to when camping. This was a hotel to us, basically. It has a pool, playgrounds, a pond, and some tiny home type cabins that look like fun. For us, it’s a good place to stop while traveling...

One of our favorite getaways close to home for a weekend. Nice large shaded sites. Friendly and helpful staff.

It is overcrowded all through the week in the RV area with no great views of the lake, sadly. 2. cabins.but overpriced due to no running water or nearby ttoilet but more private and great lake views Awesome fishing here and boat rentals

We just wanted to get away for a night. This place was close and easy to book. We were very pleasantly surprised! Great clean campground- easy hook ups- pleasant staff and close to town. Went to Mary Janes for dinner gotta recommend! Campground Has a trail to a hike around lake. Playground was fun and safe. Lake for fishing. We would definitely go back.

Came 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.

We utilized the special use area of the campground for our Cub Scout family camp, but visited the main loop during our trip.

Best campground hosts we ever encountered! Knowledgeable and friendly. The park has a pool, river access, canoe & kayak rentals and miles of great trails. Great program for kids on staying out of they get lost presented by hosts. This is a great park for organized groups, with lots to do!

Shower house was clean and convenient. Hands down one of Missouri’s best!

Tip- check out the petroglyph site.

Really great campground. Good mix of tents and RVs. Bath house was very well kept and clean. Showers ran cold at first but after a few mins it gets warmer! There were plenty of pit toliets through out the campground and trash cans. My tent site was clean, good flat spot for tent, picnic table and fire pit with attached grill.

The Concession building in the park is closing. No boat rentals, selling everything he has on the shelf.

Caught a few bass and and good amount of hiking. Large trail around the whole lake, smaller trails lead to sites around the different campgrounds.

Lots to do for all ages, including swimming and hikes of any difficulty/length. Famous for petroglyphs and other history too. Green rolling hills that would be ideal to visit in the fall. The electrics sites are closer to the river, the tent sites are more private in trees in a separate area.

Yay: Rent a canoe/kayak/tube to enjoy the river (on site!).

Nay: Make sure to get away from the developed part of the campground to enjoy this nature. Surprise: Petroglyphs are the icing on the cake here!

A great spot for a quick get away from St Louis. Beautiful park with lots to do not far from the campground. If you are tent camping you don't have to worry about generators from the RVs as there are two separate camping areas that share a really nice shower house, but have their own bathrooms as well. Be careful to not get a tent site in the middle, in the low area, as rain runoff will run down to the middle area. No tent pads, but plenty of grassy areas to pitch your tent. Activities in the park include swimming in the pool or the Big River, canoeing (rent at the Thunderbird Lodge), hiking, and petroglyphs.

This wasn’t our first choice for a campground but Oak Point was full and sites were open here! I’m so glad that was the case as this definitely turned out to be an awesome campground. The sites are flat and open, but most are still shaded by a y’all tree canopy. The lodge and restaurant are a great way to escape the summer heat for a few hours! The Trillium Trail in the Park has beautiful views and rock formations. Get ice cream and walk the Secret Garden in Makanda. Lake Glendale is close by for swimming and kayak rentals. Of course you have to hike to the Garden of the Gods, but our favorite was the Little Grand Canyon. Both require some level of experience hiking and good hiking shoes/boots.

This is a nice little park in southern Illinois. It is surrounded by cornfields, however the park is wooded. The park surrounds a very pretty lake and I have attached a picture.

The host was very nice and helpful. The bathhouse was clean and had hot water for the showers.

You're welcome to at longbranch! Please make your reservations.
Only 16 spots left!

Ava Illinois +1 618-318-6734 Text your name and number of people on your campsite to reserve your spot.

The Solar Eclipse Event "PARK @ THE MOON"

Extended or early arrivals welcome. Just simply request more information in the text. We will get ahold of asap with a more information and a confirmation number.

#ShareThisPost #solareclipse2024

This is a small lake management by the state of Illinois. The campground is usually not crowded, but some weekends do get busy. There is a shower/bathroom that was clean each time we were there. Water and electric is available at most sites. The campground is pretty far from any big metro area, so the sky was real dark, great for picking out constellations. We listened o Whip-por-will calls around the campfire.