Searching for the best camping near Chester, IL? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Chester, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"Fifty-one Class BE campsites, 95 Class C campsites, an equestrian site with eight stalls for horses, and four Class D (primitive) campsites are available throughout the area."
"This campground is located on a small lake in Southern Illinois and managed by the department of natural resources. Good place for Camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking and boating."
"single, double, and triple camping spots set up on three loops in this small campground nestled in the corner of shawnee national forest. there's a central bath house located near check in. only amenities"
"The site was fairly secluded, and right on Kincade lake."
"Much enjoyed driving around exploring this large state park in IL. Seems to be awesome for fishing as there are many lakes. Great access to the lakes for canoe & kayak."
"The park office is a pretty long drive from the north end campground. The hiking is limited but the campground was peaceful and close to the lakes. Probably covered in bugs in the summer."
"As with all of southern Illinois it’s very senic rock formations neat trails and fishing."
"My site was close to the camp host and the shower house. Shower house was nice with 4 separate showers with locking doors. Water pressure was great and they were clean."
"All sites are within reasonable walking distance to the very nice shower house, bathrooms, it even had laundry. All facilities were well maintained and clean. Campground host sells wood and ice."
"There are currently 25 equestrian camp sites in this park in a different area than the normal RV and Tent campground."
"Each site has electricity and access to water. Some have more.
All the hiking in the park is some of the best in Illinois. The visitors center has a lot of great information."
"A great spot with a minute walk to a very well kept shower house and bathroom. We really liked this spot at CG#1."
"The campground 2 sites are set up for horses, something I know almost nothing about, but they make the sites larger to accommodate equestrian needs and that’s nice."
"There are 21 miles of trails throughout the park and a large lake. The attractions are all relatively close to the road (cave, "hidden" spring, and trout streams)."
$16 - $26 / night
"North and South Sandusky campground is located in southern Illinois on Rend Lake. It is a large state park with tons to do. From boating and swimming to hiking and relaxing."
"Well maintained on beautiful Rend Lake in southern Illinois. Reservations accepted on reservation.gov. Walk ins also welcome."
LegendThis is a great little campground with a fishing lake. Sites are gravel but well maintained. Sites are fairly close with most shaded. Getting around is a little right for bigger rigs but still doable as long as you’re careful. Make sure you fill up at the dump station before you get to the campground because there’s no easy way to turn around if you miss it. It’s approximately a mile before the campground on your left. Be aware that there are no showers though, only bathrooms. Fifty-one Class BE campsites, 95 Class C campsites, an equestrian site with eight stalls for horses, and four Class D (primitive) campsites are available throughout the area. A group camp area has its own shelter, stone fireplace, electricity and tables. Some campsites at Randolph County SRA can be reserved online through Reserve America at www.reserveamerica.com Randolph County State Recreation Area is a mecca for outdoor recreational activities. Fishing, hiking, picnicking, boating, hunting and camping are just a few of the choices on the 1,101 acres at the site. Located five miles northeast of Chester, Randolph County SRA lies in the rolling hill country of southern Illinois. Offering a cool retreat from hot summer days, well shaded picnic areas, hiking trails and scenic forest stands await park visitors.
Park Information:
West Central Illinois
4301 S. Lake Drive Chester IL 62233
618-826-2706
N: 37.968 W: -89.802 History In 1958, land was purchased and plans started to build a dam and spillway for a 65-acre lake. The lake was completed in 1961, and since that time, recreational facilities have been added to provide picnic shelters, toilets, a boat ramp and a concession stand at Randolph County SRA..
Directions All access to Randolph County SRA is from the west entrance off Palestine Rd. Coming from the North on Route 3, visitors will turn east on Shawneetown Trail south of the town of Ellis Grove. At Palestine, turn south on Palestine Road and proceed two miles, then turn left at the entrance sign. Coming from the north on Route 150, turn west on Shawneetown Trail and proceed to Palestine, then turn south on Palestine Road and proceed to the entrance sign and turn left into the area. Coming from the south from Chester, head north on Palestine Road to the entrance sign and turn right into the area.
RangerThere are currently 25 equestrian camp sites in this park in a different area than the normal RV and Tent campground. The campground is being upgraded this year in which I belive they are adding 50 amp full service to many of the electric only sites. There is currently walk in only unless you are reserving a horse camp. There are fantastic hiking trails and equestrian trails here and you would think you are in the mountains here. The geology is much like the Missouri area near the other bank of the Mississippi river. I have tent camped here and camped in a pop-up camper in the fall both times. Hiking is the best activity here unless you ride horses and that is great here too. This one and Wolf Creek on Lake Shelbyville are the best parks in Illinois for horse trails.
RangerNice park with a large camp sites with premiere off-road vehicle area. The park also features four lakes, two swimming beaches, equestrian trails, a hiking and bicycling trail and picnic sites, as well as two campgrounds capable of accommodating campers with ORV or horse trailers.
LegendThis campground was packed, but it started off on the wrong foot. The entrance comes up quick and is right off a state highway with traffic moving between 65-80 mph so of course I passed the entrance and had to double back.
When I pulled into the park there was bunch of construction. There were a few trails but honestly it really seemed like an RV park with very few tents. The showers and bathrooms were clean but there were too many people, it was very crowded.
I should add as a positive that here were equestrian trails and a large parking lot to park your horse trailer.
St. Francois State Park is close to St. Louis so it is probably a popular destination, it just didn't feel like camping. I'm sure it will improve a little when the construction is completed, but I doubt it will be above three stars.
LegendThis campground is located on a small lake in Southern Illinois and managed by the department of natural resources. Good place for Camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking and boating. There is also hunting, so some seasons are iffy. There are water and electric hookups, and a dump station. Modern shower and bathroom. Located five miles northeast of Chester IL for supplies.
GuideI’ve camped at both campgrounds offered at St. Joe. In the fall of 2018, we stayed at CG#1, the spot has a nice gravel tent pad with border, picnic table, and a fire pit. The spot also offered a concrete section for a camper and cars. We had a pop-up and one tent and it was very spacious. A great spot with a minute walk to a very well kept shower house and bathroom. We really liked this spot at CG#1.
CG#2 is located about 2-3 away from the main campground, this includes the shower house and main bathrooms. There is no shower house at CG#2. I stayed at CG#2 about a week ago. Very similar in design to the sites at CG#1, it also offers amenities for those with horses. We had a spot with electric and no water, water is located close by the vault toilets. The site has a gravel parking area rather than the concrete one at CG#1. We had two tents, two cars, and five people, just as spacious. If you want more seclusion and don’t really care about being right next to the showers, I would suggest CG#2.
Also, there was a trail located right by our spot at CG#2, it’s a good hike!!
Two clean and well kept swimming areas, great trails, good camp sites, and great bathrooms/showers!
RangerLocated on Kincaid Lake in the northwestern edge of the Shawnee National forest. The campground has three small loops. Two are more forested with smaller sites and one is more open on the edge of the forest, and geared up for equestrian camping. There are very basic pit toilets that were fairly new and clean. You can get potable water at the entrance. We camped here mid-April and the campground water spigots had not been turned on yet. Camping is $10 a night - self check in. No need to worry about finding firewood, as it is plentiful within the forest. Listened to owls at night before bed.
We took a short ride to nearby Ava and checked out Scratch Brewery. Delicious and unique little place that is off the beaten path. Only open on weekends, but highly recommend.
RangerSo, as one of Missouri’s atv parks, this can be a load one. But, you can camp at campground 2, and you’re dealing with a MUCH more classic camping scenario. The park is big enough you don’t hear the small engine vehicles over here.
The campground 2 sites are set up for horses, something I know almost nothing about, but they make the sites larger to accommodate equestrian needs and that’s nice. Hiking, MTB, and horse trails are separate from the atv trails. There’s even a nice 11 mile long paved trail that has some hills but will work for kids/strollers/etc.
There are a number of more interesting parks in the area for what I think of as a true camping experience, but this is a good one if you’re also on the pokemon plan (gotta camp ‘em all). If you like atv/utv/dirt bike stuff, man, campground one is for you, and it looks like a blast, read up on the lead mine tailing warnings.
RangerMuch enjoyed driving around exploring this large state park in IL. Seems to be awesome for fishing as there are many lakes. Great access to the lakes for canoe & kayak. Did a nice long walk along one trail late May and there was a lot of bird activity. Can't explore it all on one visit. Saw several people camping, and some were horse back riding on a trail. Hope to go back some day and spend more time there.
Horse camping in Illinois offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it an ideal choice for horse enthusiasts looking to explore the state's beautiful landscapes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Chester, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Chester, IL is Randolph County State Recreation Area with a 4.1-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Chester, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 equestrian camping locations near Chester, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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