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Best Campgrounds near Petersburg, IL

186 Reviews

Camping near Petersburg, Illinois encompasses a mix of historic sites, state parks, and family-friendly campgrounds within the agricultural heartland of central Illinois. Lincoln's New Salem Historic Site Campground offers a unique combination of camping and historical immersion, with paved sites and full hookups just steps from a living history village depicting Abraham Lincoln's early adult years. Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area, located about 20 miles west of Petersburg, provides multiple camping options including the Primitive Campground and Family Campground areas. The surrounding countryside features gently rolling terrain with a blend of woodlands, lakes, and the agricultural landscape typical of central Illinois.

Most campgrounds in the Petersburg area are open from April through October, with some facilities like Lincoln's New Salem available year-round. Summer temperatures regularly reach the 90s with high humidity, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons. Heavy rainfall can create muddy conditions at some campgrounds, particularly those with gravel sites. Cell service varies significantly throughout the region, with stronger signals near Springfield and more limited coverage in rural areas. Reservations are recommended for weekend stays during peak summer months, especially at Lincoln's New Salem, which fills quickly during special events and historical reenactments.

The camping experience varies considerably between the different facilities near Petersburg. Lincoln's New Salem offers a more developed camping experience with paved sites, modern amenities, and proximity to historical attractions. As one visitor noted, "We loved this campground with its paved sites and roads. It's a great family campground with the historic village nearby." In contrast, Jim Edgar Panther Creek provides a more natural setting with both primitive and electric sites. According to reviews, "The quiet agricultural Illinois environment" is a highlight, though visitors should "shop for needs prior to leaving larger cities as most small towns are limited to a bar and dollar store." Fishing opportunities abound at several nearby lakes, and wildlife viewing is common throughout the area's public lands.

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Best Camping Sites Near Petersburg, Illinois (45)

    1. Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    21 Reviews
    Chandlerville, IL
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 452-7741

    $6 / night

    "Like the quite agricultural Illinois environment but suggest shopping for your needs prior to leaving larger cities as most of the few small towns are limited to a Bar and Dollar store."

    "From our cabin we walked grassy paths to a lovely bridge. Around the pond's perimeter are dispersed sites for tent-camping or possibly day-use."

    2. Lincolns New Salem Historic Site Campground

    4 Reviews
    Petersburg, IL
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 632-4003

    $10 - $30 / night

    "Not their fault but sites became a lake and couldn’t even step outside. Barely any AT&T service. Couldn’t use phone as hotspot at all."

    "I love to walk through all the old buildings and learn about Lincoln's way of life. They even had horses and a bull out in the pastures!"

    3. Illinois State Fair Campground

    11 Reviews
    Sherman, IL
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 782-1698

    $20 / night

    "Not too close to your neighbor. Take time to walk around the fairgrounds as they are pretty. The 4H building has a lovely garden out front."

    "$20 per night for a a pull behind RV on an electric/water site. $30 for a full hookup. Large clean bathrooms, dated but useable."

    4. Lincoln's New Salem Park IL Historic Preservation Agency

    2 Reviews
    Petersburg, IL
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 632-4000

    "Nor did we know there were hiking trails! The hiking trails are located on the road up the hill directly across from where you turn off of the highway to drive up to the village."

    5. Jim Edgar Panther Creek - Family Campground

    1 Review
    Chandlerville, IL
    12 miles

    "Praire Lake Campground has 3 facilities on the lake. FAMILY camp for Rv, Tentand cabins. 1. 84 sites with Electric or 19 have FHU. 2."

    6. The Double J Campground and RV Park

    19 Reviews
    Chatham, IL
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 483-9998

    "We stayed here in order to visit Springfield, Illinois, and we really enjoyed this spot."

    "The campground is next to a large corn field that has recently been cut; I suspect during the growing/harvest season there may be dust and noise from equipment, and perhaps overspray from any chemicals"

    7. Riverside Park

    3 Reviews
    Sherman, IL
    16 miles
    +1 (217) 546-4103

    $20 - $50 / night

    "All RV/ camper sites are close to the bath and shower houses. We had electricity and water hookups and a picnic table available."

    "Lots of fun trails with great views! Most trails are accessible from the parking area. Good for pictures at sunrise and sunset!"

    8. Questing Hills Equestrian Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    1 Review
    Chandlerville, IL
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 452-7741

    $20 / night

    "Trails are well marked and maintained over 26 miles of trails."

    9. Crazy Horse Campground

    5 Reviews
    Jacksonville, IL
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 886-2089

    "If you need a place to get away from city life but don't want to travel far away from town, you can't beat this place."

    "Right outside of Jacksonville, Ashland, Virginia, and close enough to Springfield. We were there last weekend and will be there again at the end of the month. Happy Camping!"

    10. Pine Campground — Sand Ridge State Forest

    11 Reviews
    Forest City, IL
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 597-2212

    $8 / night

    "The trail is a mix of sand and soil. It’s quite an unexpected discovery in Illinois. We didn’t see anyone else on the trail but we saw cars parked so hikers were out there. "

    "It’s a nice get away from the city. I haven’t stayed at any of the backpacking sites, but the main campground. It is located under a bunch of tall pines, and feels fairly open."

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Recent Camping Photos near Petersburg, IL

23 Photos of 45 Petersburg Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Petersburg, IL

186 Reviews of 45 Petersburg Campgrounds

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 15, 2025

    Walmart - Peoria Supercenter

    Bumper Car Parking Lot

    This is one of the larger Walmart stores that I have across in my travels and is conveniently located right off of I74 just due south of Peoria and across the Illinois River. You will immediately discover that this Walmart is easily accessible from just about any entrance point that completely surrounds this blue big box retailer. And even though this retail outlet is massive, as is its accompanying oversized parking pad, the place was very frenetic, and jam-packed with lots of traffic zipping around in multiple directions.

    But hey, if lots of ping-pong match-style traffic doesn’t dissuade you from parking here, then you’ll be treated to a decent ton of amenities as you are situated within a massive retail complex that is surrounded by other big box retailers like Lowe’s and Bass Pro Shop, a number of gas stations as well as a decent assortment of smart restaurants, like Texas Roadhouse, Childer’s Eatery and Godfather’s Pizza. Of course, there’s no shortage of drive-by fast food joints nearby like McDonald’s, IHOP, Bob Evans, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell, but take it from me, you’d be better off crossing the Illinois River into Peoria to check out some better haunts like Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery or Thyme Kitchen & Craft Beer.

    Should you decide to park at this oversized discount retailer parking haven, I would suggest parking either on the southern or northern perimeters as while they are next to their own respective inner 2-lane roads, the traffic is slow-moving and isn’t stopped for any lights around those areas, making for less noise pollution. You’ll find that the lot is very flat and level, well-paved albeit dated as well as offering really great lighting at night along with very good rotating security that remain constantly vigilant in this overgrown shopping mecca.

    While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:

    Convenience: 3 

    Safety & Security: 2 

    Quality: 3 

    Peace & Quiet: 2 

    Amenities: 3 

    Overall, I scored this location a 3 

    Happy Overnighting!

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 26, 2025

    Springfield KOA

    Spacious Green Grounds

    Springfield KOA is actually in Rochester, but it is only about 25 mins into Springfield and all the wonderful Lincoln historic sites. The campground is very nice, a lot of amenities for families like pool, little bikes, miniature golf and horseshoes. Shop has laundry, ice and oropane, there's free wifi. Sites have power and water, you have to go to dump station on the way out as there aren't individual sewers. But there is grass, picnic table and fire ring at every site, trees all around.

  • B
    Sep. 19, 2024

    Pine Campground — Sand Ridge State Forest

    It's okay

    Stopped here overnight in late August. Only a few other campers on a Sunday so nice and quiet. Typical midwest tent camping on dirt, lots of mosquitoes, pit toilets.

  • John H.
    Sep. 12, 2024

    Waverly Lake City Park

    Nice little lake and camp ground

    I've stayed here a couple times now. Each time there has only been one other person. It's quiet and peaceful, however there's not much to do. As far as I know there's no running water. There are portable toilets that are kept clean. There's also a 4 consecutive day per month limit.

  • Aaron B.
    Sep. 6, 2024

    Sangchris Lake State Park Campground

    Lakeside Relaxation

    These walk in sites check all the boxes.  At the western part of the RV loop, is a peninsula of primitive tent camping spots to choose from.  About half the sites were filled by the second day we were there.  We settled on 62, which is spacious and provides access to the path from the front and behind where you can walk into site 64 as well.  A parking area with a single spot for each camp site is well marked and by two vault toilets.  Park staff and host were great.  A decent fishing spot is just in front of site 64.  $8 for IL residents is hard to beat, if you don't need an RV spot with electric.  A water source is also by the parking spots.  The weekend we were there the weather had cooled some and a great breeze was coming off the lake.  Springfield being so close is a bonus.

    The only negative is like any spot and how previous people leave the camp looking before you are there.  Some garbage in the fire pit and random spots are par for the course in any state park.  Pick up the trash and dump it in the dumpster by the parking lot.  Leave the site better than you found it is our motto.

  • David F.
    Sep. 2, 2024

    Jim Edgar Panther Creek - Family Campground

    JIM Edgar Panther Creek S.P.

    Praire Lake Campground has 3 facilities on the lake. FAMILY camp for Rv, Tentand cabins. 1. 84 sites with Electric or 19 have FHU. 2. Primitive Camp has seven three-sided shelters to camp near or in for a fee of $6 per night 3. Group camp area. A separate location has the equestrian campground, Questing Hills, with 51 electric sites.

  • Jennifer H.
    Jul. 26, 2024

    Evening Star Camping Resort

    Campers Are Like Family

    Love to swim in the pool, play in the bags tournaments, enjoy the fundraiser in July for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, mini golf, basketball and theme weekends. My favorite is the chili cook off and Halloween weekends are a blast!!

  • Nick W.
    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!

Guide to Petersburg

Camping near Petersburg, IL, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Fishing: Many campers enjoy fishing at places like Comlara County Park. One reviewer mentioned, "There are simply tons of little nooks and crannies all around the lake to get some decent fishing in."
  • Hiking: Trails are available for those who love to explore nature. A visitor at Sangchris Lake State Park Campground noted, "The trails and bridges were in horrible condition, but the campground itself was clean and well-maintained."
  • Swimming: If you're looking to cool off, Clinton Lake State Recreation Area has swimming spots. One family shared, "We loved the option for fishing and swimming in a nearby watering hole."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-kept restrooms and showers. A visitor at Double J Campground and RV Park said, "The bathrooms here were heated and sparkling clean."
  • Spacious Sites: Many campgrounds offer roomy spots. A reviewer at Millpoint Park mentioned, "Owner was friendly and campsite was clean and spacious."
  • Friendly Staff: Campers often highlight the helpfulness of campground staff. One guest at Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area remarked, "Tony and Danielle and the rest of the entire campground host staff and crew do absolutely everything to make sure you have a great stay!"

What you should know:

  • Privacy Concerns: Some campgrounds, like Comlara County Park, have sites that are close together. A camper noted, "They are spaced a little too close for comfort for my taste."
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have extensive facilities. A visitor at Weldon Springs State Park Campground mentioned, "The sites are pretty small... the bathhouse was only mildly gross but it wasn't unexpected."
  • Wildlife Encounters: Be prepared for raccoons and other wildlife. One camper at Weldon Springs State Park Campground shared, "She had to leave in the middle of the night because the raccoons were so bad."

Tips for camping with families:

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Hookups: Make sure your site has the necessary hookups. A visitor at Double J Campground and RV Park said, "Nice bathrooms and showers."
  • Look for Quiet Spots: Some campgrounds can be noisy. A reviewer at Millpoint Park mentioned, "It was very quiet and peaceful."
  • Bring Bottled Water: Some campgrounds have water that isn’t suitable for drinking. A camper at Millpoint Park advised, "Bring cases of bottled water."

Camping around Petersburg, IL, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to check the amenities and plan accordingly!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Petersburg, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Petersburg, IL is Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area with a 4.4-star rating from 21 reviews.

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