Friends Creek Campground features clean, spacious sites where pets are welcome throughout the 40-site property. Located 13 miles from Decatur, this quiet campground offers both 30-amp and 50-amp electric sites with fire rings and picnic tables. Pets must be leashed at all times while in the campground and on trails. The park includes hiking paths where dogs can explore the tall grass prairie conservation area and gentle rolling hills. Several water spigots are available throughout the campground, though no direct water hookups exist at individual sites. Other pet-friendly options near Decatur include Weldon Springs State Park Campground and Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, both accommodating tent and RV campers with pets. Bathhouses and facilities remain exceptionally clean, making longer stays with pets comfortable. The spacious sites with ample shade provide enough room for pets to relax without feeling crowded, even when the campground is nearly full.
The well-maintained trails at Friends Creek provide excellent opportunities for dog walking, with paths leading to a nearby creek where pets can cool off during warmer months. Across the road from the main campground, additional trails begin at the historic Bethel School House and wind through both wooded areas and open prairie. The hiking paths are well-marked and maintained, offering varied terrain for daily pet exercise. Campers frequently mention the campground's tranquility as perfect for nervous pets, with the camp host described as friendly and accommodating to those traveling with animals. During summer months, early morning walks are recommended to avoid high temperatures and reduce tick exposure. The surrounding conservation area supports wildlife viewing opportunities, though pet owners should remain vigilant about keeping dogs leashed to prevent wildlife encounters or wandering into neighboring farm properties.
$10 - $25 / night
"This hidden gem of a campground is very quiet and serene - surrounded by tall trees and next to a tall grass prairie conservation area - complete with historic schoolhouse, mowed trails to a nearby creek"
"In mid-Illinois a campground waits for you. Well tended grassy sites with an impeccable grassy picnicking area. There was plenty of room in our site but most of the campground is empty."
"It’s a nice Illinois state park. Very quiet. Clean bathrooms, the consecution stand is closed. So can’t rent boat etc. but a nice lake to paddle canoe/kayak ."
"Good fishing near by with walking trail surrounding pond. Plenty of wildlife friendly locals."
$10 - $30 / night
"This also means in the dog days of summer the breeze is blocked by the trees so get an electric site even with a tent and bring a fan. They have a beach and a boat launch."
"The lake is surprisingly warm. No dogs allowed on the beach. The sites were spacious, and ours had a path to the lake. Filled with poison ivy, etc, so long pants recommended when waking thru."
$18 - $48 / night
"We've been camping at Coon Creek, on a beautiful Lake Shelbyville, for a few years now, the place is perfect for family vacations. And that's exactly what we do."
"There are many sites on this campground that are wooded and have views of Lake Shelbyville. Boat ramp to put in your boat or kayaks and sand beach for the kids to go swimming."
"These walk in sites check all the boxes. At the western part of the RV loop, is a peninsula of primitive tent camping spots to choose from. "
"Lots of trails, Lake Sangchris is very close by for fishing & kayaking. Quiet campground; great place to unwind."
$18 - $48 / night
"This campground has a dog park and beautiful views, but the sites are very crowded. There are full hook up sites and electric only. If you like the party atmosphere, this place is for you. "
"Beautiful views of the lake! Just all-in-all a well maintained park. So, why not 5 stars?"
$18 - $48 / night
"One of the nicest on the lake. Clean, well maintained, nice spacious spots, boat ramp and parking, dog run, playground. Reservation made on Recreation.gov. Sometimes available spots for one night."
"Located on Lake Shelbyville, Bo Wood is an Army Co of Engineers park. Plenty of full hook ups and tent camping spots. Most by the lake."
$18 - $36 / night
"Lithia Springs is a great campground with a wonderful marina located on beautiful Lake Shelbyville! We stayed at Site #12 overlooking the lake."
"At the end of the circles there are some sites right on the lake and the boat ramp is nearby. Nice latrines and showerhouses."
GuideThis hidden gem of a campground is very quiet and serene - surrounded by tall trees and next to a tall grass prairie conservation area - complete with historic schoolhouse, mowed trails to a nearby creek, gentle rolling hills, trees, birds & wildlife and a small bridge. Best place to stop in central Illinois - 13 miles from Decatur
GuideReview of Drive In Tent Camping Site 2. Showed up on a Thursday night and had our pick of all the drive in and walk in sites. We decided on site 2 in the drive in area. Previous reviews and a book by John Schirle on Tent Camping in Illinois helped us with this decision as well. Decent maintained sites with some older picnic tables and fire rings, but let's be honest this stuff sits outside 24/7. Site 2 seemed to sit back the farthest with site 1 a close second. Both wooded sites that made for great shade and helped some when it was raining. Any two families looking for two sites could certainly set up and share the experience. Nice little cove behind them to try fishing. Just watch the hike down the path or ravine. Dog friendly, fresh water supply (hint put the handle all the way up and wait a few seconds), ability to store stuff in the car close by, outhouse toilets visible at the walk in parking lot, and helpful host for easy check in who even sells fire wood made for a great few days ($5 a bundle). Rated B/S site at a cost of $10 a night.
GuideOne of the first campgrounds I ever went to and when camping in Illinois, my go-to campground and lake. My wife and I love this lake and have a lot of memories here.
RangerGreat sites. Plenty to do. Favorite place to camp in Illinois.
GuideThe bathrooms here were heated and sparkling clean. Our Starlink had zero obstructions worked lightening fast. We LOVED having a dog park to exercise our dogs daily!
Great location, close to all the Springfield attractions and Slauterhaus Brewing in Auburn, IL (this is the best brewery nearby, better than Buzz Bomb or Obed & Issacs in town!).
LegendThis campground has a dog park and beautiful views, but the sites are very crowded. There are full hook up sites and electric only. If you like the party atmosphere, this place is for you. If you like a more spread out and quiet park, look at Lithia Springs or Opossum. Your park pass from any COE campground will get you in.
Photos view from dog park.
GuidePulled in about 7pm and immediately was greeted by the manager who showed us to our site, helped us pull in get settled and brought us firewood. The lake behind our trailer is beautiful and can be fished Catch and Release with Blue Gill and Bass. There's plenty of grass, Fire Pits, Playgrounds and a Dog Park. Wonderful campground and only about 10 min from downtown.
ScoutGiving this 4 stars for the awesomeness of the sites themselves. We were in 121. All of the sites we saw in our “loop” were super wide, all gravel and quite level. So well kept.....fire pit with grate, large picnic table....really, the site couldn’t have been better. Beautiful views of the lake! Just all-in-all a well maintained park. So, why not 5 stars? I really wanted good shore fishing and not only was it a long walk, but really not very good/easy to get to, or comfortable standing once you get there. Beautiful dog parks....one for large dogs and one for small, but again, a long walk from the campground. Not feasible for our older dog. One other thing, absolutely no lighting at night along the campground roadways. After dark, we watched a truck go into the ditch looking for the turn out (granted, the occupants sounded like they were well into partying), but the pitch darkness at night made it feel a little unsafe, especially walking the dog after dark. Still, the sites themselves are awesome.
GuideWe stayed at Boo Wood Campground for about five days and enjoyed much of their amenities.
The campground featured a dog park which provided room for our dogs to run around. There was also multiple playgrounds and even a small amphitheater. There was a large boat ramp with ample parking. We put in our kayaks on the boat ramp and enjoyed a nice paddle on a portion of the Shelbyville Lake.
We paid less than$25 a night for full hooks up and we had an almost lake view.
Our biggest issue with this campsite was the extensive bugs, once the sun goes down the bugs get horribly bad. We let our dogs out past 8 p.m. and our camper was covered with swarms of psychodidae(sewer) flies. Once we quickly got in our camper, we spent the next hour killing the swarms of sewer flies that entered our camper. We learned our lesson and once the sun went down, we did not leave our camper.
Friends Creek Campground sits 13 miles from Decatur in central Illinois, part of the Prairie State's mixed woodland and grassland region. The area features gentle hills with elevations ranging from 650-700 feet above sea level and experiences four distinct seasons with humid summers and moderately cold winters. The surrounding conservation area contains both wooded sections and restored tall grass prairie.
Kayaking at Clinton Lake: Clinton Lake State Recreation Area offers warm-water paddling due to discharge from the nearby nuclear plant. "Clinton Lake is a boating destination as the waters are unusually warm due to the discharge from the nearby nuclear plant," notes Stacia R. The recreation area features boat launches and rentals for day use.
Fishing at Lake Shelbyville: Coon Creek provides excellent fishing access with multiple shore points. "This site was forested enough to provide seclusion from our neighbors, which we loved! We also had the opportunity to go fishing, which is very common! That became our main past time," reports Hadley O. The lake contains bass, crappie, and catfish populations.
Historic Exploration: Visit the one-room Bethel School House near Friends Creek for a glimpse into rural education history. At Weldon Springs State Park Campground, campers can explore additional historic structures. "The park has beautiful natural meadows, an old schoolhouse to explore, and a large pond with trails all the way around it. A WWII memorial is found along the pond," Jamie G. explains.
Clean Facilities: Sangchris Lake State Park Campground maintains exceptionally clean bathhouses. "Clean bathhouse. Campground hosts very helpful. Electric only but water available and nice dump station. All sites at Hickory Point very close to lake," notes Greg S. The bathhouse facilities include hot showers and regular maintenance.
Spacious Sites: Many campsites throughout the area offer room for pets and gear without feeling crowded. At Bo Wood, "Our FHU site was very easy to access and a very level well graveled site. The site is full shade and wooded with a nice fire pit and lantern post. It is spaced well and you face the lake, so the camper blocks any noise from the rest of the loop," reports Ryne T.
Quiet Atmosphere: Most campgrounds maintain peaceful environments, especially during weekdays. "The campground was almost completely full on a Friday at the end of October yet very quiet," mentions Lee D. about Friends Creek. At Lithia Springs, Emily P. notes, "Quiet campground, although you can hear a train off in the distance and anyone on the water."
Reservation Requirements: Most campgrounds in the region require advance booking, especially for weekend stays during peak season (May-September). At Lithia Springs, "If camping on weekends May to September will need to book it in advanced," advises Nathan E.
Site Selection Variations: Electric-only sites are common, though some campgrounds offer full hookups. "We have only stayed in the electric only sites as the full hookup sites are hard to come by," Tim F. notes about Clinton Lake. At Bo Wood, "Reserve early to get full hookup!" recommends Sonya A.
Seasonal Considerations: Bug activity increases significantly after sunset during summer months. At Forrest W. Bo Wood Recreation Area, one camper reported, "Our biggest issue with this campsite was the extensive bugs, once the sun goes down the bugs get horribly bad." Early morning or late afternoon activities provide more comfortable experiences.
Beach Access: Clinton Lake offers a designated swimming area with entry fee. "2 dollar beach entry 10-7 pm," notes Abdul Basith Asim M. Clinton Lake State Recreation Area also features "a really nice beach for swimming and picnics," according to Brandon E.
Playground Options: Several campgrounds include play areas for children. Linda N. shares that Clinton Lake has "the option for fishing and swimming in a nearby watering hole" and trails connecting campsites to the shore, making it "perfect for our young family to go back and forth on."
Wildlife Viewing: The conservation areas support diverse bird and small mammal populations. At Weldon Springs, Jason W. describes it as "Family Friendly" with "plenty of wildlife friendly locals." Morning hours typically offer the best wildlife viewing opportunities.
Hookup Availability: Arrowhead Acres Campground offers peaceful RV camping with full hookups. "Hosts were very friendly. Grounds were clean and roomy. Small playground for kids. Quiet and peaceful," says Brooke.
Dump Station Logistics: Plan your water management carefully as not all sites offer direct hookups. At Sangchris Lake, Greg S. notes facilities include "Electric only but water available and nice dump station."
Leveling Requirements: Most RV sites throughout the region feature gravel pads that may require leveling. At Bo Wood, Ryne T. found "a very level well graveled site," but site conditions vary across campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Decatur, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Decatur, IL is Friends Creek Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Decatur, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 51 dog-friendly camping locations near Decatur, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
