Searching for a tent campsite near Kinmundy? Find the best information on tent camping near Kinmundy, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Spillway is a day use area on the shore of the Kaskaskia River just below the Lake Shelbyville dam.
Situated in the heart of central Illinois, the river, lake and surrounding land offer outdoor activities for people of all ages, including fishing, picnicking and simply relaxing by the water.
This facility is mostly open with some wooded areas. Oak and hickory are the dominant tree species.
Foliage turns a variety of red, orange, purple and yellow each fall, while prairie flowers dot the landscape in spring and summer.
Numerous species of songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors inhabit the lake area, as do mammals such as cottontail rabbit, white-tail deer, gray and fox squirrel, muskrat and mink.
Spillway is a fun place to relax along the river. It has plenty of open space and a playground for children.
Lake Shelbyville and the Kaskaskia River also offer a multitude of fishing opportunities for catfish, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, muskie, walleye, white bass and bluegill. For those without boats, there are also several ponds with farmed fish available around the lake.
Hunting areas located within a short drive offer numerous game species, including quail, rabbit, pheasant, deer, dove, turkey, waterfowl and woodcock.
This facility has a reservable picnic shelter that can accommodate 50 people. Six picnic tables, a playground, volleyball courts, fish cleaning station, flush toilets and spigots for drinking water are provided.
Wolf Creek State Park, Woods Lake Waterfowl Refuge and Okaw Bluff Wetlands Complex are popular locations for wildlife watching, birding and hunting near Lake Shelbyville.
Congratulations! Youve just discovered the perfect place to enjoy a wide variety of activities, events and nature at its best. Even a short visit to Rend Lake will impress you with the versatility of this magnificent area. Whether youre looking for high adventure, a peaceful retreat, or something in between, youll find it here.
North Marcum Day Use Area sits along the banks of Rend Lake in the heart of Southern Illinois. Plenty of shade and a large sandy boat in are, make this day use area desirable for a day on scenic Rend Lake. Rend Lake is made up of 18,900 acres of water and 20,000 acres of land.
Wildlife in the area includes white tailed deer, wild turkey, fox, raccoon, opossum, waterfowl, and others as seasons change throughout the year.
Take a leisurely morning stroll, ski or sail lake waters, spend the afternoon viewing inspiring art exhibits and end your day by the warm glow of a campfire under starry night skies. The fields, forests and waters of Rend Lake provide a natural haven for wildlife and an outdoor wonderland for you. Boat, hike, fish, hunt, swim, and explore at your leisure. If you prefer a little less nature, visit one of the resorts around the lake and delight in superb lodging and dining. Just minutes away youll find golf, trap and skeet, arts, antiques, museums, wineries, and more.
North Marcum Day Use Area features two large picnic shelters with tables, grills, and drinking water. The shelters can accommodate up to 75 guests each, and the area has a boat ramp, playground, and dock all within walking distance.
Shady Grove Campground accommodates groups by reservation only. Ground fires are allowed only in the fire rings provided.
Tent camping. Limited electric and water. Canoe and boat rentals, bait and showers. On river bank.
Ranger
I have camped here in a motorhome with full hookups and tent camped as well.
The camp sites are divided into many loops and have side pullin sites and backin sites. The RV and tent sites are grouped in the same loops and there are many that have trails from the site right to the lake and people leave the boat near the campsite but still on the water. The restrooms and shower houses are clean as all the Lake Shelbyville campgrounds are maintained by the Corps of Engineers. This campground is very busy in the prime camping season, but if you are camping with a group and have a boat this is the place to go. There are several buddy sites here that are set up very well for groups of RV's and tents camping together. There are a few isolated sites on corners of loops, but most are fairly close together. There is a swimming beach here and lots of boat traffic, but quiet hours are observed, so you can get a good night's sleep before an action packed day on the lake. The fishing is good if you have a boat, but there is very little bank fishing areas available. Part of the campground is open after Labor Day, but the main season is Memorial day to Labor day.
TravelerI'm sure it's a nice place to stay, but no tent camping allowed
Guide
Sometimes it’s awesome sometimes it’s not. Nice ponds for fishing that are unmarked. Good tent sites.
Traveler
Not a large campground. There’s a catch and release lake on site, but not really any fish. There is a super long carp though. Sites are nice but not many pull in RV sites or tent sites
Traveler
Cleanest bathrooms ever and heated and air conditioner. Quiet and plenty of trees and a walking path. A beach to swim at and a dock to fish off. A playground for kids. You can tent camp in a.few places but mai.ly for electric campers and.RV's. We camp here several times a year.
Scout
Tent campsites are a decent size but still pretty close together, and our site had water and eletric hookup. Cute lake, very family friendly, lots of amenities, amazingly clean.
Legend
Very nice campground on Lake Shelbyville. Camped here with young boys in tent every year for years on site 27- views of lake the best! Electric even for tent sites (have come in handy for fans for the hot hot nights in a tent!). Newer bath house is nice. Some RV sites have water hookup also.
Traveler
while there are many full service sites available, this campground offers dozens of rustic tent sites right next to Carlyle Lake as well! Our tent site was shaded and our one neighbor was quiet and friendly. We felt secluded yet had easy access to the campground shower house, swimming pool, wooded nature trail, campground hosts and camp store. We were within a few minutes drive of the main lake beach and facilities that include a restaraunt and visitors center. A 7 minute drive gets you into the town of Carlyle which has all the necessities- food, gas and Walmart.
We were incredibly pleased with the quiet tranquility of this site and the views were fantastic. We woke up to hear the lake lapping at the shoreline. We had a nearly private cove to fish as well.
This is a wonderful campground and we will certainly Be back again!
TravelerThere are only about 6 tent sites at this campground, which makes it not entirely friendly for tent campers. However, the bathrooms were lovely and clean. For those who are allergic, there is a colony of feral cats living outside of the office. OUTDOOR DOMESTICATED CATS ARE TERRIBLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, please do not encourage this behavior.
Legend
This state park is a basic but nice state park facility, The tent sites were basic but fairly level and clean. Most of the sites had fire pits and picnic table. The bathrooms were big and clean, At the time of our visit it was raining so we didn't get a chance to explore much but its someplace we will come back to.
Guide
I am tent camping as I travel westbound. This is primarily a RV park near I-64 and on a highway. Noisy!! Bad noisy. Camp site was nice. Grassy, level, near a picnic shelter with tables. Shade trees. But only about 2-3 such sites. No on sight water or electric. There are 2 private room restrooms with showers & sink. These are shared by all. Basics. Lots of stores & restaurants nearby.
LegendThis campground is very shady on a beautiful lake. The tent campsites are level and there is enough space between the sites to make for a quiet night. The facility at the time of our visit was clean and well maintained. Well worth the stay.
Guide
There’s not a bad campsite here. There are sites with electric, water, and sewer. Several sites are right on Rend Lake. Most sites have concrete picnic tables and fire rings. The bath houses are really nice, they are individual shower houses that are clean and well lit. The grounds are very well maintained. The park was full while we stayed there, but was really quiet. You can tent camp or use a camper.
ScoutWe stayed on site 39. Quiet view of woods and part of cove. Plenty of parking and can walk down to the lake. Water hookup and electric. Full hookups available closer to front of park. We like quiet and this site was great. I tent camp too and the sites at the end of our "leg" look great. Even got our kayaks to the water not far from our campsite which was a bonus! If you have a boat, there is boat ramp too with large parking lot. Not too far from Shelbyville and the dam also. Overall a great campground!
Guide
Really great campground. Good mix of tents and RVs. Bath house was very well kept and clean. Showers ran cold at first but after a few mins it gets warmer! There were plenty of pit toliets through out the campground and trash cans. My tent site was clean, good flat spot for tent, picnic table and fire pit with attached grill.
The Concession building in the park is closing. No boat rentals, selling everything he has on the shelf.
Caught a few bass and and good amount of hiking. Large trail around the whole lake, smaller trails lead to sites around the different campgrounds.
Traveler“Hazlet” has over 300 sites with electric hook-ups and 30+ tent sites. It is a popular destination for locals and those nearby during the summer and fall, but if you are able to choose your site early, there are quite a few options that will offer more privacy. Some sites sit directly on Carlyle Lake.
There are many walking trails in and around the campground, plus a pool and campground store at the entrance. The bathrooms and showers are pretty well maintained and spread out well throughout the large campground.
Legend
Wayne Fitzgerald State Park is on Rend Lake, just off I-57 in Southern Illinois. It’s a great place for camping, fishing and bikes. It’s convenient for a short stop if you are traveling through, or as a destination. Although it’s right off the interstate there is no traffic noise. The campground has 40 tent sites and over 240 modern campsites, which offer electrical hookups, water and sewer facilities. Modern sites are $20/night, with 30/50 amp service. Primitive sites are $6. There is no internet. There are a few pull through sites.. there is lots of room and the sites appear to be level. There are 3 shower buildings. Many sites can be reserved online. There is a playground, and boat ramp. The park has hunting, fishing, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, hiking and boating. there is a golf course nearby and a lodge. Rend Lake is well-known for crappie, particularly in the early spring, as well as largemouth bass, channel catfish and bluegill.
GuideWe stopped here because it was right off the highway and had great reviews! However, upon arrival, the woman working in the office was INCREDIBLY rude to me and made me feel very uncomfortable. I’m guessing this was due to my appearance- it was hot and I was wearing shorts and I have tattoos. Anyway she proceeded to tell me that we weren’t allowed a tent site because we were car camping. I told her we don’t use electric or water, we have our own, and she told me we couldn’t stay unless we paid for an electric hookup site. So we did, the site was about 10 ft wide and covered in the sharpest gravel in the world, all dusty white. The gravel dust got on EVERYTHING and was hideous and so hard to park and walk on. I would never stay here again, I’d rather sleep in a Walmart parking lot.
LegendOne of the first campgrounds that you come to at Rend Lake when you get off the highway, this campground has lots of positives and few negatives. Among the positives is that this is a large campground with two loops and two spurs for camping. It didn’t seem to matter where your site was, each was fairly small, on top of each other, and lacking the privacy I like when tent camping. That being said, every site has electric (a plus), and every site looked well maintained. There are quite a few sites on the lake or with lake views, and these seemed to be the most coveted sites. My site was on the lake with a down slope reaching down to the tent/picnic pad (a concern if it was going to rain hard), and littered with sweet gum balls that had not been swept up yet. However, I had plenty of space at my site (#79) to spread out and relax. It was pretty neat to look at the exposed roots of trees along the shore, erosion at work. Not far from the campground is a picnic area and the boat launch. One of the down sides is that you can clearly hear the highway from the campground, and of course if you have a lake site, you will have plenty of boat noise. Speaking of boats, most people seemed to be fishing. The campground does not have a fish cleaning station in it but up near the golf course (you drive past it to get to the campground) there is an almost new looking fish cleaning station.
Ranger
I tent camped in a large tent, car camping, Friday and Saturday night.
I have camped here as well as all the Lake Shelbyville campgrounds many times before. Lone Point campground is actually 14 miles from my rural home in Shelbyville, IL. and is my favorite Lake Shelbyville campground.
There are many nice sites here along the lake and in the wooded areas around the lake. The sites have electricity and water near by. Fire rings with grates, lantern posts, picnic tables and level parking areas. Some sites have limited level areas for tents, but there are lots of sites to choose from. I like camping here because it is the least visited campground on the lake, so it can be quiet and you can get a site with a view. The bathrooms are clean and there is a shower house. There is a 12 mile trail from Lone Point to Eagle creek along the lake shore line, this trail is moderate to difficult hiking. I recommend this campground over all the others on Lake Shelbyville. The campgrounds and park are maintained by the US Army corps of engineers and reservations can be made online through recreation.gov.
The main campground closes on Labor Day however there is a small section near the boat ramp open year round and this has nice sites in it with camp stove stands as well as grills and awesome fire pits. The trail Chief Illini trailhead is located in the parking area and the trail is fairly well maintained during the regular campground open season. The trail is open year round and can be hiked from one end to the other spending a night at either campground for return trip the next day.
GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
39.45222, -88.74028
39°27'8"N, 88°44'25"W
GuideOne of the first campgrounds I ever went to and when camping in Illinois, my go-to campground and lake. My wife and I love this lake and have a lot of memories here.
Ranger
The Lithia Springs recreation area near Shelbyville, IL. On Lake Shelbyville has so many things to offer. This is one of my favorite places on the lake for boating, swimming and group camping. There are 105 campsites and they fill up with reservations in the spring and summer months, I would recommend reserving a site on line at: https://www.recreation.gov .
The campground is run by the Corps of engineers, it is well cared for with clean shower houses and restrooms. There is a boat ramp, picnic areas, a small swimming beach and very nice lakeside campsites. Half the campsites have electric hookups and water near the sites, the other half now have full hookups and 50 amp service. It is recommended to fill your tanks as you enter so you won’t need to get water during your stay for the sites on the point, those do not have full hookups. I tent camp when I stay here now, but have camped here with a motorhome and filled up when I entered and dumped when I left for a long weekend.
All sites have picnic tables, fire rings with grates and most also have a lantern stand. Most sites have a decent amount of room between them and there are some buddy sites where you share a large table cooking area and park facing each other. There are flat areas for tents and you can have two tents as well as an RV on each site.
The marina here is great with boat gas, fishing equipment, bait, snacks and other items you might need in a pinch. They also rent fishing boats and pontoon boats so you can go on a boating excursion while camping here for a price.
There are also cabins and motel rooms with a kitchen near the park entrance if you have a desire for that kind of lodging. See the links below for that.
GuideWe spent a long Columbus day weekend at Coon Creek at Lake Shelbyville. We tent camped and very much enjoyed our stay….even though the night time temps got into the low 30’s. This campground had many spacious sites. They were all different in size and shape and there was several “buddy” sites available. I was impressed with the space between the sites, the mature trees, and the overall peaceful setting of the campground. It was pretty full during our visit however it was relatively quiet and peaceful. There was plenty of shower houses and restrooms placed throughout the campground and we never had to wait to use the shower. The handicap accessible shower/restroom combo across from our site was ok. It didn’t have a place to sit to put shoes or clothes on. It needed a good bleaching and there was no hand soap which was pretty gross, but over all that’s my biggest complaint about the campground. I brought my own hand soap when I used the facilities, But I still had to touch the surfaces of others that did NOT wash their hands with soap after using the potty. 🤮😬🤮
There was a very well stocked store at the entrance called “Castaways at at Coon Creek” that had lots of helpful, unexpected, and fun items. You could buy ice, filtered water, beer, groceries, bait, firewood ($6 a bundle), and lots of other items!
Oh and you could call in and custom order Hunt Brother’s Pizza and wings. They would call you 5 mins before your order was coming out of the oven so you could come pick it up.
There was a couple of places along the road on the way in that had wood bundles for sale on the honor system. One offered fairly large bundles for $5. I was impressed by this! it was certainly not the tiny firewood bundles at the gas station! I will include a photo of one of the bundles for reference.
Excellent place to camp overall. I would encourage them to put some hand soap in those bathrooms. 🤮 I had to dock them a star for this!
ScoutMost of the sites are large and a good distance from the next one. Shower house is alright. The store/restaurant has been closed for a year or two now because of the Illinois budget. There's a dollar store in Farina and a grocery store in Kinmundy; both towns are less than 10 miles away. The lake is big enough for ski boats but nice for kayaks also. Swim beach is not well maintained due to the budget but also doesn't cost anything since they can't pay anyone to man the gate, but it's not horrible.
Scouti have been struggling with my life and went out here with someone trying to help me and had never heard of this place and we loved it.
We were the only ones there and I really don't have any negative thoughts about it..I was a bit bothered by one of the on site toilets..but it is like that in most campgrounds but thats it.
The price to tent/rv camp was 8 bucks
Cheapest we ever been to and we camp a lot.
We didn't take the rv just used a tent but I believe any spot there would have worked for our rv.have a 28 foot class a.
Only one spot had electric.
This place is a beautiful secret and I will be going back rv or tent .
I loved it.
LegendHuge area with 3 campgrounds: lonely oaks campground (tent) little bears campground (tent) and shady rest (RV with hook ups). Shady Rest Sites have electrical hook ups for RVs there are good amount of trees and shade — just a basic nice campground spaced out from your neighbors. About 100 sites between all three campgrounds. Arrived mid week in October and only at 25% capacity. Really nice and easy.
ScoutWe camped only one night on our way out west. 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. A short hike to the bathroom (we were in tents) and not much grassy area, but plenty of space to pitch 2 small tents. People were quiet and so friendly. Very nice.
Discover the charm of tent camping near Kinmundy, Illinois, where nature meets adventure in a variety of scenic locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Kinmundy, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Kinmundy, IL is Spillway (IL) with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Kinmundy, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Kinmundy, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
