Shawnee Forest Campground offers luxury glamping options within the tranquil landscapes of Southern Illinois, approximately 35 miles from Grand Tower. The site features fully-equipped yurts with comfortable bedding, electricity, and climate control systems for year-round comfort. For those seeking more unique accommodations, Giant City State Park Campground provides upscale canvas tent options nestled among mature hardwood forests with panoramic views. These premium outdoor accommodations include raised wooden platforms, plush queen beds with linens, private decks, and ambient lighting for a resort-style experience while maintaining a connection to nature. One guest noted, "The sites are flat and open, but most are still shaded by a tall tree canopy, creating the perfect balance of comfort and outdoor immersion."
The natural surroundings enhance the glamping experience with numerous recreational opportunities directly accessible from these luxury outdoor stays. Guests at Giant City can explore multiple scenic hiking trails featuring impressive sandstone formations and native hardwood forests. The historic lodge restaurant, known for its outstanding fried chicken dinners, provides an alternative to campsite cooking. South Marcum Campground, another upscale option, offers waterfront glamping with easy access to boating and fishing. Visitors can also explore nearby Makanda, described by one reviewer as "a little hippy town" with a secret garden worth visiting. For wine enthusiasts, the region boasts several wineries within a short drive, making it an ideal destination for those seeking both outdoor adventure and culinary experiences without sacrificing comfort.
"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."
"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"
"You're welcome to at longbranch! Please make your reservations.
Only 16 spots left!"
"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."
$40 / night
"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!"
$14 - $25 / night
"There is a main loop of campgrounds all facing one another (e.g. little to no privacy) with electric hookups and reservations allowed (these fill FAST) then there are a few primitive walk up sites for"
"Great state park to get away from everything for a while. We only were able to stay one night while passing through but would definitely stop here when in this area again."
$16 - $26 / night
"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."
$18 - $30 / night
"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."
$16 - $44 / 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."
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.
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.
GuideHawn State Park is tiny but excellent. There is a main loop of campgrounds all facing one another (e.g. little to no privacy) with electric hookups and reservations allowed (these fill FAST) then there are a few primitive walk up sites for tents only (no hookups, no reservations), and these are what I most recommend. You can camp right by the gugling creek with total privacy. Campgrounds have running water and showers from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
The park itself has lots of great hiking trails with unique ecology, geology, and plant life.
RangerThis campground is very clean! Large open sites- shade is minimal for most sites but we had a beautiful large site with some shade (site 51). They have new trees planted.
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!
There is some freeway noise but didn’t bother us at all
Laundry and bathroom facilities were very clean - was great to do a laundry mid trip!
Giant City State Park offers diverse camping experiences approximately 35 miles northeast of Grand Tower. The park maintains 85 campsites across two primary areas with both electric and primitive options. Sites are situated on terrain that ranges from flat grassland to gently sloping wooded areas, with camping available year-round despite southern Illinois temperature swings from below freezing in winter to 90°F summer days. Most sites can be reserved online, though walk-ins are accepted when available.
Hiking diverse trails: Giant City State Park features trails ranging from easy to rugged. "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)," shares Kyle K. The park's Red Cedar Trail forms a challenging 6-mile loop through varied terrain.
Rock climbing: Hawn State Park Campground offers excellent climbing options. "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," notes Josh M. The park's sandstone formations provide both beginner and intermediate climbing routes.
Fishing opportunities: Crab Orchard Lake provides productive waters for anglers. "Fishing was good (especially catfish and crappie)," reports Tracie E. Bank fishing is available directly from many campsites, with boat ramps accessible throughout the recreation area.
Secluded spots: Giant City State Park Campground offers primitive camping options away from crowds. "We stayed in the primitive camp site, while there were others there, everyone was dispersed far enough that it felt private. Camp grounds were clean, quiet, and the camp host and park ranger were very kind," writes Sunshine Z.
Waterfront camping: South Marcum Campground provides lakeside sites with open views. "If I was in any other spot this would probably be a 4/5, but spot 56 has a crazy lake view and is on the tip of an outlook with pretty nice privacy!" explains Eli R. Many waterfront sites feature unobstructed sunset views.
Clean facilities: Gun Creek Campground maintains well-kept restrooms and common areas. "Gun Creek is a great campground with many waterfront sites! It is nicely wooded, with a great boat ramp and boat parking area and close to a nice bike trail!" notes reviewer b K. The campground's boat facilities make it popular with fishing enthusiasts.
Reservation systems vary: While some campgrounds require advance booking, others operate differently. "This is first come first serve..and one loop is closed for renovations. Most you can spend here is 14 days, which lots of locals do," explains a reviewer about Crab Orchard Lake.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the region require equipment for leveling. "Not sure how level the spots are before you book, as lots of sites are over 4 inch incline, which seems ok for Smaller rigs," cautions Never Sitting S. about Gun Creek.
Seasonal considerations: Perryville RV Resort offers year-round accommodations with varying amenities. "This was a great place. The staff were super friendly and accommodating, and the bathrooms and camp store were extremely nice," reports Christopher B., though noting its proximity to the interstate creates some noise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Grand Tower, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Grand Tower, IL is Giant City State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 19 glamping camping locations near Grand Tower, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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