Join the fun near Machesney Park. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Machesney Park campgrounds just for you. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
$12 - $50 / night
"Normal Illinois state park. Not a lot of services but good size sites and peaceful. Lake with canoe rentals and fishing. Nice walking trails."
", with Highway 173 to the west and Harlem Road to the east."
$11 - $31 / night
"The bulk of the primitive campsites are located on the western side of the campground near the river’s edge, while those sites offering up electric and closer access to running water are located mostly"
"Hike trail (path rather) was a great little scenic walk. Was going to upload some photos but the app wouldn't allow me to."
"Although a 15 minute drive from the main highway, this campground makes it worth it. Beautiful green common areas and a creek with small Sandy area below."
"Active tent campers next to us and a lot (a lot) of seasonal permanent RV’s all very nicely appointed."
"There are very tall trees around the entire campground giving you some respite from the sun and the heat. The bath house is easily within walking distance from anywhere in the campground. "
"Last time we camped in site 65, next to the path to the playground & walk-in site parking which was busy."
$20 - $35 / night
"While the highway riding was occasionally a bit harrowing, it was absolutely worth it for the beautiful views and camping here."
"Most of the sites were right on the road and you’d need to position your car right for privacy. The tent sites are clumped pretty tight together with a couple exceptions."
"It is close to home and we start and finish the camping season here."
"We did not end up signing up as we prefer to visit many more locations than they had listed."
$49 - $99 / night
"Lots of people leaving bad reviews for silly little things. let me say first off this place is HUGE. plenty of room for the kids and the dogs and just a short walk from the kish. good fishing and friendly"
$15 - $25 / night
"This is a nice campground that winds around through some light woods. Campsites have electric hookups. There are certainly lots of picnic tables. We saw more than one per site."
"Off the beaten path campground. Quiet. Nice place for solitude. Good hiking trails, pit toilets; no shower facilities."
LegendThe good- nice shaded playground under old growth trees and along a river. Nice trails in the area and good fishing. Convenience to everything you could need in Madison. You can walk or run down a couple of quiet streets and get to a river trail that goes for miles. The Big lake that this river attaches to looks nice for fishing or paddling. The bad- the road noise is VERY loud all day and night- not peaceful. Sites are close together and not private. No water or sewer. The river is full of algae. Not much to do in the park besides playground.
LegendThe sunrise campground offers electric and non-electric campsites as well as some sites accessible for people with disabilities. Campground amenities include a shower building, flush and vault toilets, a dump station and a playground area. Firewood is sold at the Molinaro Visitor Center/Headquarters parking lot through a firewood vending machine which is open 24/7. It is a credit card only.
ScoutWe camp here several times a year. The sites are well kept and pretty spacious. It’s rarely crowded and I never feel like I’m on top of other people. The shower house is pretty basic but clean. The primitive sites are where it’s at! First come first serve and they fill up quick.
TravelerFirst, it’s a really nice location, well laid out, well-maintained, with very generous spaces, nice features (swim pond with a huge bouncy float, etc), and the hosts seem nice.
However, The Dyrt lists them as having sewer hookups and they DO NOT have sewer at any site on the campground, though they do offer a pump-out service to come by and empty your tanks (for a fee…$15, I think). The error is presumably The Dyrt’s fault, and the campground does have the usual free dump station.
My big gripe, though, is the bathrooms. There are exactly TWO unisex showers and FOUR unisex “restrooms” (sink and toilet), with one shower and two restrooms currently “closed.” The facilities are perfectly fine and clean, but that leaves one shower and two restrooms for the entire campground, and the shower is PAY.
A quarter gets you three minutes, which isn’t much, except that campground is charging similar prices as other full hookup campgrounds we’ve stayed at recently (around $60/night). It just cheapens an otherwise great place, to be honest.
Lastly, The Dyrt also says they have WiFi. They do, but there is a daily “per device” charge for it. It’s not a lot, but again cheapens the place. A charge of $5 per person for any visitors you have adds to this feeling (plus an additional $5/car the visitors arrive in).
It’s really a shame, because it’s a VERY nice campground in many ways, but the shower, WiFi, and visitor fees really irked me. And at $60/night and no sewer, this campground is a bit overpriced, IMHO. If you don’t care about WiFi, bathhouse, visitors or sewer hookups, it’s fantastic, but if you do, consider the above.
TravelerWe went Memorial Day weekend and got a tent site at Hickory Hill. I would recommend the Pine Ridge area for a quieter night, but it was all booked up when we went. For RV campers Hickory Hill was great! Paved roads, clean pump out area, and nice shower house. We were in site 148 which was quite nice. Great shade and dense woods separated us from the RV area.
TravelerWife and I decided to camp along the way as we traveled 2,400. Headed south we called here and the person we talked to was so sweet and knowledgeable. She helped pick a site for us because we decide the camping was going to be tent camping. Rolled in after hours and quickly set camp up. Woke up to a beautiful site and extremely nice people.
TravelerThis is a favorite campground we've stayed at many times. Some sites can be difficult to get level on, and some can be difficult to back into, so scout out sites before hand. Nice trails and a natural spring.
ScoutThe owner was honest about the services offered. Really nothing but a place to park. It was basically his back yard filled with tents. We were told drive down through the tents and park in the back. No real site offered. If you want firewood go ahead and pick up the branches they have fallen. This was one step alone above staying overnight at the Walmart offering lot but they charged $50 for it. Over all nit good.
ScoutWe had a great time in this hidden gem. It is run by the county and was much more than we expected from a county run facility. We had a very nice cam site that allowed us to pull through with our pop up. There are very tall trees around the entire campground giving you some respite from the sun and the heat. The bath house is easily within walking distance from anywhere in the campground. Many people that we met have been coming back for years (this was our first time there). They have fire rings and picnic tables and firewood for sale at the entrance. They allow dogs and the ranger is frequently visible throughout the day. You are a short distance from the river and the surroundings are wonderful. You are 20 minutes away from stores and restaurants if you happen to need them and also a short drive to Wisconsin.
Camping near Machesney Park, Illinois, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From scenic trails to family-friendly amenities, there’s something for everyone in this area.
Whether you're looking for the best camping near Machesney Park, IL, or just a quick getaway, this area has plenty to offer for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Machesney Park, IL is Rock Cut State Park - Staghorn Campground with a 4-star rating from 77 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 parks near Machesney Park, IL that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
Keep Exploring
