1 campground with availability next weekend
Cabin accommodations at Rend Lake provide diverse lodging options across multiple campgrounds. South Marcum Campground, Gun Creek, and Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park all offer cabin rentals with electricity. Most cabins include basic furnishings with beds and seating areas, while bathroom facilities are typically shared in central locations throughout the campgrounds. One camper shared that South Marcum is "a great campground as it is on the water, quiet and the people are all very friendly." The majority of cabins feature air conditioning for summer comfort and heating systems for cooler months, particularly at year-round facilities like Whittington Woods Campground.
Rustic cabins with minimal amenities can be found alongside more deluxe accommodations throughout the Rend Lake area. The Benton KOA provides furnished cabin options for visitors seeking more comfortable arrangements, while other locations offer more traditional log cabin experiences. Pet policies vary by location, with many campgrounds allowing pets in designated cabins for an additional fee. A recent review noted that "Gun Creek is a great campground with many waterfront sites" where several cabins offer lake views. Advance reservations are essential during peak summer months, especially for waterfront cabin units which book quickly.
Most cabin rentals provide basic furnishings but require guests to bring their own linens, towels, and personal items. Kitchen facilities vary widely between locations—some include basic cooking equipment while others offer only outdoor grills or fire rings. Camp stores at locations like South Marcum Campground and Benton KOA stock essential supplies, though selection is limited to basics. Nearby towns provide more comprehensive shopping options for groceries and camping supplies. Many cabins feature picnic tables and fire rings, allowing for outdoor meal preparation when weather permits. Depending on the specific campground, firewood may be available for purchase on-site.
"There are sites with electric, water, and sewer. Several sites are right on Rend Lake. Most sites have concrete picnic tables and fire rings."
"This is a nice campground on Rend Lake. The sites themselves are nice and the lake is beautiful! Our only issue is that the sites on not very level."
Available next weekend
from $20 - $30 / night
"South Marcum Campground is a Corp of Engineers campground just of I-57 in southern Illinois with over 100 reservable campsites. Sites have 30 & 50 amp Electric hookups."
"This is hands-down the nicest campground on Rend Lake."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $16 - $44 / night
"Wayne Fitzgerald State Park is on Rend Lake, just off I-57 in Southern Illinois. It’s a great place for camping, fishing and bikes."
"Many of the sites are walk up only. The sites have a lot of room to enjoy a relaxing weekend or set up yard games. Rend lake is a good size lake with numerous areas to explore the water."
"Beautiful campground with mature trees providing lots of shade on the 100F weekend we were there. Gravel sites, level. A lot of common ground, shaded, picnic shelters."
"The sewer and electrical connections are near the center of the gravel pad, while the electrical breaker is on the opposite side of site 94."
"The gravel patio featured a huge wheelchair-accessible picnic table, fire pit with cooking grate, stand-up charcoal grill, wooden swing, and bench."
"T-Mobile worked well- issues connecting to site Wi-Fi- staff pleasant- clean- didn’t use showers- small camp store available"
"I love camping at Rend Lake. More specifically, South Sandysky campground. It is clean, the shower houses are immaculate. It’s always fully stocked and clean. The beach isn’t littered with trash."
"Rend Lake is one of our favorite lakes at which to camp. All of the COE engineer campgrounds are well maintained and have waterfront sites!"
"This is primarily a RV park near I-64 and on a highway. Noisy!! Bad noisy. Camp site was nice. Grassy, level, near a picnic shelter with tables. Shade trees. But only about 2-3 such sites."
"We were going to overnight park at Loves but had problems with our generator. 93 degrees at 11 pm so we splurged for a site and paid $71 for full hookups."
from $60 - $75 / night
"This is an beautiful little beach on Rend lake. The lake is an important bird habitat making it a great place for my fellow bord watchers to go!"
"Just beautiful, the Corp of Engineering’s really take care of these camp grounds, very clean, most have new showers. Love it here, just wish I could stay all year round.🚴♀️🚣♀️🏊♂️"
"Very clean, level sites, large lake with a well maintained walking trail. Lake side sites, wooded sites and regular sites in the middle. Water, 30 and 50 amp, shower house, small laundry facility."
"Campground was nice and clean, has a beautiful walking trail, the camp host was nice. The restrooms and showers were super clean. Enjoyed our stay will definitely be back."
"Overall the campground was full but not very many people around. Appears many locals take spots on the weekends & then hold onto them during the week."
"This is a quiet family campground, most spots are lake side. Very spacious and lots of trees. First come first serve, and the park was full most of the time we were here."
TravelerThis is a 100 site campground on Rend Lake in Illinois. Lots of trees. Level paved sites unless you book right by the lake. Some are very steep. Bring lots to level with! We are in site 92. Away from the lake but beautiful sunshine.
GuideGreat place easy on off the hyw sites are old so you may need to block up your RV to level it . Some sites only have electric so be careful when you book it. Heard some road noise from the HYW but the campsite had plenty of room
LegendWe had never stayed at Whittington Woods, but several of our camping friends have stayed here over the years while traveling through the area. At a recent RV open house, we talked with the campground (CG) owners and decided to switch our reservation from another private CG to Whittington Woods to check it out. The owners suggested sites 92 or 97, and we were able to reserve back-in site 92 with FHUs for our two-night stay. Site 92 is one of the better sites, with a large yard and good separation from neighboring sites. The CG was easy to find off I-57—follow your GPS or the signs. Check-in was quick, and we were escorted to our site. Unfortunately, one of the CG’s regular guests had set up in our reserved site 92 instead of site 93. After a brief discussion between our owner/escort and the guest, moving him was clearly not going to be a quick process. We were offered a couple of other available sites and decided to take site 93. Site 93 was a significant downgrade, with only a sliver of yard and very little separation from site 94. The sewer and electrical connections are near the center of the gravel pad, while the electrical breaker is on the opposite side of site 94. The water connection is at the very back, requiring more than 30 feet of hose for our rig. The owners were very nice, probably too nice when dealing with their“regulars,” and made the situation more tolerable by giving us a good discount for site 93. We received two bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. We normally get good performance from our T-Mobile internet with two bars, but download speed was only 41.2 Mbps. The CG Wi-Fi was better at 69.3 Mbps download. There are a lot of mature trees, so satellite/Starlink reception could be iffy depending on the site. The CG is conveniently located near I-57 and right off IL-37, although there was quite a bit of highway noise that was manageable for us. The property provides plenty of room for walking, especially with a dog, and has a decent-sized dog park. There are quite a few full-timers and regulars, with some keeping their sites well maintained and others not so much. We also saw some of the same latitude given to“regulars” when it came to keeping dogs on a leash and picking up after them. They have 5 pull throughs that are mainly used for overnighters that are handy but close together. We understand why several of our friends regularly stay here for a night or two while traveling to and from Florida. Whittington Woods is conveniently located off I-57 and offers FHUs, making the CG a practical overnight stop. Our home base is only about an hour and a half away, however, and we have better options in the area when we need a final stop to flush tanks before heading home.
LegendWe were heading back to our home base and decided to check out this new KOA Holiday and dump our tanks before heading home. The campground (CG) was approximately 10 miles and 20 minutes off I-57 on southern Illinois backcountry roads. Along the way, we encountered a suspiciously low power line that our 13.5'-high rig cleared. Small KOA signs guided us all the way in. We've stayed at many KOAs and particularly enjoyed KOA Holidays for their service and amenities, but this CG was not what we expected. We arrived at a large gravel parking area and found a check-in room at the end of a warehouse, with envelopes on a bulletin board and a phone number to request an escort. Since the RV sites were down a steep hill, we checked our assigned Creek Side site 26 before moving our rig. Sites 23–26 sat in a bowl at the bottom of the CG, with little room to maneuver our 41' fifth wheel and F450. The escort number went to voicemail, but we reached the manager using the CG brochure number. He agreed our rig wouldn't fit and moved us to back-in site 18 on the hill. All RV sites were back-ins. Creek Side sites appeared better suited for smaller RVs, although larger rigs might fit sites 23 and 24. We later discovered the main KOA office near the marina, which handled cabin check-ins, food, and boat rentals. Sites 1–19 were former pull-through motorcoach sites converted to back-ins, with utilities on the opposite side to accommodate other RVs. Our site 18 was exceptionally wide but close to neighboring sites. We positioned our rig toward the right side of the gravel pad (facing the site) to maintain reasonable access to hookups. The electrical pedestal was at the far back, requiring approximately 35' of power cord to accommodate our toy hauler's rear deck. The wide pad provided plenty of parking for a tow vehicle or boat. However, the CG brochure listed a $75 fee for parking boats or trailers at sites, and a marina sign listed a $50 launch fee. We couldn't determine how these fees applied. Water pressure was excellent, so use a regulator. CG Wi-Fi delivered 20.9 Mbps, Verizon had two bars, and T-Mobile had three. Our T-Mobile Home Internet delivered 358 Mbps, allowing us to stream golf and football. With no trees around the RV sites, satellite reception shouldn't be a problem. Some sites had limited lake views, but don't expect panoramic views or direct lake access. The CG had undergone considerable improvements, including attractive cabins, several right on the lake. KOA cabins were mixed with privately owned cabins, while lake access was concentrated near the small marina and swimming area. We expected more direct lake access and walking trails, but neither was available from the RV sites. A standard fenced KOA dog park was available, but longer walks with our pup were limited to a short path around the fishing pond, gravel areas, and CG roads. Considerable work and investment had gone into this CG, but our experience didn't entice us to return.
GuideGreat campsite very large easy to get in and additional parking for your truck right next to your trailer
ScoutRend Lake, in Whittington, Il is just a great place to camp. From primitive to full hook ups they have what you need for a Corps of Engineers campground.
GuideI stayed at a walk-to tent site for which the price was $8 per night. Pretty solid Verizon cell signal. Clean showers and well kept. The place did sound pretty loud as far as older partiers, though around 9pm, it was near silent. I'd definitely stay here again.
GuideCampground was quiet and peaceful when I was there. Numerous trails within the park and I had them to myself while out hiking.
GuideWe arrived at 7 picked a spot in the fcfs area and were surprised that it was almost empty. We got a premium site on the water, with no other campers in sight. The website says the reservation areas were full but that was not true, you have to book 4 days in advance. The camp host was great! It will be on my list of places to overnight in the future. But the lake is beautiful and you could spend multiple days there if you wanted!
Cabin accommodations around Rend Lake span several campgrounds within the Corps of Engineers and Illinois state park systems. Located in southern Illinois at approximately 405 feet above sea level, Rend Lake covers 18,900 acres with 162 miles of shoreline. The lake experiences hot, humid summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F and mild winters where overnight freezes are common from November through March.
Fishing opportunities: Gun Creek offers excellent fishing access with many waterfront sites. "Great rates and even better campsites. We got there late and had no problems finding a great campsite right next to the lake," notes Jonathan W. who visited during the summer months.
Hiking trails: Several paths connect the campgrounds around the lake. The 14-mile Rend Lake Bike Trail runs alongside parts of the shoreline. At Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, visitors find additional nature trails within a short drive. "Lots of trails (within 10-30 minute drive). Fishing was good (especially catfish and crappie)," reports Tracie E., who stayed in early April.
Wildlife viewing: The lake area attracts numerous bird species and other wildlife. "Never been to a CG with such abundant wildlife! Can sit at your spot and watch deer throughout the day," shares Lucas T. about Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park. Early mornings and evenings provide the best wildlife spotting opportunities.
Waterfront access: Many cabin renters appreciate direct lake access. At South Marcum Campground, site 56 receives particular praise: "If I was in any other spot this would probably be a 4/5, but spot 56 has a crazy lake view and is on the tip of an outlook with pretty nice privacy!" according to Eli R.
Quiet atmosphere: Despite popularity during summer months, several cabin areas maintain a peaceful setting. "The view in the tent area of covey point is breathtaking. The campground is clean, quiet, and peaceful," reports Hollie C. about South Marcum Campground in October.
Spacious sites: Many cabin and camping areas provide ample room between units. "The campground gives campers plenty of room to spread out, lots of open space for the kids to play, and not crowded when we stopped by late July," notes CHris B., who stayed at South Marcum.
Reservation systems vary: Some cabin areas require advance booking while others operate first-come, first-served. At Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground, "The stay was pleasant and the lake was very nice but the reservation system and finding a spot was overly complicated for a first timer... people show up and throw a cooler or tent onto a site to claim it and then leave," explains Blake M.
Site leveling challenges: Many cabin and RV sites around the lake have uneven terrain. "Spots are level and nice. CHECK carefully," advises Kennon H. about Wayne Fitzgerrell, while another camper noted that "lots of sites are over 4 inch incline" at Gun Creek.
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies significantly around the lake. Some cabin areas have better coverage than others, with WiFi only available at private campgrounds like Whittington Woods and Benton KOA.
Playground access: Arrowhead Lake Campground offers family-friendly facilities including a "large childrens playground" according to Lori W., who found the campground "very nice, quiet, clean" during their stay.
Swimming areas: Beach access points provide safe swimming zones around the lake. "This is an beautiful little beach on Rend lake. The lake is an important bird habitat making it a great place for my fellow bird watchers to go! The beach is also tidy and free of alot of trash, perfect for the youngsters to play in," shares Jill R. about North Marcum Day Use Area.
Wildlife encounters: Kids enjoy spotting local animals, but prepare for unexpected visitors. "Because of the lake there are tons of mosquitos, plan accordingly! There was also a little skunk walking around this morning," warns Brennan M. at Gun Creek.
Hookup variations: Cabins and RV sites offer different utility connections. At Whittington Woods Campground, "Sites are nice, although all sites face each other meaning you will be 5-10 feet from your neighbors if you are sitting out front. Full-hookups with only a 50amp connection so if you are using 30 make sure you have a 50/30 adapter," advises James N.
Seasonal accessibility: While some cabin facilities operate year-round, others close during winter months. Gun Creek operates from "March 14 to November 30" while South Marcum operates from "March 28 to November 2," requiring winter visitors to use year-round facilities.
Road noise considerations: Some cabins experience highway sounds. "South Marcum Campground is a Corp of Engineers campground just of I-57 in southern Illinois with over 100 reservable campsites," notes Joel R., who appreciates the convenience while acknowledging the occasional traffic noise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I book a cabin at Wayne Fitzgerald State Park on Rend Lake?
To book a cabin at Wayne Fitzgerald State Park on Rend Lake, make a reservation through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website or by calling their reservation line. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance, and it's recommended to book early during peak summer months as cabins fill quickly. The park is conveniently located just off I-57 in Southern Illinois, making it easily accessible. For alternative cabin options in the region, consider Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area, which also offers cabin rentals through the same reservation system.
What types of cabins are available at Rend Lake in Illinois?
Rend Lake offers a variety of cabin accommodations across its recreation area. At Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground, you'll find cabin rentals near the lake's shores, providing convenient access to fishing and biking trails. The cabins typically include basic amenities and are situated in a peaceful setting just off I-57. For those seeking different options, Giant City State Park Campground features cabin rentals near their CCC lodge with access to the park's restaurant. Cabin styles range from rustic to more modern accommodations, with some offering lake views and others nestled in wooded settings.
What are the rates and fees for Rend Lake cabin rentals?
Cabin rental rates at Rend Lake vary by location, amenities, and season. At Rend Lake Gun Creek Campground, accommodations are part of the larger Corps of Engineers recreation area where standard camping sites with hookups run about $28 per night, though cabin rates may differ. For a nearby alternative with cabins, Washington County State Recreation Area offers rentals at competitive rates. Most cabins require a two-night minimum stay on weekends, and many charge an additional cleaning fee. Prices typically range from $65-125 per night depending on cabin size, amenities, and proximity to the lake. Holiday weekends and summer months command premium rates.
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