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Shawnee National Forest houses several glamping destinations with unique accommodations for travelers seeking upscale outdoor experiences. Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground offers electric hookups, showers, and spacious glamping sites that blend comfort with natural surroundings. Willow Bend Retreat provides glamping yurts with modern amenities including electric hookups, showers, and picnic tables. One guest shared, "I was more than satisfied with the facilities and service. I would highly recommend to others." These boutique camping options maintain the forest setting while providing comfortable beds, climate control, and private outdoor spaces—ideal for visitors exploring southern Illinois who want nature without sacrificing comfort.
South Sandusky and Cave-in-Rock State Park feature some of the most distinctive glamping accommodations near Harrisburg, with sites situated among the rolling hills and dramatic rock formations of the Shawnee Forest. Activities center around the region's natural attractions, with Garden of the Gods and Pounds Hollow Lake just minutes away for hiking, kayaking, and swimming. Oak Point Campground offers lakefront glamping tents with water access for fishing and paddling. Shawnee Forest Campground includes yurt accommodations with modern amenities and boat-in access. A camper noted, "The lake area is beautiful with a swimming area, fishing pier, and pavilion to eat or sit under for shade." Most glamping resorts in the area remain open from March through November, though several offer year-round accommodations for winter glamping experiences.
"This place is very close to where you need to be. Outpost in between sells food, firewood, ice etc. Very basic campsite for drive up. People were very respectful, very dog friendly."
"We arrived on a Thursday and there were plenty of open spots. Friday they open some of the other loops up for more people to stay and it did fill up for the weekend. "
from $10 / night
Check Availability"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
"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 Availabilityfrom $40 - $200 / night
"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."
"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"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"General: I was a bit apprehensive about this state park because it did not take reservations, so we made sure to arrive by 11 am but we had no reason to worry – compared to other Illinois campgrounds"
"Signage will greet you as soon as you exit the ferry and Cave in Rock city has several small businesses you might want to visit. Plus a bunch of painted bikes..."
"Under new ownership buy many cabins from 40 a night on up nice shower houses electric sewer and water at a lot of sites great trails well marked maps available stalls available store and restaurant to"
from $30 - $200 / 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.
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.
LegendOver 200 gravel sites many sloping so choose wisely. I chose site 39 and it was close to level. Well spaced.Vault toilets and bathhouses. Only lower camp area bathhouse open before summer.Garbage bin overflowing. Fire pit, table, electric. Playgrounds. Water nearby. River with boat launch in park. Lots of bike trails. Large pool with water slide open in the summer. Same for nature center. Great trees. Quiet. Quirky little town of New Harmony nearby.
GuideThis is a huge state park! There are lots and lots of campsites in this state park bordering the Wabash River. Sites are divided into smallish areas some for tents, some for RVs and some mixed. Lots of trees for shade. Bathhouses in each area with showers and toilets. Very clean & well maintained. Some areas with children playgrounds. The park has multiple picnic areas and shelters. There are a couple of ponds. There is a boat launch at the Wabash River. There is a good size swimming pool (though closed at my visit for the pandemic). Park sells firewood for individual fire pits at each site. Electric hookups at most tent sites. Water spigots near each bathhouse.
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.
Shawnee National Forest offers diverse glamping experiences within southern Illinois, combining rugged terrain with comfort options for visitors. Located in the scenic region between the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, the forest encompasses approximately 280,000 acres with elevations ranging from 350 to 1,064 feet. Winter temperatures typically range from 21°F to 80°F in summer, with most campgrounds offering year-round accessibility despite seasonal variations.
Hiking to unique formations: Pounds Hollow Recreation Area serves as an excellent base for exploring distinctive rock formations. "I've always used this site as a backup if Garden of the Gods is full when I get there. To be honest, this site is prettier, its just further out from the hiking I usually come to the area to do," shares Moe H.
Lake activities at multiple sites: Oak Point Campground provides direct water access and a beach area for swimming and fishing. "There are plenty of hiking trails with some coming up along the lake which makes for nice fishing spots. A short jont down the road you have a boat loading area to go out on the lake, a public picnic area, and a beach where you can swim (for a small fee) or rent paddle boats," notes Claudia L.
Historical exploration options: Cave-in-Rock State Park offers history lessons alongside camping. "We took a 2 mile loop hike across to the lodge, along the cliff face and down to the cave. A lot of history here and some nice views," explains Shelly S., referencing the park's famous riverside cave once used by river pirates.
Affordability combined with views: Pounds Hollow Recreation Area offers excellent value camping near top attractions. "Great 10$ campsite," shares Brennan M., who adds it's "very close to where you need to be. Outpost in between sells food, firewood, ice etc. Very basic campsite for drive up."
Spacious, well-maintained sites: The glamping areas throughout Shawnee Forest prioritize giving visitors room to spread out. "The sites are well maintained and the area is BEAUTIFUL. The only negative thing I might be able to point out is that there seems to be poison ivy just about everywhere," mentions Moe H. about Pounds Hollow.
Clean facilities with privacy options: South Sandusky Campground maintains high standards for bathroom facilities. "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)," explains Gina J., who also notes, "many of the site are right on the lake and the sunrise and sunsets are always gorgeous."
Winter accessibility: Several campgrounds remain accessible year-round despite seasonal closures at some locations. "Spent a week here and had a blast! Camp sites are fairly well spaced, though not private. Area is split with power and no power. Vault style restrooms are very clean and regularly maintained," shares Brian E. about Pine Ridge at Pounds Hollow.
Phone coverage limitations: Shawnee Forest Campground offers better connectivity than most locations. "We got two bars on Verizon. Each of the bath houses have a washer and dryer," reports MickandKarla W., though they note some limitations: "There's no formal dog area, but there are paved trails around the large CG area, which made it nice to walk our dogs."
Leveling challenges: Many sites require equipment for leveling, particularly for larger rigs. "Trying out my recently purchased 17' clipper travel trailer. Loved the area and the campsites are very roomy, especially for a small camper," notes Rick C. about Pounds Hollow, adding "We will definitely stay here again. Fall foliage was kick'n too. And it was only $10 a night!!!"
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature child-friendly amenities within walking distance of sites. "The kids loved the playground. There were kids everywhere and everyone was very friendly! Fun spot!" shares Missy D. about South Sandusky Campground.
Beach and swimming options: Gun Creek offers family-friendly water activities during warmer months. "Great rates and even better campsites. We got there late and had no problems finding a great campsite right next to the lake," notes Jonathan W.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Children often enjoy spotting local animals at campgrounds throughout the forest. "Great place, clean. Lots of deer and turkey!" shares Garrett F. about South Marcum Campground.
Hookup availability: RV campers should research specific amenities before booking. "The left loop has power 50/30/20 amp hook ups but no water or sewer on the campsite. Great location for hiking trails and it's exactly 23 Miles to Walmart," advises Rick C. about Pounds Hollow.
Site selection strategy: Choose carefully based on rig size and levelness requirements. "Our site was not level and with all the rain we had, there were water puddles at the steps. There are some nice sites in this CG but we were not offered one of the better ones even though there were plenty of sites open in the upper 26-50 site area," explains MickandKarla W. about Shawnee Forest Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Harrisburg, IL is Pine Ridge with a 4.5-star rating from 17 reviews.
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