Best Campgrounds near Mode, IL

Camping opportunities near Mode, Illinois center around Lake Shelbyville with several established campgrounds offering water-based recreation. The area includes Camp Lakewood, Robin Hood Woods, and Lithia Springs campgrounds, all providing a mix of tent, RV, and cabin accommodations within a 30-minute drive of Mode. These facilities generally feature electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings, with most sites situated near the shores of Lake Shelbyville, creating opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming.

Seasonal operation varies across the region's campgrounds, with many facilities operating from April through October. Camp Lakewood maintains year-round availability, while others like Lithia Springs Recreation Area operate from mid-April to late October. Most campgrounds require reservations during peak summer months, particularly for weekend stays and waterfront sites. Full hookup sites with water, electric, and sewer connections are available at several locations, though primitive camping with basic amenities can be found at Possum Creek Campground in Hidden Springs State Forest. According to one visitor, "This place is a beautiful secret and I will be going back RV or tent. Only one spot had electric."

The campgrounds surrounding Lake Shelbyville receive consistently positive reviews for their fishing opportunities and water access. Robin Hood Woods Campground features a swimming pool, playground, and family-oriented activities, making it popular for families with children. Several visitors noted the clean facilities and friendly staff at these locations. Lithia Springs campground offers spacious sites with both cement pads and gravel depending on location, with some premium spots directly on the lakeshore. A recent review highlighted that "The shower house is very nice, clean and private. You can see the lake from the campground and the marina is only a short distance away." While most campgrounds in the area cater to RVs with hookups, tent campers can find suitable sites at most locations, particularly at the more primitive Possum Creek area.

Best Camping Sites Near Mode, Illinois (69)

    1. Camp Lakewood

    17 Reviews
    Effingham, IL
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 342-1111

    $35 - $999 / night

    "The sun sets behind the camper. Very nice clean restrooms, laundry room and a area you can grill in using their grills."

    "Biggest complaints are that it had a sewery smell and you could hear the highway. They have a bar and store. Firewood bundles were 10$!"

    2. Coon Creek (IL)

    18 Reviews
    Shelbyville, IL
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 774-3951

    $18 - $48 / night

    "We've been camping at Coon Creek, on a beautiful Lake Shelbyville, for a few years now, the place is perfect for family vacations. And that's exactly what we do."

    "There are many sites on this campground that are wooded and have views of Lake Shelbyville. Boat ramp to put in your boat or kayaks and sand beach for the kids to go swimming."

    3. Lithia Springs

    10 Reviews
    Shelbyville, IL
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 774-3951

    $18 - $36 / night

    "Lithia Springs is a great campground with a wonderful marina located on beautiful Lake Shelbyville! We stayed at Site #12 overlooking the lake."

    "At the end of the circles there are some sites right on the lake and the boat ramp is nearby. Nice latrines and showerhouses."

    4. Robin Hood Woods Campground & Cottage Resort

    7 Reviews
    Lake Shelbyville, IL
    10 miles
    Website

    "Right next to the lake. Plenty of room for everyone, from tents to the massive RVs. The pool very clean and never gets over crowded. Staff are knowledgeable and polite. Friendly/quiet dogs allowed."

    "It’s close to home for us but also, very clean with nice staff and a fun environment. The pool is a huge plus, it’s so incredibly nice."

    6. Opossum Creek Campground

    3 Reviews
    Mode, IL
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 644-3091

    7. Opossum Creek

    6 Reviews
    Shelbyville, IL
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 774-3951

    $16 - $32 / night

    "There is a children's playground and trails to walk toward the lake and fantastic views. If you don't care about full hook up, try for the sites 39 to 46 and 11 to 34 that offer more privacy.   "

    "campground is only about 6 miles from the town of Shelbyville where there is a Walmart, restaurant’s, gas stations, bait, hardware stores, medical care, the Shelbyville Dam, Beach, City Park with lakeside"

    8. Lone Point

    6 Reviews
    Shelbyville, IL
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 774-3951

    $16 - $240 / night

    "One 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."

    "I have camped here as well as all the Lake Shelbyville campgrounds many times before."

    9. Wolf Creek State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Findlay, IL
    16 miles
    Website

    "The park is huge and is one of the only state park's in Illinois with horse camping and horse trails."

    "We are tent people and love primitive camping in spots where we can really be away from everyone and at least pretend like we’re alone."

    10. Eagle Creek State Park Campground

    9 Reviews
    Findlay, IL
    16 miles
    Website

    "Review of Drive In Tent Camping Site 2. Showed up on a Thursday night and had our pick of all the drive in and walk in sites. We decided on site 2 in the drive in area."

    "I have camped here in the past and enjoy primitive tent camping so I stayed Friday September 29th and Saturday September 30th in the tent camping drive up site #2."

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Recent Reviews near Mode, IL

303 Reviews of 69 Mode Campgrounds


  • Mickie S.
    Aug. 31, 2025

    Okaw Valley Kampground

    Great experience

    This is a great campground and the owners are awesome! My husband and I are riding our bicycles cross country. The day we checked into the campground,he had a Crohn's flare/bowel block and went to the hospital for 4 days. The owners stored our bikes, watched our tent, and even picked us up from the hospital! Such nice people! The campground is clean, has a great showerhouse, lots of trees, and even has recliners in the laundry room. I highly recommend staying here!

  • R
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Okaw Valley Kampground

    Great place to stay overnight

    The owner, Barb, was very friendly and helpful. We had a pull through just for overnight, and it was perfect.
    The park appeared well taken care of, and the pool looked clean.

  • Stephanie S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Boulder Rec. Area - COE Campground

    Spacious and clean

    Campground was well maintained with spacious campsites. I tried to get a spot on the water but they were all reserved, they looked really nice so I would try to get it in the future. Showers were nice with air conditioning. I would say this is more of a campsite for RVs but it worked fine with our tent. Host was nice and helpful.

  • Mercedes K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 8, 2025

    Camp Lakewood

    Great Place!

    Great place! Enjoyed the serene atmosphere and friendly staff. Loved the pizza too.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 6, 2025

    Okaw Valley Kampground

    Ok for a one night stay

    The owners are friendly. The pool is well-maintained and pleasant. The campsite is an old KOA frozen in time. It's clean but dated. Water and electricity are available on site with an old picnic table. Only one bathhouse (toilet, shower) is a bit far from our site.

  • B
    Jul. 11, 2025

    Bo Wood

    Family camping

    Extremely peaceful spot and friendly camp host. Great shower/bathroom facilities (could be little cooler in there in the summer)

  • aThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 10, 2025

    Kamper Kompanion RV Park

    Perfect overnight stop.

    Just off the highway, but minimal noise. Clean. Well maintained. Pleasant staff. We had a long pull through, but there are a limited number of those.

  • B
    Jul. 8, 2025

    Wolf Creek State Park Campground

    Bad Management Ready To Ruin Your Holiday

    This park is beautiful, clean and the people were friendly. My issue is with the site supervisor and superintendent. On July 4th 2025 we were given the option of moving our entire campsite or being kicked out of the park. JULY 4TH! We booked our campsite in the last week of April, paid in full. We were the second party to book any spot in the entire campground! We chose our spot specifically for the access to the water and seclusion from the rest of the sites. Come to find out(a day after we set up camp) we booked in "horse camp" which apparently requires you to have horses. It never stated this on the website or rental confirmation we received. Nobody reached out to us in the three months we held the booking to confirm if we had horses. There was no on-site check in that could have saved us the trouble. No, instead we had to take 4 hours out of our holiday to pack all of our stuff and move into overflow camping or be forced to leave. Because of their mistake. Absolutely ruined our holiday with zero remorse or understanding. The icing on the cake was as we were leaving horse camp we noticed multiple other camp sites where people had not brought horses. They stated this happens all the time. If site management had two braincells to rub together they would fix their website instead of consistently ruining peoples trips and holidays. And then these people had the audacity to say they weren't going to charge us for the campsite they moved us to?!?! In reality, we should be receiving a full refund for the campsite we did pay for and free passes for the rest of the year. There is a second state campground on the other side of the lake I would suggest before coming to this place.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 17, 2025

    Okaw Valley Kampground

    Adorable family campground

    We stayed for five days during Labor Day weekend on our way to Emporia Kansas for Unbound gravel bike ride. This turned out to be a lovely little vacation for us. We were tired from the drive though we didn’t realize it until we stopped. There is a little pond where people fished, and a little walking path for little kid “hikes”. One day when we were bored we went to Casey the little town of big things and got a kick out of seeing the world’s largest rocking chair, wind chime etc. And we got a kick out of the fire breathing dragon in Vandalia. The camp owners were friendly and helpful. The bathroom was the cleanest I have seen at a campsite. The sites are close as it is a small campground. But it was easy as people were respectful of each others spaces and it was quiet.


Guide to Mode

The camping sites near Mode, Illinois mainly cluster around Lake Shelbyville, a 11,100-acre reservoir created in 1970 by damming the Kaskaskia River. Most campgrounds sit at elevations between 590-610 feet above sea level, with summer temperatures averaging 85°F during peak camping season. Water levels fluctuate by 3-5 feet seasonally, affecting beach access and boat launch usability at certain campgrounds.

What to do

Fishing spots: Lake Shelbyville offers multiple coves and fishing areas accessible from various campgrounds. At Coon Creek (IL), campers frequently catch bass from shore: "The bass are biting! The swimming area is basically just a dock you can jump off of but it's not crowded at all so plenty of room for my family," notes Riley J.

Beach swimming: Access sandy areas from multiple points around the lake. Lone Point offers secluded swimming spots accessible via steep trails. "We had a small, narrow, and very steep path to a beach area that was great for exploring and building rock formations. We even caught the sunset on the beach that night," writes Melissa B.

Biking and hiking: Trail networks connect several campgrounds. The 12-mile Chief Illini Trail runs from Lone Point to Eagle Creek along the shoreline, rated moderate to difficult. A visitor to Eagle Creek State Park Campground noted: "Really beautiful lake and lookouts and trail down to sandy beach. Close marina and even little food truck right off the lake."

What campers like

Private lake access: Waterfront sites at many campgrounds offer direct lake access. At Opossum Creek, "There are 81 sites in total, 17 tent with electric, 17 full hook up and the remaining are electric RV sites... We were in spot 11 that is right next to the shower house, but faces away from it and your view is trees and the lake," reports Debra M.

Boat rentals: Marina availability eliminates need to bring your own watercraft. "A storm swept in last year and it was not fun taking that boat all the way back up to Findlay. This summer, I went to Lithia Springs Marina to rent the boat and it took about 10 minutes from this campground," explains Mike D., highlighting proximity advantages.

Off-season camping: Reduced crowds make fall visits ideal. Wolf Creek State Park Campground remains open year-round, with many campers noting October offers prime conditions for seeing fall colors and wildlife. "There are hundreds of campsites in this park in addition to the horse campgrounds...There are lots of hiking trails and deer run through the park in herds in the winter months."

What you should know

Site reservations: Book early for summer weekends. Some campgrounds open reservations 6 months in advance, with holiday weekends filling up rapidly. Lithia Springs receives consistently high demand: "Campground well maintained and bathrooms/showers are kept clean. Easy access to lake, my family has been coming here every year for 20 plus years. If camping on weekends May to September will need to book it in advance."

Water access: Hydrant locations vary by campground. At many sites, a single water spigot serves multiple campsites. "The water faucets for fill up can be a bit far away," notes Nathaniel K. about Wolf Creek State Park, recommending campers "bring plenty of water hose."

Camp store hours: Limited options for supplies exist at most campgrounds. While some locations like Camp Lakewood offer small stores, hours can be restricted, especially off-season. Many campers mention Shelbyville is only 10-15 minutes from most campgrounds: "Walmart is within 16 minutes. There's a small store right outside the front gate."

Tips for camping with families

Swimming areas: Child-friendly beaches with varying amenities exist at several locations. Robin Hood Woods Campground & Cottage Resort features "a pool, playground, fishing pond and small arcade room. You can rent a peddle type cart that holds 4 people who all peddle. They really loved them," according to Tina H.

Playground facilities: Activity options for children vary significantly between campgrounds. Families consistently rate Robin Hood Woods highly: "Great campground for a chill entertaining weekend with kids. Beautiful new pool was perfectly maintained with plenty of tables and chairs to make a day of the time at the pool. Pavilion and picnic area near pool and playground perfect for family gatherings."

Weekend events: Seasonal activities sometimes include organized programs. "We went 4th of July weekend and they even had a golf cart parade and through candy which was so fun for our son," reports Sara W., highlighting how some campgrounds offer additional entertainment during peak holidays.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling: Pad quality varies between campgrounds and within individual loops. At Camp Lakewood, "Gravel sites and level. Big shade trees. The road to our site had a tight turn and required a little maneuvering but not terrible," notes Sharon J.

Full hookup availability: Limited options at some locations. While several campgrounds offer full hookups, availability is often restricted to specific loops or sections. "The sites are divided into many loops and have side pullin sites and backin sites...There are a few isolated sites on corners of loops, but most are fairly close together," explains Michael M.

Big rig access: Turning radius concerns exist at certain campgrounds. Camp Lakewood receives mixed reviews for larger rigs: "Nice set up, but lots are tight with winding roads to sites. Many sites overlook small lake. Full hook up on lots but no cable."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Mode, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mode, IL is Camp Lakewood with a 4.4-star rating from 17 reviews.