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Giant City State Park Campground houses boutique camping accommodations within the scenic Makanda area, approximately 11 miles from Cobden. The glamping options include climate-controlled canvas structures with comfortable bedding and electrical hookups, offering a luxurious alternative to traditional camping. Shawnee Forest Campground provides upscale yurt accommodations with modern amenities including water hookups, sewer connections, and fire rings for evening relaxation. Both locations feature picnic tables, trash service, and access to clean toilet facilities, creating an elevated outdoor experience. Nearby Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge also offers premium glamping cabins with amenities not typically found in standard campgrounds. One visitor noted, "The lodge offered excellent food and a very cozy feel, definitely visit the Lodge during your glamping stay."
The glamping sites connect visitors with exceptional natural attractions, including Giant City's sandstone formations and bluff hiking trails. Guests at these boutique camping destinations can explore numerous nearby wineries within short driving distance, making for enjoyable afternoon excursions. The region's glamping resorts serve as ideal basements for exploring Shawnee National Forest's distinctive geological features, including Garden of the Gods and Little Grand Canyon. Activities vary seasonally, with all-year availability at several locations and peak seasons running March through November at others. According to a camper, "Even in winter it was still a fantastic trip with beautiful trails and well-maintained glamping sites." Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with raccoons, birds, and other forest creatures frequently spotted from private decks and panoramic viewing areas at these upscale camping establishments.
"The picnic tables are old and seem to be spread around as camper are moving them around. The main bathhouse is older, but nice and clean! There is a vault only bathroom at the back of the campground."
"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."
"Burn pit and cooking grill above the pit at every site I visited. Clean Air condition in the bathroom. Showers work great."
"There is no pool or activities for kids but we went out and explored the area Beautiful walking/bike paths around the property
Hosts were very kind and helpful, we felt very welcomed!"
from $40 / night
Check Availability"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."
"This is a quiet family campground, most spots are lake side. Very spacious and lots of trees. First come first serve, and the park was full most of the time we were here."
"South Sandusky is a very nice campground with lots of trees, concrete pad, fire pit, playground, and bathroom facilities."
"many of the site are right on the lake and the sunrise and sunsets are always gorgeous."
from $16 - $28 / night
Check Availability"This is hands-down the nicest campground on Rend Lake."
"South Marcum Campground is a Corp of Engineers campground just of I-57 in southern Illinois with over 100 reservable campsites. Sites have 30 & 50 amp Electric hookups."
from $16 - $44 / night
Check Availability"Electric on most but not all have water. Campfire area and picnic table provided. Bathhouse is clean and park areas are all clean, dump station on site."
"Arrived just as the sun was setting which was beautiful over the lake. We were in Eagle 81. Large wooded site next to the lake."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability"You're welcome to at longbranch! Please make your reservations.
Only 16 spots left!"
"We stayed as a larger group on a non-electric site. The sites were sort of close together but the trees still helped provide a sense of privacy."
"Next depending on which site you pick it can be a short walk to the lake and direct put in of your water craft. A very cool feature is that several of the sites are double."
"Decorated for Halloween and very kid friendly. Spots are tight (wouldn't want to be here when the park is full). Nice park for kids, hiking trail and jump pad (trampoline)."
"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"
ScoutGary and his family are very polite and very happy to be helpful. Great prices. Burn pit and cooking grill above the pit at every site I visited. Clean Air condition in the bathroom. Showers work great. I stayed here twice, my family and I had a great time and met some really nice people.
TravelerRelatively new. Has great potential. Located in Vienna, IL near Shawnee National Forest. It has 3 fish & release ponds. Sites were a bit hilly which stands to reason since it was converted from a golf course in 2016. Some sites are pretty long. It accommodated our 35ft. MH with attached car. Some sites are close together with very little shade. The campground had lots of open sites during our stay (3rd week in Aug), but during our stay 2 other short stay campers came in & they parked them right next to us. -Full hook ups available -Hosts were very friendly & provided insight to area. -Bath house - provided air conditioning. Although new & spacious there were only 4 in the entire campground & the toilet & shower were in same space. Upon arrival only 1 was open near us. Subsequently the 2nd was closed due to a water valve malfunction & wasn’t re-opened during our stay. My husband likes level sites & facilities he could use. He said he wouldn’t come back any time soon.
GuideLots 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.
LegendBenton KOA Journey is an easy overnight stop just off I-57. Since we were already familiar with the campground layout, we called ahead to ask if we could go directly to our site on the opposite side of the road from the office and check in afterward. The staff gladly accommodated our request. We stayed in Deluxe Full-Hookup Pull-Through Patio Site 65, which made it easy to center our 40-foot fifth wheel on the utilities. The site was slightly off level, but we did not need to use blocks. The gravel patio featured a huge wheelchair-accessible picnic table, fire pit with cooking grate, stand-up charcoal grill, wooden swing, and bench. We received one bar on Verizon and two bars on T-Mobile. There are mature trees around the seven pull-through sites across the road from the main campground, but Starlink should work in most of them if you're able to position the dish around the trees. For this overnight stay, we used our T-Mobile Home Internet, which averaged 358 Mbps download and 2.7 Mbps upload. The campground Wi-Fi was adequate for light browsing. A fenced dog park was conveniently located near our site, and being across the road from the main campground helped reduce interstate noise. Overall, this is a clean, well-run KOA with exceptionally friendly and helpful staff, and a good overnight stop returning to our home base in southern Illinois to rest and dump tanks.
RangerRV or tent, book online at Recreation.Gov not all spots are level. Electric on most but not all have water. Campfire area and picnic table provided. Bathhouse is clean and park areas are all clean, dump station on site. We will be back and book closer to the lake in a level site.
GuideSouth Sandusky is a very nice campground with lots of trees, concrete pad, fire pit, playground, and bathroom facilities. It is wheelchair accessible and walking distance from the lake where you can swim, fish, boat, go tubing or just walk the trails.
TravelerWe stayed as a larger group on a non-electric site. The sites were sort of close together but the trees still helped provide a sense of privacy. There were clean bathrooms with running water a short walk away, didn’t attempt to use the showers. We could easily walk to the trails and we went fishing in the lake. It was mild and quiet the days we went in Mid-May 2020. 🙂 Beautiful scenery.
LegendWe stayed Easter Weekend here in the campground and had a great time. The campground is clean and maintained. Some sites are gravel and some are asphalt. Not sure if they are upgrading a little at a time?? There are plenty of trees for shade. Some sites are close together and some have more room in between them. The picnic tables are old and seem to be spread around as camper are moving them around. The main bathhouse is older, but nice and clean! There is a vault only bathroom at the back of the campground. No water hook up at each site, only electricity. . While you are here, check out the Lodge for dinner one night and climb to the top of the water tower observation deck for some amazing views! Make the quick drive to Makanda and explore the little hippy town. Don’t forget to take a stroll through the secret garden! . The Giant City Nature Trail and Devils Standtable were really pretty, easy strolls. The Trillium Trail is a little more rugged for those who prefer less crowded, slightly tougher trails.
TravelerWe love tent camping at South Sandusky. many of the site are right on the lake and the sunrise and sunsets are always gorgeous. they have quiet hours from 10-6 and the bathrooms and showers are always really clean (but there are still usually lots of small insects). It’s also just a short drive from the South Sandusky swimming beach. It’s sometimes pretty rocky in the water so we usually wear water shoes. If you camp for the hiking though this isn’t my favorite site. There are lots of bike trails but for just hiking there are much better places.
Dispersed camping options near Cobden, Illinois include multiple sites within the Shawnee National Forest area at elevations ranging from 400-700 feet. The region features oak-hickory forest ecosystems with limestone bluffs and seasonal creek access. Camping sites experience temperature ranges from below freezing in winter months to humid 90°F+ summers, with most peak usage occurring between April and October.
Hiking trails exploration: Giant City State Park offers numerous hiking options beyond the main attractions. "The Giant City Nature Trail and Devils Standtable were really pretty, easy strolls. The Trillium Trail is a little more rugged for those who prefer less crowded, slightly tougher trails," notes Shana D. about Giant City State Park Campground.
Rock climbing access: Many visitors don't realize the climbing opportunities available. "For climbers, there is a ton of nearby trad and sport climbing. The main wall stays wet for a while so if it has recently rained you may need to find somewhere else," advises Josh M. at Giant City.
Fishing opportunities: Lake access provides year-round fishing options at South Marcum Campground. "Great camp ground in the lake. Clean bathhouses," reports one camper, who also noted, "Lots of deer and turkey!" for wildlife viewing opportunities.
Mountain biking trails: Several campgrounds connect to biking paths. A reviewer at Shawnee Forest Campground mentions, "It has the old golf cart paths as walking/biking paths!" These paved trails provide accessible recreation for all skill levels.
Photography spots: The region offers unique geological features for photography. "Due to the somewhat rural location you could not beat the view of the stars at night," shares a camper about winter visits to the area, highlighting opportunities for astrophotography.
Quiet, spaced-out sites: Unlike the boutique glamping mentioned elsewhere, traditional camping offers more solitude. "The campground gives campers plenty of room to spread out, lots of open space for the kids to play, and not crowded when we stopped by late July," notes CHris B. about South Marcum Campground.
Clean facilities: Many campsites maintain well-kept amenities. "The main bathhouse is older, but nice and clean! There is a vault only bathroom at the back of the campground," reports Shana D., highlighting the practical amenities at Giant City State Park.
Water-based recreation: Oak Point Campground receives praise for its lake access. "Next depending on which site you pick it can be a short walk to the lake and direct put in of your water craft," explains Shelly S., adding, "All the activities are within walking or biking distance and you can carry your watercraft from your site straight into the water."
Wildlife viewing: The natural setting provides wildlife encounters beyond typical glamping experiences. "We camped with several other families and everyone enjoyed this park," shares Joel R. about Crab Orchard Lake Crab Orchard NWR, where another visitor noted, "So much to do here I'll just have to keep coming back to get everything in."
Winter camping options: Unlike seasonal glamping, some sites remain open year-round. "We stayed Easter Weekend here in the campground and had a great time," shares a visitor, noting that shoulder season camping offers less crowded experiences with full amenities still available.
Reservation systems vary: Most Cobden-area campgrounds operate on different reservation platforms. "Sites can be reserved on the Internet at www.recreation.gov," notes Joel R. about South Sandusky, while other campgrounds like Gun Creek state, "You can reserve, or walk-in. I went in October and didn't need a reservation."
Site levelness concerns: Some campgrounds have challenging terrain. "Not sure if they are upgrading a little at a time?? There are plenty of trees for shade. Some sites are close together and some have more room in between them," reports a camper at Giant City State Park.
Highway noise potential: While glamping in Cobden focuses on luxury amenities, traditional camping sites vary in noise levels. "There's highway noise. It's a KOA. Convenience of being easy off an interstate has its tradeoffs," notes Tom B. about one campground, highlighting the importance of site selection.
Seasonal bathroom closures: Facilities may change by season. "The facilities are outdated and don't feel super clean," notes one camper about a spring visit, while others found summer facilities well-maintained: "Showers and bathrooms are nice. I didn't use the facilities, so can't speak to their functionality or cleanliness."
Tree coverage variation: Sites offer different shade levels. "There are mature trees here and there in the CG, so satellite should not be an issue," reports a camper, while another notes, "The sites are well-shaded, and the bathrooms/showerhouses were clean."
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds provide play areas for children. "The campground is clean and maintained... There is a playground located in the electric area for the kiddos to play in and around," advises Claudia L. at Oak Point Campground.
Swimming beaches: Several locations offer swimming beyond glamping pools. "A short jont down the road you have a boat loading area to go out on the lake, a public picnic area, and a beach where you can swim (for a small fee) or rent paddle boats," explains Claudia L.
Nature programs: Check for ranger-led activities at state parks. "Giant City is a great place to go with your family! The trails are fun and interesting while the lodge is fantastic! Amazing food there!" shares Livia W., highlighting educational opportunities beyond glamping experiences.
Site selection for families: Choose sites based on proximity to amenities. "This is a great spot for families. The sites are pretty close together, but still offer some privacy. They have electric sites for $22 and primitive for $12," suggests Dave N. about Oak Point Campground.
Weather preparation: The region experiences significant seasonal variations. "Due to the somewhat rural location you could not beat the view of the stars at night," mentions Josh M., while other campers note, "Because of the lake there are tons of mosquitos, plan accordingly!"
Hookup variations: RV sites offer different utility configurations. "There are currently 25 equestrian camp sites in this park in a different area than the normal RV and Tent campground. The campground is being upgraded this year in which I belive they are adding 50 amp full service to many of the electric only sites," shares Michael M. about Giant City State Park.
Site levelness issues: Many campgrounds require leveling equipment. "Our site was on the lake with a down slope reaching down to the tent/picnic pad (a concern if it was going to rain hard)," shares Annie C., noting terrain challenges at certain locations.
Water fill procedures: Not all sites with hookups have direct water connections. "They have electric sites, and water is available but you need to fill your tank before setting up camp. Sites are flat and most are pull through," explains Joel R. about South Marcum.
Dump station locations: Plan for waste management needs. "There's a dump station, flush toilets, a sand beach, boat ramp, 2 picnic shelters, a paved bike trail, and playgrounds," notes a reviewer about South Sandusky facilities.
Site size constraints: Larger rigs have limited options. "Very large rigs (35+) will be challenging, but I've seen them - more towards the front," advises Jon H. about site selection at Oak Point Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Cobden, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Cobden, IL is Giant City State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Cobden, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 22 glamping camping locations near Cobden, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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