24 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Hayes Canyon Campground near Herod, Illinois offers horse corrals for equestrians camping in the Shawnee National Forest. The campground provides horse-friendly amenities including water hookups, electric hookups, sewer hookups, showers, and sanitary dump stations. Campers can choose from tent sites, RV spaces, cabins, and glamping accommodations, all accessible via drive-in access. The campground maintains dedicated horse corrals, making it suitable for travelers with horses. High Knob Campgrounds, also in the area, caters specifically to equestrians with extensive trail access. The campground features stalls that are designed for safety, though some users note that shower facilities can be less than ideal. Sites typically offer some shade for both horses and riders.
Numerous marked trails traverse the rocky, hilly terrain of Shawnee National Forest, connecting equestrian campers to scenic destinations including Garden of the Gods. Maps are available at both High Knob and Hayes Canyon campgrounds, though some trails would benefit from better markings. Horse campers can access portions of the River to River trail that meanders through the region. Both campgrounds accommodate larger rigs necessary for horse transport, with High Knob allowing extensive staging areas for equestrians planning multi-day treks. The entire area provides excellent trail riding opportunities with varied terrain featuring hills, rocks, and cliff areas. Horse owners should note that High Knob strictly serves as a horse camp and does not accept tent-only campers without horses, according to visitor reports.
"On a gravel road, in the back country like most everything else on this side of Illinois , fill your gas tank up and your food locker or you will be driving back out a ways to refill. "
"It's super quiet despite the gravel road nearby. The vault restroom is kept very clean. It has easy access to the River to River trail, and I love the CCC stonework."
"Little Lusk is the most Spacious and beautiful equestrian campground in southern IL. Bring your horses, or just come and camp and stay in the lodge. "
"There are horses on the property, and it’s very cheap for tent camping. The staff was amazing. She showed us around with her 4x4 the whole property, the horses, and the pony or a donkey."
from $30 / night
"deffinitly caters to equestrians, my only complaint is the shower houses. The potty area is clean but showers are usually kinda gross."
"High Knob is a Horse campground in Shawnee National Forest near Garden of the Gods off Il1. The entire area has extensive trails through some awesome, hilly, rocky, cliffy areas."
"We followed our GPS to the clearly marked CG entrance but our GPS showed we still had about a half mile to go."
"Super friendly camp host, conveniently located off the interstate and feels pretty secure and tranquil. I will say some of the gravel was washed out which is surprising given how dry it’s been."
from $40 / night
Check Availability"A luxurious crowded but nice campsites older stalls cabins available great trails and maps available store and cowboy church. Permanent sites available"
from $15 - $32 / night
Check Availability"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"Ferne Cliffe State Park is situated in the Shawnee National Forest, in the southern part of Illinois."
"Dog friendly, pretty well spaced out campsites but some are used as paths with to get to farther back campsites. Good set up, not too close to neighbors and it’s heavily wooded in between."
"We pulled in around midnight and left at 8 am."
"It’s off the highway down Amish/Dutch country. It has a maintained gravel road beautiful lake and in June it’s covered with lightening bugs. Lots of wild flowers and the sunset- WOW!"
"It is located back in the hills, far off the highway. Very little cell phone signal. Very relaxing and enjoyable."
"Located in Southwest Indiana, about 40 miles from Evansville. This is a typical Indiana State Park. Some sites are pretty close together, some are spacious."
from $20 - $33 / night
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GuideQuiet clean campground, 8 sites, one water spigot, pit toilets, hiking and biking, 9 miles to Garden of the Gods. Campground is right next to road. Local traffic is minimal, most sites will accommodate 30ft trailer or motor home.
ScoutRend Lake, in Whittington, Il is just a great place to camp. From primitive to full hook ups they have what you need for a Corps of Engineers campground.
GuideI stayed at a walk-to tent site for which the price was $8 per night. Pretty solid Verizon cell signal. Clean showers and well kept. The place did sound pretty loud as far as older partiers, though around 9pm, it was near silent. I'd definitely stay here again.
GuideCampground was quiet and peaceful when I was there. Numerous trails within the park and I had them to myself while out hiking.
GuideNice quiet wooded campground. We were only here 1 night, but it was very enjoyable. Very large campground with shaded & sunny spots, mostly level, showers & bathrooms were clean, but no locks on the doors in women's & no doors in the men's, only curtains. Double lane dump station well laid out & good water pressure. We were here 2nd week in September on a Friday so it was not crowded, but I suspect during the summer it would be. The mosquitoes were bad so be prepared. All in all we would stay again.
GuideThis is the third time we’ve stayed here just using it as an overnight on the way to and from home on our way out west. Great campground with full hook up service in some sites and a view of the lake.
GuideWe arrived at 7 picked a spot in the fcfs area and were surprised that it was almost empty. We got a premium site on the water, with no other campers in sight. The website says the reservation areas were full but that was not true, you have to book 4 days in advance. The camp host was great! It will be on my list of places to overnight in the future. But the lake is beautiful and you could spend multiple days there if you wanted!
GuidePaved roads and campsites. Convenient to the interstate but removed enough to be peaceful. Beautiful sunset at the lake. Bathhouse is outdated but functional.
ScoutVery family oriented place to camp and adventure with the kiddos
Equestrian camping near Herod, Illinois offers access to the rocky terrain of Shawnee National Forest at elevations ranging from 300-1,000 feet. The region experiences hot, humid summers with temperatures often reaching the 90s and mild winters with occasional snow. Campsites in this area typically feature shaded areas with dense deciduous forest cover that provides natural cooling during summer months.
Trail exploration: Garden of the Gods is accessible from several campgrounds in the area. At Camp Cadiz Campground, campers can access the River to River trail. "I wanted to see grades of the gods. What I didn't want was to camp on top of someone else... Cadiz was spacious, quiet, and the other campers wanted to camp not party," notes Jeremy G.
Historical sites: Explore old cemeteries within walking distance of campsites. At Camp Cadiz, visitors discovered hidden historical spots. "The hiking trails that headed out from the camp were wonderful. We even hiked down the forest road and found a hidden cemetery tucked away," shares Art S.
Seasonal mushroom hunting: Spring visitors to the area can participate in the local tradition of morel mushroom hunting. "It was also morel mushroom time so some people were hunting for them," reports a visitor to Camp Cadiz Campground, highlighting a unique seasonal activity not widely advertised.
Quiet atmosphere: Many equestrian camping areas near Herod maintain a peaceful environment. "This small, rustic camp is at the edge of Shawnee and only had a few campers staying multiple nights with us," notes Art S. about Camp Cadiz Campground.
CCC stonework: The Civilian Conservation Corps historical structures add character to camping areas. Chelsea D. from Camp Cadiz appreciates these historical features: "I love this campground. It's super quiet despite the gravel road nearby... and I love the CCC stonework."
Spacious sites: Shawnee Forest Campground provides ample room for larger equestrian rigs. "The sites are spacious and have picnic tables and fire rings. Full hookups is a plus," notes Greg S., making it suitable for horse trailers that require extra space.
Limited cell service: Many areas have spotty reception. Hannah F. from Camp Cadiz notes: "Stayed here in March 2020. My favorite part about this campground was that there were only 8 campsites so it was very quiet and remote."
Water availability varies: At Deer Ridge Campground, access to water requires planning. "Water only available at few spots and you would need a really long hose to attach if open faucet available," reports Glenda.
Dust control: Campsite location matters for dust exposure. "We had site choices that ended up being along the gravel forest road that goes by camp. Every vehicle that went by generated dust which then coated everything in our camp," warns Art S. about Camp Cadiz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Herod, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Herod, IL is Camp Cadiz Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Herod, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 equestrian camping locations near Herod, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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