1 campground with availability next weekend
Horse facilities are limited near Oakwood, Illinois with campground data showing no dedicated horse corrals at nearby campgrounds. Turkey Run State Park Campground in Marshall, Indiana offers tent, RV, cabin, and glamping accommodations with boat-in, drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in access options. This established park provides electric hookups, drinking water, and reservable sites with picnic tables, but lacks specific horse amenities like corrals or stables. The park features trails popular with hikers, though reviews don't specifically mention horseback riding opportunities. The campground accommodates pets, which may include horses with proper management.
Trailheads at Turkey Run State Park connect to hiking paths through deep ravines and canyon areas with cable bridges and ladders, though these are designed for hikers rather than equestrians. Turkey Run Canoe & Camping provides an alternative option with similar amenities but smaller sites reported as being close together and difficult to access. Mill Creek Park in Marshall, Illinois offers an additional camping option with electric hookups, showers, and water access. Visitors should contact these campgrounds directly about horse accommodation policies as none explicitly advertise equestrian facilities. Sugar Creek runs through Turkey Run State Park, providing water access though likely not designated for horses. Trail 3 at Turkey Run is particularly popular according to visitor reports.
"Short drive from Chicago (3 hours?) and you are in lush forest. You have to pick the right campsite or you will have no cover and big campers on either side of you."
"But close to a good size hill. Not a grass spot. No water hookup. But would recommend. Little store has lots to offer. Gas station and good near by. Fantastic walking trails within a mile or 2 also."
Available next weekend
from $20 - $52 / night
"Site 91 was tucked away in a more forested area away from RVs. Did a nice kayaking loop using their service. Had everything you needed, very chill experience. Will return fsho."
"That being said it did seem a little tight in certain area we were in but we drove around and rest of campground looked awesome!"
from $35 / night
"Incredible people who will gladly be your new best friend, super clean, Great Lake to be on, tons of trails to hike."
TravelerGreat little campground, decently spaced spots and lots of thoughtful people in a great area. Would def come back if I go through Indiana again. The lady who works in the shack quickly changed my site to one that fits my rv after pulling in and seeing it was way too small. Thanks again ma’am!
GuideVery nice and quiet. Beautiful scenery with nice walking trails. Not sure if it’s due to the government shut down but when we arrived, we had to turn around and go back to the main park office in order to register instead of the little office that is at the entrance of the campground. We are only staying one night and off to our next destination.
LegendTurkey Run State Park. Arguably one of the top 5 state parks in Indiana.
Lots of hiking opportunities, including the fabulous Trail 3 which should be a National Trail IMO. Go hike early before 10 am. This area gets crazy busy after that.
Nice nature center.
2 covered bridges.
A swimming pool in season.
A historic inn with a restaurant. You can rent cabins also.
The Lusk home has tours every Saturday in season.
The campground is a mile or so west of the entrance to the park.
Electric only. 270 sites. Water is available.
There's modern bath houses with hot showers.
We were site 218, which is technically the Turkey Hollow area. The bath house there was clean. We liked our loop for spacious sites( for a state park).
The Twin Oaks loop seemed denser.
There's a double dump near the exit. There's also one dump at the end of a loop by site 60. We were happy the other 4 campers trying to dump forgot about it!
Trail 7 access is also at the end by site 44. It's not marked on the map.
The camp store has the usual camping supplies & gift items. Ice & wood.
We enjoyed our weekend here! Even though it rained Saturday.
ScoutNice campground electric hookups my 34' travel trailer fit nicely
GuideThis park is just other-worldly. We loved it. We hiked Trail 3, which has the ladders, and parts of trail 10, 4, and 2. Trail 10 was nothing special but was relatively flat. It was pretty crowded but people were respectful.
As for our campsite, it was really nice. We had site 94, which was right next to the bathhouse. It had almost a whole extra campsite's worth of space next to it for my kids to run around. It also had a tree for shade and was nice and level.
The bathrooms were okay. They were older but seemed to be fairly well maintained. The only complaint I had was that there wasn't enough counter space to set down items for getting ready, but that is minor.
Overall, wonderful park.
GuideThis campground was reasonably priced, had clean facilities and quite unusual and intesting hiking nearby. There are multiple trails and some quite challenging ones. No water hookups at the site but all except the "youth sites" had 110, 30, and 50 amp power. I was able to charge my ev without issue. Sites tried from all concrete to a dusty dirt and rock tent area, and all had old wood picnic tables. While the hiking was incredible, the maps of the trails were poor and not up to date, with some trails not on map at all. On one trail part of it went through box canyons up an active, though trickling, stream bed.
ScoutWe took our van and stayed at Turkey Run for a three night weekend. We were in a wooded section and it was pretty private however our site was pretty sloped. Next time I would probably pick the site on either side of 167.
As some other reviews stated, watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything.
Also, the open, grassy area sites don’t offer any privacy. If that’s what you’re looking for, try to get a wooded site on the outsides that back up to woods. The majority of those have a decent number of trees separating you from the site next to you.
The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure.
We hiked Trail 3 with our dog, but we cut off early before the ladders using Trail 10. Our dog did pretty well in the section of Trail 3 before the ladders, and be prepared to get wet :)
In order to avoid crowds on the trails, we got there Thursday night so we could hike Friday morning / early afternoon. Saturday we rented a canoe from a canoe place right down the road from the campground. It was great and once we saw the crowds at the beach area of the park on Saturday afternoon, we were super glad we had been canoeing all day instead of fighting crowds at the park.
I would definitely recommend visiting Turkey Run State Park!
ScoutWhen I was younger this is the place the family would go. For fishing, hiking, and just being in nature . Has some really great trails, and if you stay at the campground itself , it has activities for the youguns ‘. When ever I am in the neighborhood, I will stop by for a weekend in a tent. Near a roaring campfire and widdle some thing out of a piece of wood. It’s peaceful, yet you’re not alone. It isn’t entirely off grid. I prefer BLM myself. But if you’re going to hit a “camp ground” this is one of my favorites.
GuideTurkey Run is a fabulous state park with a nice campground. My only complaint about the campground is that many sites are in an open, level area without a lot of trees or bushes between them. You don’t have a lot of privacy. Two sections of the campground, with the higher numbered sites, are much more wooded. If I go again, I will try to be there!
But the campground has two large modern bathrooms that are cleaned regularly. It also has clean well maintained vault toilets throughout the campground. Best of all, from the back of the campground you can access Trail 7, a moderate level trail that leads unexpectedly to a small stream running past a recessed cave. It’s a peaceful spot.
Be advised that a “moderate” hike at Turkey Run can be challenging, with plenty of steps up and down the hillsides. Many of the trails go along stream beds, so you often need to make your way across the rocks to avoid wet feet. Be prepared with hiking boots and sticks.
There are two covered bridges on the edges of the park. Be sure to check them out!
Turkey Run State Park Campground near Oakwood, Illinois spans over 200 sites situated within a mature wooded area approximately 30 miles from Oakwood. The campground maintains electric hookups at all sites with 110, 30, and 50 amp power options, though site topography varies considerably with some areas featuring significant slopes. Sugar Creek flows through the park, offering water recreation opportunities during warmer months for visitors seeking alternatives to traditional hiking and horseback activities.
Explore unique canyon trails: Turkey Run State Park features distinctive hiking paths with varied terrain challenges. One camper noted, "We hiked Trail 3 with our dog, but we cut off early before the ladders using Trail 10. Our dog did pretty well in the section of Trail 3 before the ladders, and be prepared to get wet." The park's Turkey Run State Park Campground trails include sections where hikers walk through active stream beds and box canyons.
Water recreation options: Sugar Creek provides multiple water activity options beyond just fishing. According to a visitor, "Sugar Creek is also great for floating with inner tubes, canoes, or kayaks." Turkey Run Canoe & Camping offers equipment rentals and "a nice kayaking loop using their service" as mentioned by a camper who found it to be "a very chill experience."
Sunrise viewing: Early risers can take advantage of spectacular morning views. A camper shared this experience: "My favorite part about camping is the sunrise and Turkey Run was not disappointing." Morning hours also offer less crowded trail conditions before daily visitors arrive.
Strategic site selection: Campers consistently recommend choosing sites based on privacy needs. "We were in a wooded section and it was pretty private however our site was pretty sloped. Next time I would probably pick the site on either side of 167," advised one visitor to Turkey Run State Park Campground. Corner sites receive particular praise, with one camper noting they "ended up with a great corner spot in the middle of a turn off from the main drive."
Clean facilities: Despite high visitor traffic, the park maintains well-kept amenities. A camper observed, "The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure." Another mentioned the grounds at Turkey Run Canoe & Camping are "well kept and the owners are just nice people."
Cell service coverage: Connectivity varies by provider at these parks. One visitor reported, "I have AT&T service and had no problem with cell service, my husband has Verizon and his was spotty." This information helps campers plan accordingly for communication needs during their stay.
Raccoon activity: Wildlife encounters are common throughout the area campgrounds. A camper warns, "Watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything." Proper food storage and waste disposal are essential to minimize unwanted wildlife interactions.
Site levelness varies significantly: The natural topography creates challenges at some campsites. A visitor observed sites are "in a mature tree woods, so some sites are not as level as others." Another mentioned their site "definitely sloops to the back corner. It was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end."
Weekend crowds: Popular areas become congested during peak times, particularly weekends. One experienced visitor recommends, "In order to avoid crowds on the trails, we got there Thursday night so we could hike Friday morning / early afternoon." Mill Creek Park offers an alternative with reportedly "tons of trails to hike" and potentially fewer visitors.
Trail difficulty considerations: While challenging, many trails remain accessible to families with proper planning. A visitor observed, "There are lots of inclines and steps, not much of it was extremely easy hiking, but we did see lots of families with kids doing just fine."
Space for children: Select sites with adequate room for play areas. One camper at Turkey Run State Park Campground appreciated that their site "had almost a whole extra campsite's worth of space next to it for my kids to run around. It also had a tree for shade and was nice and level."
Weekday visits recommended: Schedule family trips on weekdays when possible. A camper shared their strategy: "Saturday we rented a canoe from a canoe place right down the road from the campground. It was great and once we saw the crowds at the beach area of the park on Saturday afternoon, we were super glad we had been canoeing all day instead of fighting crowds at the park."
Site accessibility challenges: Some campgrounds present difficulties for larger rigs. At Turkey Run Canoe & Camping, a visitor noted, "The sites are difficult to get into and although they allow one car on the site there is barely room for that one car."
Power sharing arrangements: Electric hookups at some campgrounds require coordination with neighbors. One RVer explained, "The electric is shared with another site which could be a problem if you have the same type of service since there is only one 50 amp, one 30 amp, and one 20 amp service per hook up."
EV charging options: For travelers with electric vehicles, Turkey Run State Park accommodates charging needs. A visitor confirmed, "I was able to charge my EV without issue" using the available electrical hookups at their site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Oakwood, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Oakwood, IL is Turkey Run State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 73 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Oakwood, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near Oakwood, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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