Wolf Creek State Park Campground features 13 dedicated equestrian campsites with additional trailer parking for approximately 6 more rigs. The horse camping area includes tie-out posts for riders who will not be camping overnight. Several miles of horse trails wind through the park, set apart from hiking trails and other camping areas. The U.S. Corps of Engineers maintains the entire park, which includes hundreds of regular campsites with full hookups, flush toilets, and shower houses in addition to the horse camping section. The park is particularly beautiful in October when the leaves change colors, offering scenic trail riding opportunities.
Located on Lake Shelbyville, Wolf Creek State Park provides year-round camping access for equestrians. The horse trails are well-maintained and separate from the hiking paths, allowing for safe riding experiences. The equestrian camping area is designed specifically for horse owners, with ample space for both horses and camping equipment. Riders must have horses to use the equestrian campsites, as these are reserved exclusively for horse campers. The park offers boat access and a beach for additional recreation when not riding. Camping reservations can be made through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website, with equestrian sites being popular during peak seasons. The park's large size accommodates multiple recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for horse enthusiasts seeking a complete outdoor experience.
"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."
from $40 - $20 / night
"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."
"The park is huge and is one of the only state park's in Illinois with horse camping and horse trails."
"Lots of equestrian parking and camping flush toilets neat trails very swell nice better if s en during the fall. Fishing and boatibg here as well."
"But a beautiful lake and campground."
"Near the back you can camp right alongside the river. Amenities are minimal, there are just port-a-potties for restrooms but they are very clean."
from $22 / night
RangerOur campsite was the best! At the end of the road with lake frontage, it was quiet, private and relaxing. Cell service with AT&T was weak with 1 bar. Vault toilet nearby with very clean showers about 500 yds away. Great host!
Guide$25 a night for 30 amp hookup is pretty good! The sites are clean and spacious. It’s quiet too! Pretty lake, but sites aren’t right on the lake.
The bathrooms need some work. Water had a boil order on it and showers only worked in the men’s room. Water was HOT! Which is great! However, the water smelled metallic…
RangerRolled in on a July Saturday at 6:30pm. There are hundreds of sites at this campground and so many were still open. Was looking for a Class C site (I.e. rustic site, no hookups). Chatted with camp hosts « papa Bruce » and « grandma sugar burger » They were so sweet and accommodating. For same day, it’s first come first serve so bring cash - you can online pay with a card online 3 days minimum before. 8$ Class C and 20$ Class A (hookup). Dump station and water and trash receptacles. Lots of hiking trails and eating activities - sadly we didn’t have time to explore.
ScoutListed on app as free, but it actually requires a reservation and fee.
GuideBeautiful, 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.
ScoutThis 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.
LegendWe were looking for a quick place to spend the night, like a Walmart or gas station when we found this gem. It is only a few miles off the highway, making it super convenient for a quick overnight stop. The campground is very big with lots of sites and since we were there at the end of October, there were not many other people around. We got a beautiful spot right on the lake.
The campground has nice bathrooms and hookups.
LegendLocated 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. One moment you’ll be driving down the well-paved country road with golden tassles of corn popping up on either side of you and the very next, you’ll turn into a wooded sanctuary that is punctuated by the marvelous Evergreen Lake, which was built in 1970 and is some 925 acres in size with an average depth of nearly 20 feet and 50 feet at its deepest.
It is this fresh body of water that really makes Comlara County Park stand-out from just about anything else in the surrounding area. It has not one but two outstanding boat launches as well as a separate launch for canoes and kayaks. There are simply tons of little nooks and crannies all around the lake to get some decent fishing in – which you will predominantly find largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, saugeye, muskellunge and crappie – as well as a small individual isle called Deer Island, although when we explored the small land mass, no deer were to be found. There’s boat rentals and a bait shop that is available on the weekends only as well as a proper beach head with swimming available 7 days a week during the summertime (Memorial Day – Labor Day).
As far as the campground(s) are concerned – if you look closely, there's actually not 1, not 2, not even 3, but actually 4 to choose from – but if you add up all of the 144 campsites (apart from the primitive camping options) collectively, they are spaced a little too close to comfort for my taste, which when you add on top of that there isn’t much brush or anything separating you from your neighbors camping alongside of you. This is likely my biggest complaint: privacy. If that doesn’t matter to you and you enjoying being in a large wide open space chock full with other tents, RVs and 5th wheelers, then Comlara County Park is a great choice for you.
I would first begin by pointing out that the entire Comlara Park is very well organized, kept impeccably clean and very easy to navigate with relatively good roads and decent signage. It feels as though whether you are looking for a trail to hike, a spot to launch your kayak, biking trails to navigate or finding a fishing hole to cast a line, everything seems as though it is in very close reach and just a short walk away. All of the 144 campsites are made available on a first-come, first served basis, with 94 including 30 / 50 amp electric while 23 are non-electric sites, with the 11 remaining devoid of any hook-ups.
For my tent-pitching primitive bredren, there’s 16 walk-in sites in the main recreation area (I guess that is situated amongst or in-between the other 3 campgrounds that exist here), but there is a completely separate whole other area (oh, and located completely in a different county altogether), which is technically a completely different campground in a completely separate physical location with these 16 primitive campsites.
With amenities in mind, aside from the greatest asset being Evergreen Lake itself and beyond the associated amenities that have already been highlighted (e.g. boat launch, beach, canoe / boat rental, bait shop) there’s 3 kid’s playground, at least 5 large shelters by my count, at least 3 his / her bathroom and shower facilities as well as scattered in-ground fire rings, water spigots (basically planted every 3rd or 4th site) stand-up BBQ grills as well as the prerequisite picnic tables, all of which were in very condition during our stay. There’s only one dump station, which seemed odd considering that there’s at least 3 campgrounds if not 4 here and 144 sites collecting garbage at a single time. There is firewood, ice and fishing worms available at the visitors center and campground station in the main area.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If like me you are a primitive tent camper and on the look out for some pretty amazing, not-so-EZ places on earth to really feel like you are out enjoying pristine, undisturbed nature, then you’ll want to have a very close look at the primitive camping areas west of Evergreen Lake over near White Oak. There’s 16 or so simply excellent lakefront sites over here along with your own boat dock; (2) Should you be ‘herd camping’ with a much larger group, there’s actually a simply fantastic hidden group camping oasis over here in White Oaks as well that you can get away from it all; (3) In the event that you grow weary of cooking up franks & beans again for dinner, you’ll have a decent drive to either El Paso, where there’s a Monical’s Pizza, Dairy Queen, Casey’s, El Paso Mexican or, upgrade yourself to The Local Tap, which is a craft kitchen and alehouse serving up some excellent fare. Of course, you could head into Bloomington, of which you will find everything, but that’s a bit of a hike unless, like me, you would make that drive to either have some of the best deep dish pizza Chicago has to offer, Giordano’s, or one of the greatest sausage and Italian beef joints in the world, Portillo’s.
Happy Camping!
LegendBeautiful lake view site. Steep drop to water so not good for those w/little kids. Great trees for hammock-overlooking lake! Pad level. Water very close. Outhouse close walk. Kayak launch close walk. Boat dock close. Shower house short walk
Wolf Creek State Park Campground is one of the primary equestrian camping destinations near Monticello, Illinois, located approximately 35 miles southeast. The park sits on Lake Shelbyville and features 13 dedicated sites for horse campers with additional trailer parking spaces. Horse trails run through wooded terrain, providing riders with access to diverse landscapes that change dramatically with the seasons. Several other campgrounds in the region offer varying amenities for both equestrian and non-equestrian campers.
Fishing and kayaking opportunities: Moraine View State Recreational Area provides access to a lake where visitors can fish and paddle. "Nice lake for fishing and kayaking. Excellent restaurant on site also," notes Kelly M., who gave the park a 5-star rating.
Beach access: Wolf Creek State Park Campground includes a swimming beach for summer recreation. A visitor mentioned, "This campground also has boat access and a beach and hiking trails. It is built into the woods so most lots are very shady and all are very level."
Boat rentals: Lake access is a key feature at Comlara County Park, though rentals can fill up quickly. According to Melissa B., "Beach costs extra and all boats were rented out by 9am on Saturday." Plan to arrive early if boat rental is part of your agenda.
Equestrian facilities: Wolf Creek's horse camping area receives positive feedback from riders. Alicia B. noted the park has "Lots of equestrian parking and camping flush toilets neat trails very swell nice better if seen during the fall. Fishing and boating here as well."
Fall colors: Moraine View State Recreational Area offers spectacular autumn views. Jennifer M. shared, "We got there in the dark and woke up to Fall colors, Canadian geese, trails, playgrounds. We got in without a reservation and upgraded to a beautiful spot on the water."
Waterfront sites: Many campers appreciate lakeside camping options at several parks. At Comlara County Park, Scott N. reported, "The best part was the view of the lake. There was a spot that a person could get a kayak or canoe into the water but I opted to use the dock."
Site selection varies: At Deer Creek Campground, riverfront sites are available in certain sections. Kate M. reported, "Near the back you can camp right alongside the river."
Water access limitations: Some parks have water sources located far from campsites. At Wolf Creek, Nathaniel K. advised, "Bring plenty of water hose. The water faucets for fill up can be a bit far away."
Bathroom conditions: Facilities vary widely between parks. Heidi at Wolf Creek noted, "The bathrooms were dirty and weren't cleaned until Friday," while Ryan M. at Moraine View observed, "Upon finding the rustic tent sites, we'd wished we'd known about that area before going."
Playground access: Several campgrounds include play areas for children. At Whitley Creek - Lake Shelbyville, campers can enjoy lake access, though wildlife awareness is important. Jana C. warns, "Raccoons are really brave and not afraid of humans. They know how to rip open a tent for food. Nothing is safe here."
Beach considerations: Swimming options exist at multiple parks but may have limited hours or additional fees. Brandi M. at Moraine View mentioned, "The swimming beach is apparently only open on the weekends but there are plenty of places to get in the water so it wasn't a big deal."
Wildlife encounters: Families should prepare for animal encounters at equestrian campgrounds near Monticello. Store food securely and teach children proper behavior around wildlife and horses.
Site leveling: Comlara County Park has some uneven sites that require adjustments. Kathie M. noted, "Site 28 unlevel. Requires several lifts. Site is very large however. Does have nice shade."
Electric options: Wolf Creek provides both 30 and 50 amp service for RVs. Sonya A. confirmed, "Nice big spots. 30 and 50 amp available. Right on lake Shelbyville. 309 spots 141 are reservable."
Seasonal considerations: Off-season camping provides more solitude at most equestrian facilities. Sadie R. observed at Wolf Creek, "We stopped in to Wolf Creek State Park later in the day on a Wednesday after trying to stop at a different campground that was closed... the area - which if full would've been pretty cramped for our taste - was absolutely empty."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Monticello, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Monticello, IL is Moraine View State Recreational Area with a 3.9-star rating from 27 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Monticello, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Monticello, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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