Best RV Parks near Gridley, IL

Recent RV Reviews In Gridley

383 Reviews of 56 Gridley Campgrounds

• 

  Unlimited R.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 29, 2024

  Jubilee College State Park

  Bottle Can Return Center Albany

  Unlimited Redemption has bottles and can return centers at more than 11 locations in New York State. You can check location bottle can return center Albany, Bottle can return center Coxsackie, Bottle can return center Wynantskill, Bottle can return center Amsterdam, Bottle can return center Saugerties, Bottle can return center Kingston by visiting We offer redemption for glass bottles, plastic bottles, aluminum cans(with NY 5 cents or NY 5¢ labels). You can visit recycle counters at your nearest Beer Universe Store.

  https://unlimitedredemption.com/bottle-can-return-center-albany/

• J

  Julie N.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 22, 2024

  Millpoint Park

  Beautiful and spacious!

  Met up with family to fit in one last night of tent camping for the year. They didn’t really take reservations and the pricing shifted on us (quoted $75 for 6 adults 4 kids over email, then $10 per person when we actually showed up) so that was a bit weird but I’m not too concerned bc it was still a great deal. This is basic campground—flush toilets/showers and 3 cabins available but no other amenities unless you include water/electric hookups. I couldnt tell where the primitive tent sites were bc the map online doesn’t quite line up with what we saw there. You’d come here to relax around the fire, play some outdoor games, maybe do a little walking, and that’s about it. It was just what we were looking for. Some people looked like they were going to try to fish but the water in the fishing area was low which makes me wonder if it gets really buggy in the summer. We were on 2 huge pull-thru sites with just our 2 tents and we were the only tent campers I saw—maybe 1/3 of other sites had RVs. Some seemed to be permanent so not sure if that is common? Views of the river were great, kindling was plentiful, and it was SO QUIET and peaceful at night! I usually don’t sleep the first night of camping because my brain has to tune in to the new noises but we got some good rest even with temps dipping down to 45. Would love to come back in the summer for longer.

• 

  liquor U.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 14, 2024

  Jubilee College State Park

  Liquor Store in Albany

  Liquor Universe Store offers Liquor delivery store in Albany. So, if you are looking for Whiskey shop in Albany, we are the right choice for your rum shop in Albany as well. We have a presence in all major locations in New York State. We also counted among best wine shop in Albany at the location vodka store in Albany. Tequila Sale Albany https://liquoruniversestore.com

• 

  Rob

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 11, 2024

  Starved Rock State Park Campground

  Relaxing weekend in the middle of everywhere

  Stayed in the east loop, overlooking the ravine, had a small trail behind our site that was all wooded. Decent pines and brush separating sites on both sides. Didn't feel like the sites were on top of each other. Not too far from refill station, farther from toilets which is nice to reduce flies and bugs. We'll definitely stay here again.

  Didn't bother with $9 bundle of firewood from the vending machine. Jacks had a wagon load of firewood for $20 cash, much better deal and it lasted for 3 nights.

  Keep in mind the grounds are fully separated from the state park, you'll need to drive 8 to 10min to get to the hiking trails. Biking out of the campgrounds also didn't seem close enough with young kids.

• 

  beer U.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 4, 2024

  Jubilee College State Park

  Hard Tea near me

  Beer Universe Store offers Beer delivery store in Albany, at the Upstate NY beer near me Albany. So, if you are looking for craft beer near me or white claw near me, we are the right choice. We have a presence in all major locations in New York State. Irish beer near Albany We also have a local Beer store in Coxsackie, at the location. We are also present in Wynantskill. Our Beer store near Amsterdam NewYork.

  https://beeruniversestore.com/shop/?ch-query=hard%20tea

• 

  beer U.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 4, 2024

  Jubilee College State Park

  Hard Tea near me

  Beer Universe Store offers Beer delivery store in Albany, at the Upstate NY beer near me Albany. So, if you are looking for craft beer near me or white claw near me, we are the right choice. We have a presence in all major locations in New York State. Irish beer near Albany We also have a local Beer store in Coxsackie, at the location. We are also present in Wynantskill. Our Beer store near Amsterdam NewYork.

• m

  mark B.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 5, 2024

  Starved Rock State Park Campground

  One night stay while traveling home

  Very friendly host at the gate! Just what my wife and I were looking for. Quiet campground not far off the highway! Didn’t expect this kind of camping in Illinois! Nicely wooded and picturesque area, similar to northern Wisconsin!

• 

  MickandKarla W.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 3, 2024

  Starved Rock Family Campground

  Enjoyable Stay

  Our RV GPS took us off I-39 for a nice country drive to the campground (CG). Google Maps wanted to bring us in off I-80, which also works as the CG just off I-80. The CG check in time is 2:00 PM. We called and they said it would be fine to come in a half hour earlier. Upon arrival, we checked in at their office that has a nice sized store that sells sundry, gifts, and camping stuff. Check-in was fast and we were off to pull through site L-1 with FHUs in the far side of this large CG. The pull through was plenty long enough for our 40’ 5th wheel and F450. The utilities were centered on the pad so that was nice as I was able to dump both black tanks with a 10’ hose. There’s a shower house on this side of the CG as there are also tent sites in this area. Water pressure was good at about 50 psi and we got between 2 and 3 bars on Verizon. When we checked in, we just got a map and no rules or information sheet. Their rules etc. are on their website. There was a well maintained picnic table and an old fashioned rock fire pit, which was kind of cool. The pool is up front by the office/club house. And the large playground along with a dumpster is at the entrance to the back CG area. Up front by the office, there’s a small fenced dog area that we didn’t use and another dumpster as you head out of the CG. They also have Wifi in that area, but not throughout the CG, which was fine with us for our overnight stay. As we were in the back of the CG, we did not notice highway noise. The shower house in our area also had laundry consisting of two washers and two dryers. You can rent golf carts here along with selling wood and ice. The sites are nicely spaced for a private CG, but we would not call them spacious. Loves and a Dollar General are nearby. You can also buy sundries in the campground's store and gift shop. We enjoyed our short overnighter.

• 

  JASON L.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 31, 2024

  Jubilee College State Park

  Peaceful and low key

  Excellent campground for those who want to relax and have quiet time. Nature trails are nicely groomed and mowed. Not a lot of amenities for families with young kids but bring your own corn hole bags and badminton. Nice for adults who want some peace and quiet.

• 

  Linda N.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 10, 2024

  Clinton Lake State Recreation Area

  Memorabe trip

  One of our favorite camping trips so far!

  We stayed in the J loop, which was more family friendly and very close to the beach. There was a walking path from our site to the shore which was perfect for our young family to go back and forth on.

  Sites were somewhat open but there were tons of trees and grass behind each spot so it didn’t feel so exposed. We loved the option for fishing and swimming in a nearby watering hole.

  We heard the toilets and shower house were brought a portable toilet since we have small kids who might not make it to the outhouse so we never used the campground toilet/facilities.

  Definitely our vibe of being more secluded and on the water.

• 

  Anita A.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 10, 2024

  Starved Rock Family Campground

  Gem

  Found this on our way to Colorado from Michigan and what a Gem. We don't like crowded campgrounds and happy to give up some amenities to have some elbow room, peace and quiet. No water hookup but spigot nearby. No sewer hookup but dump station on-site.
  So fun to hike and explore a series of canyons along the Illinois River. Nearby Ottawa has all the city amenities and nearby Utica in the opposite direction a quaint strolling town, bike paths. Will return!

• W

  Wendy T.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 10, 2024

  Nature’s Way RV Park

  Great setting

  Just 5 minutes to Starved Rock state park and one mile from interstate 80. Great country setting with full hook ups, pool, laundry, camp store and showers.

• 

  Steve

  Scout

  

  Aug. 6, 2024

  Prairie Pines Campground

  Comfortable campground

  People are very nice and the campgrounds are clean. Plenty of site room and clean and updated shower and washing machines. Rates have gone up to $40 per night

• B

  Brian M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 26, 2024

  Starved Rock State Park Campground

  Very rustic feel, limited, dated and poorly maintained facilities

  We stayed in the east loop which is heavily wooded compared to the west loop. Site 99 has no grass but is very large - ended up camping behind the RV on a little point that overlooks a ravine. Very neat, rustic feel. Heavy tree canopy means no Starlink. Verizon and AT&T both had only 1 bar. TV was nearly impossible to hold a signal. From our site closest bathrooms were a short walk but are port-a-pots. Shower house is likely a drive away especially if you have women and children in your party. All of the Starved Rock State Park trails and sites to see are a drive away, not part of the campground. For me the most annoying thing we encountered… there must be a small airport nearby because there was nearly constant small planes buzzing around thought out the day. Would stay here again, but not a favorite.

• 

  Jennifer H.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 25, 2024

  Love's RV Stop-Normal IL 867

  Super convenient clean and with amenities

  If you’re passing thru and need a place to stay this is it. Very little to no grass and no trees were the biggest downside. But everything else from there was an upside. Pickle ball courts, playground, trash, full hook ups, clean, right next to the freeway and convenience store for quick getting in the road the next day.

• 

  Sara W.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 7, 2024

  Friends Creek Campground

  Clean, spacious sites, nice amenities

  Friends Creek is a small campground with nice spacious sites and super clean bathhouses and pit toilets. The fire pits are well kept and the camp host was very kind! He came around with suckers for the kids and just to check in. We hiked a bit on the trails and played in the creek. Highly recommend.

• L

  Linda N.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 6, 2024

  Clinton Lake State Recreation Area

  Great visit with the family

  We had a fantastic time here. We came during Fourth of July and never felt like it was overly crowded. Sites were spacious but wasn’t much privacy, which didn’t bother us because it allowed for our kids to play with the other kids easily. Our site was adjacent to numerous paths that easily led to the beach, playground, the rocky path for fishing, and a secluded swimming hole. We couldn’t have asked for a better location for our family and our interests. We did not use the toilets or showers, although it looked like they were in working order as others were using then. We had a cloudless night and the stars were spectacular.

• 

  Melissa C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 28, 2024

  Millpoint Park

  Peaceful, Clean, Beautiful River Views

  Peaceful campground, well maintained, beautiful views of the Upper Peoria Lake/Illinois River. We enjoyed a nice pull-through full hookup site that required minimal leveling. Water has a lot of iron so does smell/taste weird.

• t

  tony K.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 23, 2024

  Starved Rock Family Campground

  Large and peaceful site

  While this location is much newer, it checked everything off my box. Small dog area (not the best fencing though if your dog is an escape artist), pool, showers, RV amenities, amazing park for children, front office has everything you could imagine. The site is large enough for a nice dog walk and a very short drive to starved rock.

• 

  Jessica J.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 10, 2024

  Starved Rock State Park Campground

  It is excellent

  I recently had the pleasure of visiting Starved Rock State Park, nestled on the Illinois River bluff in La Salle County, and it truly is one of Illinois' most breathtaking destinations. The park's unique geological formations, lush landscapes, and abundant recreational activities make it an ideal spot for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike. Scenic Beauty and Trails The park is renowned for its 18 canyons, with their vertical walls of moss-covered stone, formed by glacial meltwater. These canyons slice dramatically through tree-covered sandstone bluffs, creating a stunning backdrop for exploration. I spent hours hiking the more than 13 miles of trails, which offer access to beautiful waterfalls, sandstone overhangs, and spectacular overlooks. The trails vary in difficulty, making them accessible for both casual walkers and avid hikers. My entire team of Student Life Saviour is planning to visit the part at: https://studentlifesaviour.com as they also loves outing.

• 

  Nick W.

  Guide

  

  May. 16, 2024

  Kentuckiana Campground

  Great family atmosphere

  Great place for kids. Decent little parks. Huge slide in the holler. Spots are kind of cramped and close together, one of our favorite places though!

• 

  Chris J.

  Scout

  

  May. 10, 2024

  Starved Rock Family Campground

  Quiet and comfy

  Very quiet. Lost of space.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  May. 6, 2024

  Comlara County Park

  Lakefront Camping Bliss Albeit Sans Privacy

  Located just northwest of Bloomington, which is located absolutely smack-dab in the middle of the state of Illinois, you’ll discover a nature wonderland over here nearly hidden from plain site. One moment you’ll be driving down the well-paved country road with golden tassles of corn popping up on either side of you and the very next, you’ll turn into a wooded sanctuary that is punctuated by the marvelous Evergreen Lake, which was built in 1970 and is some 925 acres in size with an average depth of nearly 20 feet and 50 feet at its deepest.

  It is this fresh body of water that really makes Comlara County Park stand-out from just about anything else in the surrounding area. It has not one but two outstanding boat launches as well as a separate launch for canoes and kayaks. There are simply tons of little nooks and crannies all around the lake to get some decent fishing in – which you will predominantly find largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, saugeye, muskellunge and crappie – as well as a small individual isle called Deer Island, although when we explored the small land mass, no deer were to be found. There’s boat rentals and a bait shop that is available on the weekends only as well as a proper beach head with swimming available 7 days a week during the summertime (Memorial Day – Labor Day).

  As far as the campground(s) are concerned – if you look closely, there's actually not 1, not 2, not even 3, but actually 4 to choose from – but if you add up all of the 144 campsites (apart from the primitive camping options) collectively, they are spaced a little too close to comfort for my taste, which when you add on top of that there isn’t much brush or anything separating you from your neighbors camping alongside of you. This is likely my biggest complaint: privacy. If that doesn’t matter to you and you enjoying being in a large wide open space chock full with other tents, RVs and 5th wheelers, then Comlara County Park is a great choice for you.

  I would first begin by pointing out that the entire Comlara Park is very well organized, kept impeccably clean and very easy to navigate with relatively good roads and decent signage. It feels as though whether you are looking for a trail to hike, a spot to launch your kayak, biking trails to navigate or finding a fishing hole to cast a line, everything seems as though it is in very close reach and just a short walk away. All of the 144 campsites are made available on a first-come, first served basis, with 94 including 30 / 50 amp electric while 23 are non-electric sites, with the 11 remaining devoid of any hook-ups.

  For my tent-pitching primitive bredren, there’s 16 walk-in sites in the main recreation area (I guess that is situated amongst or in-between the other 3 campgrounds that exist here), but there is a completely separate whole other area (oh, and located completely in a different county altogether), which is technically a completely different campground in a completely separate physical location with these 16 primitive campsites.

  With amenities in mind, aside from the greatest asset being Evergreen Lake itself and beyond the associated amenities that have already been highlighted (e.g. boat launch, beach, canoe / boat rental, bait shop) there’s 3 kid’s playground, at least 5 large shelters by my count, at least 3 his / her bathroom and shower facilities as well as scattered in-ground fire rings, water spigots (basically planted every 3rd or 4th site) stand-up BBQ grills as well as the prerequisite picnic tables, all of which were in very condition during our stay. There’s only one dump station, which seemed odd considering that there’s at least 3 campgrounds if not 4 here and 144 sites collecting garbage at a single time. There is firewood, ice and fishing worms available at the visitors center and campground station in the main area.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If like me you are a primitive tent camper and on the look out for some pretty amazing, not-so-EZ places on earth to really feel like you are out enjoying pristine, undisturbed nature, then you’ll want to have a very close look at the primitive camping areas west of Evergreen Lake over near White Oak. There’s 16 or so simply excellent lakefront sites over here along with your own boat dock; (2) Should you be ‘herd camping’ with a much larger group, there’s actually a simply fantastic hidden group camping oasis over here in White Oaks as well that you can get away from it all; (3) In the event that you grow weary of cooking up franks & beans again for dinner, you’ll have a decent drive to either El Paso, where there’s a Monical’s Pizza, Dairy Queen, Casey’s, El Paso Mexican or, upgrade yourself to The Local Tap, which is a craft kitchen and alehouse serving up some excellent fare. Of course, you could head into Bloomington, of which you will find everything, but that’s a bit of a hike unless, like me, you would make that drive to either have some of the best deep dish pizza Chicago has to offer, Giordano’s, or one of the greatest sausage and Italian beef joints in the world, Portillo’s.

  Happy Camping!

• B

  Brandon S.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 11, 2024

  Love's RV Stop-Normal IL 867

  Need to iron stuff out

  Saw that you could make your reservation when you got there. Turns out there’s a tablet at the front gate that will let you get through the first 10 minutes of standing in the weather to make one, then when you get to the payment screen they have security turned on so it blocks the page and you cannot make the reservation. Then, you have to go onto your phone, to a site nowhere mentioned by loves until you get to the site, and are blocking traffic while trying to figure all this out because yes, there is a coded gate to get in and out. So you block traffic because now there’s RV’s and Semis backed up behind you while trying to figure this all out. So you finally get the reservation made, ($64.99 btw, not even close to the $34-$39 estimate). Then you go to check in on the same tablet from before, put in your confirmation code, and the screen pops up for 0.25 seconds before popping up and saying that this page has been blocked by an administrator. At this point I’m just pissed that I’m blocking traffic, loves tablet isn’t working, I can’t get through the gate, and when I called the number posted on the booth, it goes through their entire automated system before going to a guy that says I can walk over to him in loves if I need help. Finally and email check in confirmation popped up with the gate code. You get backed in on a nice concrete slab with nice grass. You connect to the WIFI you paid for to find out it’s got like a rolling drop, where every 5-7 seconds it disconnects you for 5-7 seconds. Power/water/sewer hookups were all very nice. Good water pressure. My last complaint has to do with the “maintenance” guy. My girlfriend was walking one of our pups as I was packing up. As our pup was pooping, my girlfriend started unwinding a poop bag out of our bag holder, the maintenance guy drives up and rolls his window down, and tells her to come over to his truck. So she walks up to his window and he sees she already has a baggy, so says, “oh, I was going to ask if you needed a baggy. But I see you’ve got it. Then points over to a camp site that is not ours and asks or the two pre-bagged poops sitting on the slab are ours. She says “no, we have green bags”. It was at that point that he tells her to go pick them up anyways. Being non-confrontational, she does, and then he gets super sarcastic asking her where it is she’s going to put all of them once she picks up our dogs poop as well to which she replies, “um, the garbage?” Before he drives away.

  If I pass through here again, I will just stay in a truckers spot and pull my generator out so we have HVAC. For double the price of most campsites, I DO NOT recommend.

  For those of you that want to give it a go anyways, the site to make the reservation on is camplife.com.

• 

  Mark S.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 7, 2024

  Love's RV Stop-Normal IL 867

  Great Overnighter

  Super convenient, great facility. Sites are concrete and level. If you’re getting off the highway for an overnight stay these Loves are perfect. This one is well located for our travels and we’ll be back. Did this stay completely online.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 1, 2024

  Barney's Lake Camping

  Roadside RV Depot w/ Pond View

  Located just a few miles due west of LaSalle here in north central Illinois, Barney’s Lake Camping is a little-known patch of land that sits right in front of Interstate 80 and can be accessed by the frontage road that runs parallel to the highway. While there will be a number of ‘Dead End’ signs that will dissuade you from following your pathway to reach this humble outcrop that provides an RV pasture carved out of the nearby cornfields, trust me, this place is open for business and looking primarily for RV'ers to touch down here for the night or several. 

  While the land is nice and flat, which should be assumed as you are here in Illinois afterall, we were surprised to find a nice little man-made lake, or more like a pond, that we can only presume was put there by some dude named Barney. Here you’ll discover that there’s kayaks and canoes to use, so you don’t even need to bring your own. You’ll find these watercraft, along with a few piers that you can walk out onto and enjoy some small catch & release fun, just behind the main office, who’s sign you can barely read the nearly illegible sign that indicates you have in fact arrived at Barney’s Lake Camping. It’s here at this building that you’ll check in and be assigned a spot for your RV or fifth wheel. 

  As for the campground itself, there’s only about 20 or so slots and the layout of the place is a very simple, single loop that you’ll have to navigate around. Those sites that are furthest from the frontage road are arguably the best as they will put you far enough away from the hush and rush of the passing by traffic from both frontage road, which is next to nil, and the heavily trafficked noise coming from Interstate 80. 

  Amenities include restroom and shower facilities in the main building, but I would strongly encourage you to keep to your own on-board bathroom amenities as what was found in the main office was not something I could recommend. The slabs where you’ll park yourself for the night are simple pebble with all the typical hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewer) and while there’s a few scattered fire rings and picnic tables, there’s a handful of residents who appear to be here more longer-term and who have built semi-permanent additions to their RVs like decking, fencing, tables and even a stand-alone sundowner bar. While this place is definitely not a destination, given its very quick and easy access from I80, this might be a simple and cheap place to park your camper for the night.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you get tired of trying to figure out what that next meal is going to be, either from the depths of your cooler or the remnants of your on-board mini-fridge and want to check out some of the local fare, head on over to nearby LaSalle for a most excellent slice of pie at Lou’s LaGrotto, who’s been dishing out both thin and deep dish for the better part of 50 years or check out Verucchi’s down in Spring Valley, which is an old-school Italian eatery that has both great pastas as well as, strangely, good ol fried chicken; (2) If you’re looking for a great place to drop your kayak or canoe into, then head no further than the lower portion of Starved Rock SP where there is a boat and kayak launch into the turbulent currents of the Illinois River; and (3) After a few days of camping, hiking and kayaking, you’ll definitely be looking for a place to ‘whet your whistle’ of which I would recommend heading to nearby Machelle’s Backstreet for a few nice high balls. 

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 18, 2023

  Cozy Corners Campground

  Family-Run RV Front-Yard Outpost

  Located here in the north central part of Land O’ Lincoln just due south of the Illinois River Valley, Cozy Corners gets its descriptor because it sits right on an intersection where N. 25th Road meets Route 178 that is literally across the street from the entrance of Matthiessen State Park, likely the main reason you are here in the first place. And while its very close proximity to this pretty amazing nature destination makes it quite an attractive spot for those looking to access the best of what the Illinois River and surroundings have in store for them, the place itself feels more like a farmer’s front yard that got repurposed as an RV grass parking lot. 

  So, if you ask me, the first thing I would tell you about Cozy Corners Campground is that this likely is not going to be at the top of your list in terms of campgrounds to choose from in the area, especially if you’re a tent camper who doesn’t want to pretend they are out in nature surrounded by a bunch of RVs on what is glaringly obvious is simply someone’s farm. There’s tons of options to pitch your tent, most notably, is Matthiessen SP itself, which has some pretty amazing land to drop anchor for the night. That said, this is one of the few ‘off-the-radar’ choices you might want to consider when visiting the Illinois River Valley area, particularly during the major summer holidays (Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day), where if you haven’t booked up something WELL IN ADVANCE of arriving here, especially at nearby Starved Rock State Park, then Cozy Corners likely will have some vacancy. 

  With this campground in mind, there’s about 10–12 slots available with what looks to be sewer, water and electric hook-ups along with aging fire rings. If there were other amenities like BBQ grills, picnic tables or pavilions, they certainly weren’t available when we paid a visit. And at this time, to provide a visual, it’s early Spring, so what that means in Illinois out in the farmland is that all of the area surrounding this place is barren, so while I am sure the fall provides for a much better sense of privacy, at this time of year, one feels quite exposed without any degree of privacy, save the few barren trees that are on this Midwestern ranch. 

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While Cozy Corners can most certainly not be classified as a destination, if you are looking for a place to drop anchor for the night because you are just passing through, then this place is flat, simple and pretty cheap, but I would still recommend a number of other places for those toting RVs, like nearby Pleasant Creek Campground, which has a ton more to offer albeit at slightly higher prices. But what do they say about ‘you get what you pay for?’; (2) No doubt being this close to both Matthiessen and Starved Rock SPs, you’ll have no shortage of great trails to go hiking on with 5 miles of trails at Matthiessen and the 13+ miles of hiking trails that form snake-like patterns throughout, across and over the nearly 20 or so canyons that make up Starved Rock: (3) If you come hauling watercraft, you’ll definitely want to hit up the Illinois River, which is just down the street from here at Cozy Corners wherein my recommendation is to swing by the lower dells area of Starved Rock, where you can park and launch your kayak, canoe or boat from; (4) The three nearest towns that have any form of civilization around these parts are Oglesby, Utica or Tonica, wherein I would recommend a visit to either long-time favorite Garzanelli’s Supper Club, which has a pretty amazing Midwestern take on Italian food or Starved Rock Lodge, just due south of Utica; (5) Looking for a place to ‘whet your whistle’? Then head on over to Aces & Eights in Tonica for glorified bar food and cheap tall boys OR head into Utica and check out Obscurity Brewing Bier Garten for some unusual draft brews or August Hill Winery for some fairly mediocre wine from Illinois; and (6) Finish off your entire camping experience by visiting Two Girls and a Cupcake for some sweet, albeit overpriced, desserts and treats. 

  Happy Camping!