Cabin camping is an amazing way to experience Effingham, while still enjoying a little rustic luxury. Finding a place to cabin camp in Illinois is easier than ever. When you're looking for a quiet location in nature, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect cabin rental.
We are your premier Effingham, Illinois Campground family owned and operated by Kiefer Campgrounds. We are an RV Park and Campground ideally located on the north shores of Lake Pauline in scenic South Central Illinois. If you are searching for a quiet and peaceful setting within 1 mile of I-70 and I-57, call or book online today!
Camp Lakewood Campground is open year round
**Hours of Operation: **
All Kiefer Campgrounds are open 24 hours a day. Our registration office and store hours vary depending on season. Site deliveries will be made only during open office/store hours. Night check-in is available anytime the office is closed and you can reserve online 24 hours a day.
Campground Policies:
Pool Policy:
The pool is open Memorial Day through Labor Day from 9:00 a.m. to dusk. There is no lifeguard on duty. State law requires that anyone (15) fifteen years old or younger be accompanied by a guardian of (21) twenty-one years of age or older while in and/or around a pool area. Therefore, we will ask any children swimming without an appropriate guardian to leave the pool and pool area. We put your child’s safety above all else, and we hope you agree with us. We also must stipulate the following while in the pool area: NO smoking, NO pets, NO food nor drinks, and NO diving and/or running for safety purposes.
Golf Cart Policy:
We now allow privately owned golf carts on our properties! All drivers must be 18 years or older with a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. All drivers must sign a liability waiver before using their cart on property. The owner of the cart is financially responsible for any damage caused by their cart to the campground property or any other camper’s property on the grounds.
Pet Policy:
We love pets! We welcome all non-aggressive pets that visit us on a leash with their owner attached. Please remember that others walk where you and your pet walk, so please pick up what they leave behind. If we all do our part, no one will be stepping into anything unpleasant. Please keep your pets feeling safe at all times. Pets often do not like being left alone in a strange place or around strange humans and may need your assistance and reassurance.
Check In/Check Out Policy:
All campsites will be paid for in advance (at check-in). Check-in time begins at 1:00 p.m. Check-out time is 12:00 p.m. for campsites and 11:00 a.m. for cottages and cabins. If you need a late check-out, please make arrangements with the office.
**Campsite Policy: **
We allow only one (1) camping unit and six people per site. Additional charges will occur for more than two adults per site. Only one passenger vehicle allowed per site. All others are asked to park in the visitors parking. If you have concerns with this guideline, please contact the office.
$35 - $999 / night
$15 - $25 / night
Coon Creek is a large campground that sits on the western shore of Lake Shelbyville in the heart of central Illinois. Families enjoy the playground, swimming area and shaded campsites within the facility. The lake and surrounding land offer outdoor activities for people of all ages, including fishing, swimming, picnicking and simply relaxing. Click Here for the Lake Shelbyville Virtual Tour
Lake Shelbyville offers a multitude of fishing opportunities for catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskie, walleye, white bass and bluegill. Coon Creek provides a boat ramp, and for those without a boat, several ponds with farmed fish are available around the lake. Hunting areas within a short drive offer numerous game species, including quail, rabbit, pheasant, deer, dove, turkey, waterfowl and woodcock. Visitors can also explore the lake shore on foot via a 0.7-mile nature trail within the facility.
This facility overlooks the lake shore and is heavily forested with plenty of shade. Oak and hickory are the lake region's dominant tree species, and foliage turns a variety of red, orange, purple and yellow each fall, while prairie flowers dot the landscape in spring and summer. Numerous species of songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors inhabit the lake area, as do mammals such as cottontail rabbit, white-tail deer, gray and fox squirrel, muskrat and mink.
Wolf Creek State Park, Woods Lake Waterfowl Refuge and Okaw Bluff Wetlands Complex are popular locations for wildlife watching, birding and hunting near Lake Shelbyville.
$18 - $48 / night
$20 / night
Sites with water, electric and sewer. In-ground outdoor pool, pond, horseshoes, 2 playgrounds, game room, tent sites and showers. One-room cottages with bath air, heat and two bedrooms.
This recreation area is part of Lake Shelbyville
Scout
Just finished our second trip/vacation here. We stayed in the rental cabins, but are in the waiting list for a seasonal site. Right next to the lake. Plenty of room for everyone, from tents to the massive RVs. The pool very clean and never gets over crowded. Staff are knowledgeable and polite. Friendly/quiet dogs allowed. Wonderful pirate ship playground. Weekend activities for the kids. Electric golf carts allowed. Very inexpensive compared to campgrounds closer to me.
Scout
This is a small family owned campground. It has a pond for fishing, no boating or swimming. Shower house is nice. Nice playground in the shade next to a pavilion. Nice mix of shaded and sunny sites. Cabin onsite also.
Guide
We stayed just one night and will do so again if near Effingham.
The location is great off the interstate and is close to Walmart, restaurants, etc if you need anything.
Gravel sites and level. Big shade trees.
The road to our site had a tight turn and required a little maneuvering but not terrible.
Scout
Family owned with a nice little fishing area (no license required catch and release) paddle boats and camp store. A nice pool with a big covered pavilion, clean restrooms and showers with hot water. We had a level pull thru gravel site with a picnic table and small fire ring and didn’t have to unhook for our overnight. Walking/hiking wooded trails 2 cabins available- several seasonal folks. We were there on a Sunday evening and didn’t really see anyone. Little bit of road noise but so convenient! Thanks Barb!
ScoutWe stopped for an over night, arrived late. Owners very accomodating and very nice. No reservation was needed, just stop in, find a site and we'll find you in the morning. Easy close access from I-70, only 7 miles out of Effingham at the Montrose exit. 30 amp, spacious sites. Water available to fill tank. Shower house/bathrooms. Everything very clean. Nice fishing pond. Quiet. We had 30ft travel trailer, no site issues. Probably stopping on our return trip.
Ranger
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. Gather 10-12 of us, reserve a buddy site, so we can all be on one campsite (big enough to fit 5 tents and an RV). If you have a small group and want to get a small site, there are plenty of those. Some even with lake views. The campground is really big, with tons of different sites. Some are closer to each other, but still very private. Nestled in trees. Equipped in fire pits, and lantern posts. Gravel surfaces, with grass around. The site we always get, is situated along the camp road, but once we are set up, it becomes very private. there is no one in a close proximity, just the road traffic. Which is not bad at all. Good overflow parking, perfectly hidden in the trees. Showers and toilets are in great condition, and usually very clean. Well maintained campground. Illinois is pretty boring, and I know this web site is for more remote camping, but all facts considered, if you're looking for a camping getaway, in Chicago area, only about 4 hours drive (south on I-57) - this is a perfect place for you. Lithia Springs Marina offers boat rentals, we usually get a 12 person pontoon boat for few days, to cruise the 26 mile long lake, or chill in one of many, many beautiful coves. Coon Creek is not too far from town of Shelbyville, where you can stock up on camping food, and beverages. Also few quick-bite restaurants in town. There might be some hiking and biking trails, visit the website for more information. You can book on reserveamerica.com.
Ranger
I have been here hiking many times but camped only 1 time in July of 2017. There are good campsite for both RVs and tent camping with clean restrooms and shower house. The park and trails are usually busy since the park is near the Eastern Illinois University. The no-drinking campground prevents many noisy student campouts. The hiking trails are some of the best in the state because the glaciers dropped of mountains of soil in the area where this park is located. The surrounding farm land is flat as can be, but the forested hills and creek beds in the park are almost mountainous. Bring everything you need for the weekend with you, there are no businesses close to the park. This is a great place for day hiking and a weekend getaway.
Guide
This is a KOA Journey, it is right off the interstate in a nice little town in East Central Illinois. It has full hookup, and electric and water sites.
The ground seems pretty level throughout the entire place so getting your rig setup should be fairly easy. The sites are pretty close together but I expect that at a commercial type campground. The staff was nice and responsive when needed. The playground is old and could use an upgrade along with the recreation room. The pool was nice and well maintained and so are the showers and restrooms. But the shower house does not have AC so keep that in mind.
Overall it’s a nice get away we did stay on Labor Day weekend so there a lot of people coming and going but it worked for us and the kids enjoyed themselves.
TravelerGreat campground. The oldest and largest on lake shelbyville. Every campsite has electric 30amp or 50amp. Some sites most sites have full hookup for rvs. ome sites are pull through while others are only pull in. Boat launch on grounds. Beach access. Water access throughout although somewhat troublesome to get to in certain areas. Tons of tree coverage for shade. Great, quite campground with an onsite store for groceries, camping and fishing needs and some other supplies. I'd recommend this to anyone looking to get away from the city life for a a few days.
TravelerA great little park close to Eastern Illinois university. A great place to camp with family and friends.
TravelerGreat little campground close to Charleston and Eastern Illinois University. Not really anywhere to fish close, but nice quite park.
TravelerThis is a real nice small park. Each site has great privacy and has very spacious sites. Close to Eastern Illinois University and lake Charleston which has trails.
Scout
Most of the sites are large and a good distance from the next one. Shower house is alright. The store/restaurant has been closed for a year or two now because of the Illinois budget. There's a dollar store in Farina and a grocery store in Kinmundy; both towns are less than 10 miles away. The lake is big enough for ski boats but nice for kayaks also. Swim beach is not well maintained due to the budget but also doesn't cost anything since they can't pay anyone to man the gate, but it's not horrible.
TravelerI visited Fox Ridge frequently as a student of nearby Eastern Illinois University, but never camped there. We came back to visit campus and stayed in site #12 at Fox Ridge.
All sites were spacious and shaded. We did not use any of the facilities but were impressed with how secluded our campsite felt. Each site is Isolated by trees and growth and the entire camoground is shaded.
There are plenty of trails in the park and things to do in the area. Be sure to check out the Worlds Fastest Soda Machine in Lerna, IL!
Ranger
We have camped here many times and this time was awesome as well. The park is huge and is one of the only state park's in Illinois with horse camping and horse trails. There are 13 horse camp sites and additional trailer parking for about 6 more rigs with tie out posts for riders that will not be camping. There are several miles of horse trails and the area is set apart from hiking trails and the other camping areas. There are hundreds of campsites in this park in addition to the horse campgrounds and the entire area is maintained by the US Corps of Engineers. There are full hookup RV sites everywhere with tons of flush toilet bathrooms and shower houses in each large section. There is also a tent camp area without electricity, these sites are cheaper and there are lake front sites available here too. There is a beach that closes after Labor Day, but there are lots of sites available all year round. There are lots of hiking trails and deer run through the park in herds in the winter months. The hiking is OK in this park and good if you like short 1 to 1 1/2 mile hikes. I recommend visiting in the fall after Labor Day, October when leaves are changing is my favorite time for this campground. Clean restrooms, showers and a small store at the entrance for bait, firewood or forgotten items make this a great place to spend a few days.
Website: https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/Pages/WolfCreek.aspx
GuideI should start this review by saying the day we got home from this trip, I booked the same campsite for the end of September. So yeah, it was great.
Living on the north side of Chicago, we were looking for campgrounds in Wisconsin for this trip but then, alas, the quarantine rules went into effect so we turned our search southward. I'm so glad we did! Illinois doesn't have a lot of lakes but boy is this a nice one. Rented a boat for a day and got to explore the lake and it's gorgeous. Also, there are a TON of campgrounds all around the lake and you could see from the water how many are right on the lake. I'm a sucker for a waterside campsite so I know I'll be back.
The site we had was at the end of the loop (not really a loop, just a straight road with a turnaround on a little peninsula.)
We had the lake on 3 sides and a private little area with trails to explore. This site was a buddy site so very large and plenty of room for two families. Social distancing was not a problem.
The bathrooms and showers were about as clean as I've experienced. Probably just got lucky but seems like every time I went in them they appeared to just have been cleaned. We went during the week and it was super peaceful in the campground and on the lake. I'd imagine in the Summer on the weekend, it will be a bit louder in the campground and more boats on the water.
One night our grand dinner plans were spoiled by a storm so I ran to Shelbyville and grabbed some pizza at Monical's Pizza. It was a quick 15 minute drive.
All in all, great experience and, as I said, we'll be back at the end of September.
ScoutVery nice people. Kind. Clean site with excellent WIFI. Park was full and we were streaming video. Had only three interruptions for buffering but they were short. Even though they have cable, some sites will be snowy. They do not know why. It seems to be rig specific. They should list this on the web site but they do not. It is listed when you check in. We will be back.
LegendOur second time staying here we had site #2 waterfront pull through with full hook up and shaded till late afternoon. The sun sets behind the camper. Very nice clean restrooms, laundry room and a area you can grill in using their grills. We had pizza in their bar it was locally made chicken, bacon, ranch and Butch’s sweet hot sauce. Good music on the jukebox.
Sites 1A and 19 are nice 19 has a deck. There are nice paved sites too.
We stayed 3 nights and enjoyed the place.
We stayed 1 night years ago in a spot that was close to the lake. They have a store with a bit of supplies and a bar that has slot machines. We went in for drinks and pizza it was nice to not cook or worry about food. We took a walk along the lake and sat on a bench watching people fish.
I would stay here again actually were staying here again this year on the way to and from our summer trip. We reserved a spot on the waterfront this time #2.
TravelerEverything is super clean here, staff is friendly. There is laundry on site and the showers are some of the cleanest I’ve seen. There are many options for what site to stay at and there are plenty of things to do while here. Quiet at night as well, and there is even a lounge for people to chill out in at night. There is a store there as well to help campers purchase whatever they need during their stay.
TravelerThe campground is fairly small. They appeared to have all gravel sites with minimal grass. There are fire rings by request. The sites are fairly tight. Couldn’t erect our screen house even if we wanted to. The staff was friendly and informative. They guided us to our site which was good, I never would have found my site without their help. Like I said, all gravel without clear markings or signage. I might use this place again but only as a one night stop over.
TravelerGot in after dark and self checkin midweek was a breeze. I got my payment confirmation first thing in the morning. I couldn’t figure out the WiFi password without standard checkin. Oh well. This space is peaceful, clean, and has a nice vibe.
RangerNice, quiet campground. Very friendly hosts, great hours, and an on-site small bar!!
TravelerI stayed 1 night passing through. The sites are wooded but pretty level. The bathrooms are clean but dated. The road into park is very narrow if 2 big rigs are passing each. The only issue was the young man I talked to about a reservation not only was he rude but started yawning when I asked for directions.
ScoutWe stopped at this campground because we were not going to make our original destination. The staff were very polite and helpful. The views of the river were gorgeous! The pull through spot was nice and level. The spot was also all gravel which was very nice! We had full hookups and full cell service through at&t.
GuideLabor Day weekend was a blast here! Rainy weather, but still fun. Park is great, and great private pond/lake to do as you please. Full hookups are great, laundry very clean.
TravelerBeautiful view from site 19! My son came to fish so make sure your site isn’t on a hill where you can’t fish from the site. Fishing is good though, the bass are biting! The swimming area is basically just a dock you can jump off of but it’s not crowded at all so plenty of room for my family. The bathrooms are so clean! Nice place over all!
Travelerwe arrived late in the day and self-registered. I found our camping spot easily. the view is just gorgeous. bathrooms are very clean.
Cabin camping near Effingham, Illinois, offers a delightful escape into nature with a variety of amenities and activities for all ages. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or family-friendly fun, there are several options to choose from.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Effingham, IL is Camp Lakewood with a 4.3-star rating from 15 reviews.
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