Cabin camping is an amazing way to experience Karnak, while still enjoying a little rustic luxury. Cabin camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. Find your own little secluded paradise in nature. The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect camping cabin rental.
Large lots with shade trees and Big Rig Friendly, with full hook-ups on the river. Little off the beaten path, but worth it.
$45 - $65 / night
This 34 acre farm in Western Kentucky is surrounded on all sides by rolling woodland and farmland. Wildlife, sunsets and starlit skies abound.
**Visit us April 8th, 2024 for the total Solar Eclipse!
$30 - $90 / night
A former Girl Scout camp of over 50 years, this 257-acre property now known as Camp Manitowa – Cedar Point is located in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Camp Manitowa – Cedar Point offers beachfront access with a new swim dock to 1200-acre Little Grassy Lake. This expansive property includes a full commercial kitchen, a dining hall that seats several hundred, and air conditioned / heated bunkhouses with showers for around 80 people. There are three villages of hogans and two of platform tents complete with fireplaces and restrooms, as well as large spaces for tent camping on this property that offers outdoor retreat experiences for groups big and small.
Camp Manitowa – Cedar Point is available for school groups, church groups, festivals, business and corporate retreats, family reunions, and weddings.
$30 / night
Scout
Laura was quick to reply to questions and was waiting for us when we arrived. Spot was easy to get into. Quiet and peaceful. Hot tub was great! We didn't use the showers but they looked nice.
Ranger
Kind of a bare bones campground but this state park does offer rock climbing (if you have the expertise and your own gear). A few picnic shelters and an amazing CCC lodge that has a cabin rentals and a pretty good area restaurant. The park used to have an interp center but I believe the state closed it do to funding. The trails aren't always maintained it definitely depends on the season but the park itself is not to be missed.
Guide
We’ve stayed in a cabin twice at this campground. The second time we booked a one room cabin. They had us in their system for a 2 bedroom cabin (which we had the first time we stayed there.) I proved to them I booked a 1 bedroom cabin & it was their mistake to assign us to a higher priced 2 bedroom cabin. Since all the cabins were booked for the night we couldn’t switch to a one bedroom. They would not refund the difference. I called KOA corporate office and the person I talked to was able to see in their computer system what I was talking about. However each campground is an independent business and it was up to each campground to decide how to conduct their business. To me the proper thing to do was to let me have the two bedroom cabin for the one room cabin price. Convenient location.
Scout
What an absolute craphole. We rented the Wrangler cabin for 2 nights, the cabin(single-wide trailer) looked as if it it was placed in the 1980's and has never been touched. The floor in the cabin was soft(rotted), they had about 3 or 4 stick in air freshners in the cabin, so many that both my wife and I got a headache as soon as we walked in. We took them out, then after about an hour the smell that they were covering started to show up, musty, moldy smell. The furniture in the place I am sure they found on the side of the street. Broken tables, the one couch in the place was full of sweat stains, the beds were so soft and old, felt like sleeping in a bowl. The so-called microwave in the kitchen had food cooked in it. The black stuff near the air vents on the ceiling of the cabin is not dust, pretty sure its mold. There are water stains all over the ceiling. The cabin has stairs at both end of the front, the one end looks to be an old set of plastic pool stairs, that are busted. The floor in the bathroom was actually a sub-flooring, without flooring on top of it. IT IS A DUMP. Health and human services needs to go out and condemn this place. If you have dogs with you, and keep them on a leash, don't worry, they will have plenty of friends to play with, as there are loose dogs all over the place, we counted about 12. Like I said, we rented it for 2 nights, left first thing in the morning after the first night. I spent a lot of time in the Army, and slept in some bad spots before, this place is worse. Glad I got some money back. I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND THIS PLACE, not even to someone I don't like!
Guide
A luxurious crowded but nice campsites older stalls cabins available great trails and maps available store and cowboy church. Permanent sites available
Legend
Stayed in Shawnee Lodge in camp campus. Camp Amenities include: lodges, cabins, shelters, parking, fire pits/ fireplaces all with wood supplied, amphitheater s, fishing along Little Grassy Lake, trails, swing set.
GuideUnder 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 reopen
Scout
Very clean, level sites, large lake with a well maintained walking trail. Lake side sites, wooded sites and regular sites in the middle. Water, 30 and 50 amp, shower house, small laundry facility. Wifi fiber being installed, boat ramp, primitive cabin, tent camping, large childrens playground. Very nice, quiet, clean. We come here often. $25.00/night.
GuideCampground here has both electric sites for campers and primitive sites for tents. All are shaded and quiet. Showers/bathrooms are really nice and clean. In addition to campgrounds, there's a very nice lodge with a good restaurant, and the cabins here are pretty good too.
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), and easy drive into town if you want something more civilized.
Traveler
We drove up through the Amish Country. Saw a lady mowing her lawn barefoot with a horse. We made it up to the ferry which is a quick fun ride. By the time we got to Cave-in Rock, we were hungry. There is a little diner right inside the park that I cannot say enough great things about! We all thought we would grab something light before we hiked but once we saw the menu and the prices we could not pass on some hearty comfort food and a beer served in an ice cold mug! The waitress was so sweet and took our picture for us and gave us directions to get to Garden of the Gods on our way out. We did not actually camp here but the cabins looked really nice and with a view of the river. I would definitely go back and recommend!
GuideLots of choice camping spots! Serene and private. Beautiful rolling farmland, just minutes from town. They also offer tiny home rentals, yurt-style glamping tents, RV spots with 30 amp, 50 amp and 110 outlets, and The Art Barn for larger groups, retreats or family reunions.
Scout
Great place to go for a day hike or stay for a few days. There are 21 miles of trails throughout the park and a large lake. The attractions are all relatively close to the road (cave, "hidden" spring, and trout streams). The campgrounds are easy to get to and close to a few trails. They have kayak and canoe rentals available for the lake and it appeared to be a great place to fish. It was an enjoyable experience.
GuideCame here for a weekend getaway, to camp, hike and visit wineries, and was not disappointed. The campground is good, and camp hosts very friendly and helpful. Lots of trees for shade. Narrow roads with tight curves, along with the trees, made for a bit of a challenge. The hiking trails are beautiful, and not too crowded. There are many wineries within a short drive of the camp, which made for a fun afternoon. Really enjoyed our weekend here, and plan to return.
GuideThis wasn’t our first choice for a campground but Oak Point was full and sites were open here! I’m so glad that was the case as this definitely turned out to be an awesome campground. The sites are flat and open, but most are still shaded by a y’all tree canopy. The lodge and restaurant are a great way to escape the summer heat for a few hours! The Trillium Trail in the Park has beautiful views and rock formations. Get ice cream and walk the Secret Garden in Makanda. Lake Glendale is close by for swimming and kayak rentals. Of course you have to hike to the Garden of the Gods, but our favorite was the Little Grand Canyon. Both require some level of experience hiking and good hiking shoes/boots.
Guide
We were a bit nervous about this campground when reading reviews and seeing the location (there is an Impact Incarceration Program that shares the border), but I'm glad we found it. We booked this spot a few weeks in advance for Memorial Day weekend, and honestly we only booked it because it was the only campground left that seemed somewhat acceptable out of campgrounds that accept reservations. I'm glad we did. The location is amazing, it didn't seem as crowded as other campgrounds in Shawnee National Forest, it was well maintained, and had lots of features that range from hiking trails to a swimming pool (and pretty confident a basketball court as well). Even though we did not take advantage of these features, the campsite itself was wonderful. It was exactly what we wanted - a little pine forest to sleep in and get away from the city and take it easy for the weekend. There were lots of kids and other people as expected for the holiday weekend, but that did not interfere with our stay. The campsites are very compacted, but it still feels very personal and private due to all the tree cover and bushes. Additionally, there are bathrooms onsite that are pretty clean, but expect lots of mosquitos on them. Finally, Golconda is only 10 miles away and has a grocery store that was stocked with essentials we forgot and a gas station to fill up.
Here are some of the negatives: LOTS of poison ivy and ticks. Luckily, we expected this and came prepared with tweezers, tick remover, insect repellant, and poison ivy wipes. I gave my dog tick medicine two days prior to our departure, and the tweezers and tick remover came in handy since I was bit despite the ample amounts of insect repellant. The poison ivy is EVERYWHERE. Anywhere you see trees and bushes, there will be poison ivy. It was definitely nerve wracking putting up the hammock and unfortunately did not get to cuddle our dog at all since we were nervous of the possible oils on his fur. Also, their system for reservation is flawed - when we arrived the campsite we booked had a family already all settled in, and luckily we were able to find another available campsite otherwise we'd need to talk to the superintendent and kick that family out in order to get settled in. I would have been incredibly disgruntled if this ended up happening, but luckily the campsite we ended up having was better than the one we originally booked. Could have gone either way though. Finally, cars aren't allowed next to the campsite. We initially parked next to it and the superintendent asked us to move it to the parking lot. Makes it a hassle and is a bit of a bummer, but it was fine.
Scout
You're welcome to at longbranch!
Please make your reservations.
Only 16 spots left!
Ava Illinois +1 618-318-6734 Text your name and number of people on your campsite to reserve your spot.
The Solar Eclipse Event "PARK @ THE MOON"
Extended or early arrivals welcome. Just simply request more information in the text. We will get ahold of asap with a more information and a confirmation number.
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GuideWe spent 8 days in the campground. The host was excellent and clearly there to make the stay pleasant. Each site has electricity and access to water. Some have more.
All the hiking in the park is some of the best in Illinois. The visitors center has a lot of great information. The lodge has some of the best fried chicken anywhere and is very reasonable. Saturday night the dining hall was packed because of the all you can eat venue not to mention the excellent service
This is a park that would be better labeled as an unforgettable experience.
LegendThis is a wonderful place. I camped here as a teen and returning last summer was a great experience. In July the campground was nearly empty. We had our pick of nice shaded sites. The facilities were well maintained with new asphalt roads and clean pit toilets and water. The camp host was very welcoming and helpful. We had dinner at the historic lodge which is very popular and known for their huge portions and outstanding fried chicken. The lodge is worth the visit alone. The rock formations that make up the park are great for repelling and hiking. The hardwood forest provides great cover. If your visiting Southern Illinois this is high on the list.
RangerThere are currently 25 equestrian camp sites in this park in a different area than the normal RV and Tent campground. The campground is being upgraded this year in which I belive they are adding 50 amp full service to many of the electric only sites. There is currently walk in only unless you are reserving a horse camp. There are fantastic hiking trails and equestrian trails here and you would think you are in the mountains here. The geology is much like the Missouri area near the other bank of the Mississippi river. I have tent camped here and camped in a pop-up camper in the fall both times. Hiking is the best activity here unless you ride horses and that is great here too. This one and Wolf Creek on Lake Shelbyville are the best parks in Illinois for horse trails.
Guide
We found this place on the Dyrt, it was our last hope, since all others in the area were full. Thankfully they had an opening for both our trailers.
Called and spoke to the owner Kim, she was super sweet and helpful, we pulled in right before dark and she drove us down to our spots on the waterfront.
My oh my what a beautiful view these spots have, and the price is cheap for the view and the size of the spots. We had water, electric, and sewage. We were able to stay right next to our son and daughter-in-law who were traveling with us in their trailer.
The view of the Ohio River at sunset is breathtaking, the huge maple trees in the fall and the sunset was far beyond our expectations.
Kim, is super sweet and helpful stood around and chatted with us for a little bit, gave us some history on the area and the river, and then we decided to get settled in for the night.
You could see the barges going up and down the Ohio, while looking across and seeing Illinois.
In the middle of the night you could hear the horns of the barges, which we realized they were blowing because of the fog.
Oh my when we woke up at 6:30 in the morning and open the door to see the fog rolling in and a huge barge docked right next to us on the river. The sounds that it was making were incredible it was experience that we are so glad we got to be part of.
The fog burned off about 10:00 in the morning but it made for some beautiful photos and a nice cool start to our day.
The owners are fabulous the views are exquisite and for the price and what you get you can't beat it. They haven't been open too long and they're closed for the winter, but if you get a chance to go book yourself a spot along the river do it, you won't be disappointed
We will be coming back for vacations each year.
LegendGeneral: 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 we visited on this trip, this one was almost empty on a Wednesday in mid-October. Steve, the host, was very friendly and checked us in. The rate of $20 for an electric site was reasonable; we put a tag on our site and set off to explore nearby Garden of the Gods for the rest of the day, secure that we had a place to rest our heads for the night!
Sites/Facilities: The sites are set a decent amount of space apart and have an additional parking space for a second vehicle. A large picnic table and fire ring (although the windy conditions were not favorable for a fire) completed the site. Some are not completely level, so it was good to be able to select the best site.
Bathhouse: The bath/shower house was clean, and the shower had nice hot water and good water pressure. The drainage wasn’t optimal, however, and much of the water ended up in the rest of the bathroom. The only other thing to note is that the generator for the bathhouse is VERY loud so if you are in a site close by (we were across the street and one up), you WILL hear it but thankfully, when not in use, it was quiet through most of the night.
Activities/Amenities: There is a playground and picnic shelter, and the (not very deep) cave is cool to explore (a short walk from the campground). There are a dump station and dumpster. I had good cell service (Verizon/three bars) in this campground.
Conclusion: Although this state park is right on the Ohio River, the campground is set apart from the river so you will not see the river from the campground but it is close enough to walk to the banks of the river when exploring the cave. Nice place to spend a night.
GuideWe enjoyed our stay at Dixon Springs. We were the only campers in our loop for the entire stay. This is a very clean, well maintained campground, the hosts were very friendly and helpful.
TravelerBeautiful campground with plenty of room between sites. Most are shaded with rings or fire pits. Great family friendly place. Trails and roads maintained well. Tip: know where your spot is prior to entering campground, it makes it easier to find and navigate.
LegendVery few other campers, campground was empty, no attendants. Pit toilets with no hand washing station or showers and no water hook ups. There is water at the entrance to fill up, however. There were electric hook ups and dump station. A few trails surrounding the campsite and a fun pool with a slide attached to the campground with an entrance fee of $6. Besides the pool none of the facilities were great and the site just had a weird vibe. You can shower at the pool— but those showers are truly, not good. Close to garden of the gods—which is why we went. And it honestly wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either.
Lots of ticks (pulled some off every day) and fireflies.
GuideLiked the state park and it’s beauty a lot. Pool was closed on Labor Day weekend???Pretty wooded campground on the side of a hill has a lot of shade but most sites are not level for larger RVs. Our reserved site #6 was so sloped for our 24’ C class that we had to give up on it and move to a vacant more level spot. The pit toilets leave a lot to be desired and the lack of showers on site is reprehensible. The campers deserve better from this camping
GuideWe had a very nice time and this campground and wish we could have stayed a few more nights to see more of it. There was a couple nice playgrounds for the kids to play on and plenty to walk around and see.
ScoutThere is a minimum security correctional facility on the property. A boot camp. You will hear them from your campsite - it’s about it 300’ away from he campsites just on the other side of the woods.
There are no hosts nor is there a DNR officer who is on site. We were told he stops by every other week.
Other than that the park is clean and empty.
Cabin camping near Karnak, Illinois offers a serene escape into nature, with various options that cater to different preferences and needs.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Karnak, IL is Giant City State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
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