Best Cabin Camping near Mapleton, IL

Recent Cabin Reviews near Mapleton, IL

70 Reviews of 12 Mapleton Campgrounds

• 

  Melissa H.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 9, 2023

  Galesburg East / Knoxville KOA Journey

  Quiet, well-maintained, impeccable hosts

  We stopped here for a night on both ends of our trip to Southern Illinois. The campground was recently turned into a KOA. The new owners made significant improvements, including a brand new shower house, new playground equipment, mini golf, pool, and laundry. The grounds are lovely and well-maintained and the location is super quiet and peaceful. There was a pretty little pond and a dog run. Plenty of pull-through sites and FHU options, as well as cabin rentals. The hosts were delightful and really accommodating. Will definitely return!

• M

  Mike S.

  Scout

  

  May. 5, 2019

  Millpoint Park

  Nice quite, owners working on sprucing it up.

  Full hookups each site. On Illinois river. Has cabins for rent, showers. Check it out on google.

• K

  Kathy S.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 25, 2019

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

  We had the place to ourselves

  It was March, it was cold at night, but this ADA cabin had heat & electric, 5 beds with mattresses, beds with mattresses (2 pr bunks beds in the second room). Cement sidewalks from parking area to toilets & cabins, each with a waterfront view, fire pit & picnic table. 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. It was a challenge to find the park entrance, at night, and the closest small town is about 10-miles away. The very reasonable cost was transacted online.

• 

  Audrey S.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 19, 2018

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

  Clean good value

  Nice clean facility. Nice cabins, but no AC

• W

  William L.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 18, 2021

  Timberline Campground

  My birthday

  My girlfriend rented us a cabin for the weekend and we had a blast great people and great staff

• C

  Casey C.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 12, 2021

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

  Great place for a local getaway

  Great local place to camp. Beautiful lake with fishing and boat access. Cabins on the water. A lot of full hookup spots available with roughly 7 first come, first serve.

• 

  Mary T.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 12, 2024

  Galesburg East / Knoxville KOA Journey

  Great Campground fixing it up

  They are spending a lot on this campground. New restrooms, traveled all pads, trimmed trees, new playground equipment. It is a hidden gem. If you are on I 74 great place to stay. We will be back. A lot of events scheduled. Cabins being put in.

• 

  Rachel H.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 8, 2019

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

  Secluded Gem

  Nicely kept lake campground. Spots 56-60 overlook the boat docks. Bass fishing is good here. Showers are doable but don’t ever seem to be truly clean. Kayaking and canoeing is great here also. Cabins are small, rustic with no AC or water but are all nicely placed on the water. Campsites don’t have any shade. Drawbacks: dirty showers, no beach/swimming.

• 

  Matthew K.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 1, 2020

  Galesburg East / Knoxville KOA Journey

  Love this campground

  When we first got to the camp ground you can see a decent sized pool and greeted by the host with great hospitality with a nice sized shop with essential items you might need plus stuff for the camper if you forgot it. There’s a stocked pond with fish with a hiking trail threw the forest. All spots full hookup. And pull threw host leads you to the spot and helps you get lined up. Every spot has a tree on it so there’s tons of shade. Camp was always quiet. They have mini golf and cabins on site as well.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 26, 2024

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Waterfront Camping Bliss with City View

  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 is formed where Upper Lake Peoria meets the Illinois River. For campers who want to get away from it all, while still being within close driving distance to civilization, Carl Spindler offers the convenience of a nearby major city (Peoria) while still providing a decent escape for some rest & relaxation within a fairly decent vicinity to nature. The best part about this lakefront getaway – apart from the incredibly cheap prices for an overnight stay – was hands down, the very friendly staff who offer up everyone a very strong dose of Midwestern hospitality.

  This pet-friendly CG offers a lot of amenities including: FHUs featuring electric, water and sewage as well as playground, community fire pit, restroom and shower facility that are in pretty good (not pristine) condition, laundry, fresh tap water, boat launch, 2 dump stations, WiFi (although very poor connection) and a beachhead. All sites are very level here and come with a picnic table, fire ring and electric, while a good number of the RV slots have a combination of electric amp options in addition to water and sewage hook-ups. At the marina, you can purchase ice, small sundries and camping supplies and / or simply use this spot to launch your boat, kayak or canoe from. There’s also options to rent a slip, store your boat and / or trailer for the winter. There’s even a deluxe cabin to rent in case you don’t have a tent or RV.

  While most of Carl Spindler is designed more for the RV-driving or 5th Wheel toting kind – and to be honest, some of these look like longer-term residents and / or traveling professionals – offering up some 55 individual slots (some of which I would definitely describe as ‘very snug’), this outfit does provide 2 different options for decent camp sites with me tent pitchin’ bredren in mind, both of which sit right in front of the Illinois River. In these areas, and actually for the entire campground, there’s not much (if any) shade, tree cover or brush that contributes to an overall lack of privacy – so whatever your activities might be, you and your camping brood will be on full display to the rest of the campground. At least if you chose to set up your tent over in the primitive camping area, this area is still pretty underdeveloped (for now), so over in these parts, you’ll have a greater feeling of solitude, peace & quiet.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’d like to knock some pins down while slurping some delicious local cold brew, head on over to Landmark Bowling Center; (2) Should you be looking for some decent trails to hike check out nearby Powerton Lake State Park; (3) You will want to time your sundowners correctly, because if you do, you’ll be sipping Mai Tais leaning back in your camp chair listening to some Amy Winehouse watching the sun set in the west over the Illinois River as the twinkling stars come out to shine their brightest all with a crackling bonfire keeping you warm and lit on a gorgeous Midwestern night; (4) While I always pack a long 100 foot electrical cord for all of my electricity needs, I’ve never had to use it, except here, where the electrical outlet in the primitive tent camping area is shared by all 4 sites and ours was the furthest away – so we got lucky; and (5) In the event that you grow weary of conjuring up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or onboard mini-fridge and want to check out some local flavor, there’s a handful of options, but all will require a bit of a drive, of which I highly recommend Avanti’s Ristorante for their excellent pizza and Italian subs, the Blue Duck BBQ Tavern for outstanding smoked brisket and Obed & Issacs Microbewery for the finest local taps as well as their signature dish, Kitchen Sink Pie (don’t ask, just order).

  Happy Camping!

• M

  Mike V.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 27, 2023

  Millpoint Park

  Excellent campground and value

  Beautiful views. Great sites. Excellent communication from the manager. We got a pull-through site in the middle. We brought our two dogs and they loved this place. Our kids did too. No there's no playground, but our 7 and 8 year old girls loved this place. No there's no pool. It was very quiet and peaceful. Every day the manager and his crew were working on maintaining the grounds. The only complaint - there's no sign on the bathroom/shower house! Please put up a sign! (It's right next to the office, but you cannot tell it's a bath house because it looks just like the cabins next to it. There's no signs to tell you where the dumpster is either. Ask Don - he's very friendly and accommodating. Oh, the water. Like the other reviewers stated, the water is not for drinking. Bring cases of bottled water. But the water is fine for showering or other things. Even with water filters, it is still brown. I'm guessing that is because of the river. Good luck finding a site with no shade. There's mature trees everywhere! Also, it was very quiet and peaceful. The showers and bathrooms are amazing! Very clean. We'll be back!

• J

  Julie N.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 22, 2024

  Millpoint Park

  Beautiful and spacious!

  Met up with family to fit in one last night of tent camping for the year. They didn’t really take reservations and the pricing shifted on us (quoted $75 for 6 adults 4 kids over email, then $10 per person when we actually showed up) so that was a bit weird but I’m not too concerned bc it was still a great deal. This is basic campground—flush toilets/showers and 3 cabins available but no other amenities unless you include water/electric hookups. I couldnt tell where the primitive tent sites were bc the map online doesn’t quite line up with what we saw there. You’d come here to relax around the fire, play some outdoor games, maybe do a little walking, and that’s about it. It was just what we were looking for. Some people looked like they were going to try to fish but the water in the fishing area was low which makes me wonder if it gets really buggy in the summer. We were on 2 huge pull-thru sites with just our 2 tents and we were the only tent campers I saw—maybe 1/3 of other sites had RVs. Some seemed to be permanent so not sure if that is common? Views of the river were great, kindling was plentiful, and it was SO QUIET and peaceful at night! I usually don’t sleep the first night of camping because my brain has to tune in to the new noises but we got some good rest even with temps dipping down to 45. Would love to come back in the summer for longer.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  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!

• 

  Lee D.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 30, 2021

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Good for passing through

  General: City camping is generally challenging but this was a good place for us to land for the night as we were passing through. Very easy access as soon as you cross Peoria Lake to East Peoria. The flip side of this is that you will hear constant road noise and an occasional train. Reservations are made by phone and when I called to make mine, was told we would be in Site 33. Typical for us, we arrived after the office was closed and saw Site 33 was occupied. We took Site 36 and when I went to pay the following morning, I discovered this is where we had been moved to as site numbers are not supposed to be guaranteed. It appeared that there were many long-term campers staying here. The rate of $24 for an electric site was reasonable. Full hookup sites and a few tent sites are also available. 

  Site Quality: Site sizes are, for the most part, very generous and can accommodate a large RV and extra vehicle/s. Some are very close to each other (beach and overflow) and there is no physical separation between them. Each site has one (or two) picnic tables and a fire ring. Some sites have paved pads while the ones closest to the water are either gravel or sand. There are also several cabins.

  Bathhouse: Clean but the only downside is there is only one sink, and it is located in an awkward place (perpendicular to and close to one of the stalls). Showers were small and I did not use so cannot comment on how well they worked. Hot water was appreciated. 

  Activities/Amenities: If you are a boater, this is a great place for you as this is a marina! Small and outdated playground and a basketball stand but no basket or net. There is also a laundry room. 

  Conclusion: For us, passing through, this was an ideal place to land for the night but since we don’t have a boat, we wouldn’t stay longer than one night.

• 

  Ryan L.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 5, 2021

  Timberline Campground

  Party atmosphere, rowdy

  Stayed here for the Fourth of July weekend. It was packed and rowdy. The fireworks show was pretty good. Half the guests were setting off fireworks all weekend, to be expected, but the folks who don’t want to set off fireworks near their RV, are more than happy to set them off near yours. Probably happens any place that allows it. Parade of golf carts at about 10pm I guess each night, at least on the weekends. Sites are kinda run down and need gravel refreshed, shore power plugs replaced etc. the part that makes things a bit more rowdy is that you can drive any kind of small atv, 4 wheeler, dirt bike, dune buggy, utv, that you want. Yes I saw all these vehicles. It’s dusty here and with all those vehicles driving around constantly, all your stuff will be caked in dust by the time you leave. They have a decent sized store/snack bar in the office, along with various rentals like golf carts, mini golf game etc. the park is very large, so it’s good to see there is a security guy driving around. I’m not sure how much it helps as you’ll still see 6 y/o’s driving dirt bikes and golf carts around. This place is as country as it gets. If that’s your thing cool, have at it. If you like quieter camping, try Kamp Komfort 10 mins away.

• 

  Cindy H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 16, 2019

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Inexpensive

  Quiet but tight spots. Along the Illinois River. Includes showers and laundry house.

• 

  Stephanie O.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 11, 2023

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Carl Spindler

  The shower houses are amazing! This campground is very well maintained and right on the Illinois river. The view of Peoria at night is beautiful

• 

  Cindy H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 16, 2019

  Millpoint Park

  Not a lot of amenities.

  Large sites on Illinois River. FHU. Expensive. No laundry, store, or gas. They do sell firewood, pickup your trash, and have two showers available.

• 

  James M.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 30, 2018

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Smaller campground on Illinois River, IL

  Stayed with daughter in tent site right on shore of Illinois River. Has marina adjacent, showers, host, and laundry. Inexpensive tent sites with access for fishing, paddling, wildlife and sunset viewing.

• 

  Melissa C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 28, 2024

  Millpoint Park

  Peaceful, Clean, Beautiful River Views

  Peaceful campground, well maintained, beautiful views of the Upper Peoria Lake/Illinois River. We enjoyed a nice pull-through full hookup site that required minimal leveling. Water has a lot of iron so does smell/taste weird.

• A

  Amber

  Scout

  

  Nov. 28, 2020

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Nice and quiet campground

  We came in for Thanksgiving. We had a great spot!!! The campground was clean and quiet!! Enjoyed camping here.. Will definitely camp here again when we go visit family... We stayed in Spot 8 ... It was also a short walk to the Illinois River!!!

• 

  carissa

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 14, 2020

  Millpoint Park

  Perfect Camp Site

  This place has beautiful views of illinois river. Nice sized campsites. Everything was clean and well taken care of! Not a lot of amenities, however that isn’t what camping is all about! Full hook ups at a reasonable price. Each site also has a picnic table and fire pit. The guy that runs the place is AWESOME! So nice and willing to help with anything you need. This park is close to town, so if anything is needed you are only minutes away. LOVED camping here & will definitely be back :)

• 

  David F.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 30, 2023

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

  State Park away from busier Illinois

  https://camp.exploremoreil.com/ 84 electric RV sites all reservable except 21 First Come sites. 18 sites are full hookup. Several 50 amp sites but majority are 30 amp. Modern Shower house and 7 Vault toilet buildings. Newer Campground so Shade Trees are smaller still. Have camped here 4 times past 3 years. 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.

• 

  Brett F.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 1, 2021

  Millpoint Park

  Location, location, location!

  We were late reserving a campsite for Memorial Day Weekend. But Don had a spot for us. We are glad we stayed.

  The campground sits along the Illinois River: many campsites face it. It's secluded and quiet. Campsites are spacious and well-distanced.

  There is much to do on site. The campground is situated between a nature preserve with nice walking paths and a beach. There is also an old barge to explore.

  A little further away is Old Mill Vineyard. Well worth the 20 minute drive! The wine and ambiance are very nice. Ask for Ellen.

  The campground only had two restrooms available during our stay. But they were nice. And don't forget your RV water filter! The water here is very rusty.

• 

  Ranko K.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 13, 2020

  Millpoint Park

  Quiet; Deep Shade by the River

  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. The place could use some TLC but the owner is super nice and the the location and shaded spots are well worth it. Took my son out fishing and had him practice casting! He is 4. If you’re looking to escape, be in nature, close to the water with nice sites, this place is it. If you’re looking for super clean and lots of amenities this is not it. Most sites are full hook up with some that are for tent camping. Plenty of room and easy to get a site. Our family enjoyed a little time in the breeze and shade by the river away from the scorching summer heat! We really loved our site!

• 

  Kaitlin D.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 1, 2021

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Okay

  First of all we are so grateful for them to squeeze us in for a reservation with 1 days notice. The campground is great, views are amazing, and you are literally on the beach of the Illinois river. But some negatives they lost a star for.

  1. In the overflow “unpaved” section there is 1 station of power for 4 campers. So you definitely need a LONG power cord which our neighbors did not. So campers a little close together.
  2. For the non water sites finding the two available spickets for everyone in the overflow was a serious challenge. Esp at 5 pm after the office closed. Luckily we had a kind lady let us use hers from her full site. Better signage would make all the difference.
  3. A few neighbor campsites like to blare loud music from their golf cart later than midnight. Which is very disrespectful. Overall great time and perfect weather. Not sure we’d stay again if overflow was all that’s available.
• 

  Nancy W.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 1, 2017

  Carl Spindler Campground

  Good location to downtown Peoria

  If you want to visit Peoria, this is an ideal place to stay. The campground is part of a marina on the Illinois River and not too far from downtown. We wanted to stay here so we could visit the Caterpillar Visitor Center which is totally worth the visit.

  We visited the park in November and since it was the shoulder season the park was not very crowded. The park is open year-round and you will find more seasonal people during the off season. They close most of the park in the winter time which only leaves 22 paved sites available. Otherwise, they offer a mix of paved, full hook-up sites or electric only sites.  Sites that are close to the river have a great view of the skyline at night and if you don’t mind having just electric and being on sand these are great sites. There is a small beach area where you can access the water and a community fire pit which seemed to draw a lot of people in the evening.  

  The park has shower/bath house that was clean as were the laundry facilities. Wifi was non-existent but our Verizon 4G phone and hotspot worked well. We were able to get a decent number of antenna television channels. The roads are paved and easy for us to navigate in our 45’ RV. Our site was paved with a picnic table and fire pit and all the hook-ups worked well.

  We enjoyed the short nature trail that leaves directly from the area. The trail starts off as a boardwalk over an interesting marsh area and then transitions to a primitive trail eventually leading you to the lake shoreline. This was a great walk for our black lab who loves trails and water. Of the four times we walked the trail we only encountered people once. After a heavy rain, the low lying areas of the trail were pretty muddy so wear appropriate shoes. 

  The nice aspects of this park were the location to downtown Peoria, the pretty view of the skyline and the access to water if you want to kayak, fish, or swim. The price of $27/night for full hook-up was a great rate. The downside of this campground is that sites are close and there is a bit of road noise. There are a lot of seasonal people who were up and going to work in the morning which may bother late sleepers but meant for a quiet campground during the day.