Best Campgrounds near Mackinaw, IL

Camping options around Mackinaw, Illinois center primarily on established campgrounds with full amenities rather than primitive sites. Kentuckiana Campground, located directly in Mackinaw, serves as a hub for RV and tent camping with full hookup sites. Several additional developed campgrounds lie within a 30-mile radius, including Kamp Komfort in Carlock and Timberline Campground in Goodfield, both offering sites for tents and RVs. Most facilities in this region provide electric hookups, water access, sanitary dumping stations, and shower facilities. The flat terrain of central Illinois creates accessible camping with limited elevation changes, making most sites suitable for larger RVs and travel trailers.

Road access throughout the region remains consistent with paved approaches to most campgrounds. Weather considerations include hot, humid summers and cold winters, with most campgrounds operating seasonally from April through October. "Great campground. Everybody was very friendly, many pull through spots, several big parks for kids to play! Will be returning! Quiet nights!" notes one camper about Kentuckiana Kampground. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays when facilities often reach capacity. Most campgrounds in this area do not have designated primitive sites, focusing instead on developed camping with amenities. Cell service is generally reliable throughout the region, though some locations may have limited coverage.

Families particularly value the recreational amenities at several area campgrounds. Kentuckiana features fishing ponds, playgrounds, and weekend activities including country music performances during the summer season. Timberline Campground offers a jumping pillow and multiple playground areas for children. Reviews consistently mention the family-friendly atmosphere as a primary benefit. As one visitor explained, "The big red slide and playground area in the holler is a fun area for the kids." Sites tend to be relatively close together at most facilities, with limited privacy between camping spots. Weekends can bring higher noise levels, especially at campgrounds that permit ATVs or host special events. For those seeking quieter experiences, weekday visits typically offer a more peaceful atmosphere with the same amenities.

Best Camping Sites Near Mackinaw, Illinois (52)

    1. Comlara County Park

    34 Reviews
    Hudson, IL
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 434-6770

    "Comlara is a beautifully laid out hidden gem in Illinois. Evergreen Lake is the perfect back drop to the campground."

    "Located just northwest of Bloomington, which is located absolutely smack-dab in the middle of the state of Illinois, you’ll discover a nature wonderland over here nearly hidden from plain site."

    2. Kentuckiana Campground

    7 Reviews
    Mackinaw, IL
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 449-3274

    "When Unhitching if there is anyone waiting to drive by, you feel kind of rushed. Don’t let it make you forget wheel chocks or something important. They have a nice pond."

    "We stayed here last year and will likely stay there again this year when we are back in Illinois. The park has two sides, one side closer to the stage."

    3. Kamp Komfort RV Park and Campground

    8 Reviews
    Hudson, IL
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 376-4411

    $40 - $45 / night

    "Nice staff, quiet enough for being somewhat close to the highway. The trees seemed to block the noise well. They have a pool that was closed because of a virus or something."

    "bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:

    Highlights: (1) Closely located"

    5. Timberline Campground

    5 Reviews
    Eureka, IL
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 326-7226

    6. Carl Spindler Campground

    11 Reviews
    Peoria Heights, IL
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 699-3549

    "This waterfront campground is perfect for anglers and particularly boaters who want to have their vessels close at hand, tied up at the marina, providing quick and EZ access to a fresh body of water that"

    "It was also a short walk to the Illinois River!!!"

    7. Millpoint Park

    16 Reviews
    Peoria Heights, IL
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 231-6497

    $18 - $100 / night

    "Perched on Upper Peoria Lake where the Illinois River conjoins, this family-friendly and pet-inviting lush camping outpost is completely surrounded by Spring Bay Fen Nature Reserve, absolutely guaranteeing"

    "If you’re looking to stay close to Peoria and enjoy beautiful sunsets and the water this place has it. Big trees, deep shade and it’s right on the Peoria Lake on the Illinois River."

    8. Love's RV Stop-Normal IL 867

    10 Reviews
    Normal, IL
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 445-6881

    $35 - $40 / night

    "highway next to a commercial big rig gas station, but if you are doing some heavy duty highway traveling with your RV or 5th wheel and simply need a place to hold up for the night, then this place really"

    "bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:

    Highlights: (1) Closely located"

    9. Hickory Hill Campground

    4 Reviews
    Secor, IL
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 744-2407

    $26 - $40 / night

    "Nestled in the verdant rolling hills of central Illinois, you’ll discover Hickory Hills Campground located just a short drive west of I39 and completely off the grid, due to the slight incline of this"

    "This seems to be more of a full time camping location. Lots of buildings and I was offered a lot for sale. Golf carts seem to be the most common mode of travel as there are plentiful."

    10. Moraine View State Recreational Area

    27 Reviews
    Le Roy, IL
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (309) 724-8032

    $40 - $20 / night

    "I never did all of the trails but spent an afternoon hiking with a friend last summer."

    "It’s also never super convenient to need to pack up just to go to a dump station but as long as your fine walking to the community restrooms, you should be fine."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 52 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Reviews near Mackinaw, IL

257 Reviews of 52 Mackinaw Campgrounds


  • Kimberly L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Comlara County Park

    Beautiful, hidden gem

    Beautiful, quiet, and clean park. I stopped for a quick overnight but will definitely be back to stay when I have more time. Sites could use more space as there is no privacy at all but that's the only thing that needs improvement.

  • Jill C.
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Friends Creek Campground

    Secluded and Cozy

    We stayed here during our travels from Kansas to Indiana. While we only stayed one night, it was long enough to know that should we travel nearby again-this will be our stopping point. Easy to access from the highway yet while in the park, we experienced pure bliss and quiet. Spacious sites and an abundant amount of shade made this stay even better! The camp hosts do an excellent job as the grounds and bathhouse were all immaculate! These are electric only sites however there are several water spigots to fill the tank prior to parking. For ease, there are even potable water spigots at the dump station and the bathhouse as well. Our site was fairly level and easy to maneuver into. For reference, we have a 34’ fifth wheel. When reserving, note that there are a handful of 50 amp sites, several 30 amp sites and tent sites available.

  • T
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Love's RV Stop-Normal IL 867

    A trickster with premium luxury pricing.

    We decided to not stay here. We stopped, did the online reservation (Loves now uses Camplife website). Made the reservation for a single night and it's $70+ tax and fees.  We paid less per night at luxury campgrounds with waterparks and entertainment. This is a truck stop. Needless to say, we won't be using Love's anymore for our single night stays when traveling.

  • L
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Friends Creek Campground

    Great campground

    Very nice small campground with well spaced sites. The bathrooms were very clean. The Macon County website is a bit wonky to navigate. The camp host is a jewel. Be aware that there are 50 amp sites and 30 amp sites. The 50 amp sites are more expensive. Would definitely return.

  • 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!

  • Jessica H.
    May. 25, 2025

    Love's RV Stop-Normal IL 867

    Perfect Pit Stop

    The campground was easy to book, easy to park, spots are pretty big and very clean. It was perfect for our short stay.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 30, 2025

    Friends Creek Campground

    Nice rural camping

    General: 40-site campground with three non-electric and the rest are either 30 or 50-amp electric. Several water spigots are sprinkled throughout the campground. 

    Site quality: All sites are gravel and level. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. The sites are spaced a decent amount of distance apart and with the many trees, it did not feel crowded, despite being almost full when we were there. 

    Bath/Shower: Very clean with soap, paper towels, and a shelf for toiletries. Did not use the shower but it looked clean as well. 

    Activities/Amenities: There are two well-marked and well-maintained trails plus a playground and basketball hoop. There is also a historic schoolhouse, and guided tours are available by calling. Before leaving the next morning, I enjoyed a walk on the two trails. There is a dump station and potable water.

    The campground was almost completely full on a Friday at the end of October yet very quiet.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 1, 2025

    Millpoint Park

    Waterfront Camping Bliss @ Family-Friendly CG

    Perched on Upper Peoria Lake where the Illinois River conjoins, this family-friendly and pet-inviting lush camping outpost is completely surrounded by Spring Bay Fen Nature Reserve, absolutely guaranteeing a sublime encounter with nature on top of offering direct waterfront sites that will frame one of the most beautiful sunsets as you look west to Peoria during Happy Hour. In all, there’s about 80 sites – all of which are incredibly spacious, unlike a lot of other RV parks – to choose from at Millpoint, where a slow meandering gravel lane will have you navigating around the campground where you’ll take good note of the excellent shade that is provided everywhere.

    From an amenity standpoint, Millpoint Park packs a punch with a combination of back-in and pull-thru sites offering up standard water, sewage and electric hook-ups, relatively new picnic tables and in-ground fire rings as well as a designated dumpster upon exiting the grounds. There’s a fantastic boat launch that will have you fishing, kayaking and experiencing this body of fresh water shortly after you anchor into your spot for the night.  In fact, you don’t even need to get into a boat, by accessing one of 2 small little lakes where you can simply cast a line in from the dock or around the perimeter. The meticulously clean restroom / bath house facility is located near the front adjacent to the main office, where next to this are 3 cabins that can be rented, just in case you forgot your tent or RV. Additionally, there’s decent hiking paths to explore both north and south of the property, with the latter offering up a small beachhead at Funks Run. The place also sells firewood, but if you need anything else, you’ll need to head south towards town where there’s no shortage of shops and restaurants.

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are a tent camper, there’s 3-4 designated areas for primitive camping, but if you’d like something less primitive and with access to water and electricity, then book yourself into one of the 5 designated tent sites: #233-#237, of which I recommend #236 and #237 as they have a small waterfront area flanking the southern perimeter; (2) The water here has a lot of iron in it, so don’t attempt to drink it, but according to the locals, it’s fine to shower in, so I would encourage you to bring a decent amount of bottled water with you; (3) If you haven’t camped out here in central Illinois during the summer, you will want to bring good DEET spray to keep the ticks away as well as hard-core smoke or scent-fused candles that are peppermint, eucalyptus or lavender-scented to keep the gnats at bay; and (4) The owner, Don, is quite possibly one of the most accommodating and friendly campground owners I have ever met– so don’t be shy if you need anything at all during your stay, including a discount to his pizza restaurant.

    Happy Camping!

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 26, 2024

    Love's RV Stop-Normal IL 867

    Roadside Overnight Pitstop

    As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:

    Highlights: (1) Closely located to I39 so access is a huge bonus; (2) Sites are very calculated contributing to the vibe of a very artificial concrete camping experience, but that also means incredibly level and well-organized spaces; (3) Despite being located at a highly trafficked fueling outpost, you will be greeted by very wonderful Midwestern hospitality; (4) Incredibly manicured grounds and well-taken care of facilities, including well-maintained and impeccably cleaned restrooms, showers and doggy park; (5) Despite being located right next to a major highway, as access is key-code enabled and you're surrounded by good securing fencing around the perimeter, you'll feel safe & secure here; and (6) The entirety of Bloomington-Normal, home to Illinois State University, is all within EZ reach, so there’s tons of places to stock up on supplies as well as restaurants to enjoy.

    Lowlights: (1) Closely located to I39 so noise and non-stop driveby traffic is a huge negative; (2) Because this is a highway layover, for those road warriors traveling up and down I74, there lacks a sense of community amongst campers as everyone is here for a short while, before moving on to their ultimate destination.

    Happy Camping!


Guide to Mackinaw

Camping near Mackinaw, Illinois, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are several campgrounds to explore.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Enjoy the scenic trails at Starved Rock Campground — Starved Rock State Park. One visitor shared, "I spent hours hiking the more than 13 miles of trails, which offer access to beautiful waterfalls and spectacular overlooks."
  • Fishing: Head to Comlara County Park for some great fishing spots. A reviewer noted, "There are tons of little nooks and crannies all around the lake to get some decent fishing in."
  • Boating: At Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, you can enjoy boating and swimming. One camper mentioned, "We loved the option for fishing and swimming in a nearby watering hole."

What campers like:

  • Natural Beauty: Campers appreciate the picturesque settings. One visitor at Moraine View State Recreational Area said, "This is a beautiful state park, lovely camping."
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Many enjoy the peaceful environment. A reviewer at Jubilee College State Park Campground stated, "It was quiet and still at night."
  • Friendly Staff: Campers often mention the helpfulness of campground hosts. At Sangchris Lake State Park Campground, one visitor said, "Tony and Danielle and the rest of the entire campground host staff do absolutely everything to make sure you have a great stay!"

What you should know:

  • Facilities: Some campgrounds have older facilities. A camper at Chief Keokuk Campground noted, "The bathroom building is decent, nothing fancy."
  • Privacy Concerns: Campers at Comlara County Park mentioned that sites can be close together. One review stated, "They are spaced a little too close to comfort for my taste."
  • Wildlife: Be prepared for wildlife encounters. A visitor at Weldon Springs State Park Campground warned, "The raccoons were so bad... the couple a few sites down had their tent destroyed."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds. One reviewer at Moraine View State Recreational Area mentioned, "There’s plenty of places to get in the water."
  • Secluded Spots: Choose sites that offer more privacy for family comfort. A camper at Pleasant Creek Campground said, "Site 31 is for those who want more privacy."
  • Plan for Meals: Bring your own food and snacks, as some campgrounds have limited options. A visitor at Illinois Sangchris Lake State Park noted, "A close and convenient location to amenities and supplies."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Size: Make sure to verify the size of your RV site. A camper at Weldon Springs State Park Campground mentioned, "A 40-foot site might only be 20 feet."
  • Electric Hookups: Look for campgrounds with electric hookups. A reviewer at Clinton Lake State Recreation Area appreciated the "30 amp service."
  • Dump Stations: Ensure the campground has a dump station available. A camper at Chief Keokuk Campground noted, "There is a single shower structure here and a few different bathrooms."

Camping near Mackinaw, Illinois, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. With beautiful parks and friendly communities, it’s a great spot to unwind and enjoy nature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Mackinaw, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, Mackinaw, IL offers a wide range of camping options, with 52 campgrounds and RV parks near Mackinaw, IL and 1 free dispersed camping spot.

Which is the most popular campground near Mackinaw, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mackinaw, IL is Comlara County Park with a 3.6-star rating from 34 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mackinaw, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Mackinaw, IL.