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Shawnee Forest Campground has emerged as a notable glamping destination near Goreville, featuring a range of upscale outdoor accommodations on the grounds of a converted golf course. The property offers full hookup sites with modern amenities including clean, air-conditioned bathroom facilities, on-site laundry, and picnic tables with fire rings at every location. Giant City State Park Campground and Crab Orchard Lake also provide glamping experiences in the region, offering a blend of comfort and natural surroundings. The luxurious accommodations include comfortable sleeping arrangements, climate control options, and convenient access to basic necessities while maintaining a connection to nature. One guest shared, "The bathrooms were very clean and grounds generally well kept. It's quiet at night and was a great quick stop for us."
Fishing enthusiasts particularly appreciate the three catch-and-release ponds available at Shawnee Forest, while extensive walking paths created from former golf cart trails wind throughout the 58-acre property. The campground's proximity to Shawnee National Forest provides easy access to popular hiking destinations including Garden of the Gods and Little Grand Canyon. Several miles of maintained trails offer glampers opportunities for mountain biking, wildlife observation, and scenic photography. The Vienna location puts glampers within a short drive of regional attractions while maintaining a peaceful setting. According to a camper, "We had a beautiful large site with some shade. Beautiful walking/bike paths around the property. Hosts were very kind and helpful, we felt very welcomed!" Most luxury camping options in the area remain open year-round, allowing guests to experience the changing seasons of southern Illinois.
"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"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."
"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."
"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."
"High lines behind sites. Stalls can be reserved. some sites are full hookup. Primitive camping also available. CALL them for more info at 270-205-7138. Arena and huge event barn on site."
"The staff was amazing. She showed us around with her 4x4 the whole property, the horses, and the pony or a donkey. The showers were pretty decent and cleaned I would recommend this place for everyone"
from $30 / night
"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"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"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"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."
"Yes, there is highway noise. It's a KOA. Convenience of being easy off an interstate has its tradeoffs. That said, excellent staff, clean, professional KOA"
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.
The southern Illinois region around Goreville sits at elevations between 400-600 feet in the Shawnee Hills, with humid subtropical climate patterns creating distinct seasonal camping conditions. Trail systems connecting multiple recreation areas allow hikers to explore interconnected routes through oak-hickory forests. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 90°F with high humidity from June through September.
**Fishing opportunities: Three catch-and-release ponds are available at Shawnee Forest Campground, with additional access at nearby lakes. "There's a small lake and two ponds for fishing. There's no formal dog area, but there are paved trails around the large CG area, which made it nice to walk our dogs," notes reviewer MickandKarla W.
**Trail hiking: The Oak Point trail system at Oak Point Campground follows the edge of Lake Glendale through multiple loops. "There are plenty of hiking trails with some coming up along the lake which makes for nice fishing spots," explains Claudia L. This trail system connects the campground with beach and picnic areas.
**Boating access: Multiple lakes offer paddling and boating options within 20 minutes of Goreville. "The lake is large enough though you really don't notice them when you head to the far end," notes Shelly S. about Lake Glendale. Electric motors only are permitted on some lakes, creating quieter water experiences.
**Former golf course amenities: The paved paths at Shawnee Forest Campground offer unique recreation opportunities. "Unique campground in that it is on a former golf course. Has the old golf cart paths as walking/biking paths! The sites are spacious and have picnic tables and fire rings," reports Greg S.
**Accessibility to nature areas: Campers appreciate proximity to multiple recreation areas. "It's a great park with decent proximity to a lot of nature. Anna, Marion and Harrisburg are your best bets for restaurants and grocery etc," says Jessica T.
**Wildlife viewing: The area supports diverse animal species visible from campsites. "Lots of deer and turkey!" notes Garrett F. about South Marcum Campground. Many sites border forest edges where wildlife is commonly spotted at dawn and dusk.
**Site reservation policies: Some campgrounds operate on first-come systems while others take reservations. "Gun Creek has many sites for all campers. For cheap you get a simple site with electric or for not too much more there are sites with water and sewage dump," explains Dave S. about Gun Creek.
**Site levelness varies: Prepare for uneven terrain at many campgrounds. "What a beautiful campground, it's our second time here. Some spots do have a fairly good slope to them," warns Jeff F. Bringing leveling blocks is recommended for both RVs and tents.
**Highway proximity: Some glamping close to Goreville, Illinois sits near major roads. "Super convenient to 24 but not too close that it is loud. There is no playground or pool. The sites are loose gravel and not level front to back, so you need to unhook," mentions Greg S.
**Beach access: Swimming areas provide relief from summer heat. "The kids loved the playground. There were kids everywhere and everyone was very friendly! Fun spot!" shares Missy D. about South Sandusky Campground.
**Site privacy considerations: Family groups should choose sites strategically. "The sites are well laid out within the wooded area affording plenty of room, privacy and shade," notes Shelly S. End-of-loop sites typically offer more space for group activities.
**Weather preparedness: Summer storms can develop quickly. "If it was going to rain hard, and littered with sweet gum balls that had not been swept up yet," mentions Annie C. Waterproof tent setups and proper site drainage are essential during summer months.
**Hookup variations: Giant City State Park Campground offers limited utilities. "The campground is being upgraded this year in which I believe they are adding 50 amp full service to many of the electric only sites," states Michael M. "Not sure if they are upgrading a little at a time?? There are plenty of trees for shade."
**Water access points: Many sites lack direct water connections. "No water hook up at each site, only electricity," notes Shana D. RVers should fill tanks before setting up at many campgrounds in the area.
**Length considerations: Large rigs face limitations at some glamping facilities near Goreville. "Very large rigs (35+) will be challenging, but I've seen them - more towards the front," explains Jon H. Calling ahead for site-specific dimensions is recommended for RVs over 30 feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Goreville, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Goreville, IL is Shawnee Forest Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 37 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Goreville, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 22 glamping camping locations near Goreville, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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