Camping options near St. Joseph, Illinois span across the central Illinois prairie region, with elevations averaging 720 feet above sea level. The area experiences hot, humid summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 85°F from June through August and cold winters that can drop below 15°F. Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally from April through October, closing water facilities during winter freezes.
What to do
Hiking on diverse terrain trails: At Harry L Swartz Campground, trails offer varying levels of difficulty through different ecosystems. "The hiking trails are great (although be prepared for mud) and one even takes you right under an eagle nest. Bald eagles are visible on the river," reports one camper. Another hiker mentions, "We hiked Trail 3 with our dog, but we cut off early before the ladders using Trail 10."
Fishing in multiple locations: D & W Lake RV Park provides accessible fishing opportunities just minutes from Champaign. "The lake behind our trailer is beautiful and can be fished Catch and Release with Blue Gill and Bass," notes Luna L. At Clinton Lake, the waters are uniquely warm due to the nuclear plant discharge, creating excellent fishing conditions all season.
Water recreation activities: Rockville Lake County Park offers swimming and boating opportunities. "The park offers a beach and fairly busy fishing lake, some trails," mentions one visitor. For canoeing enthusiasts, Turkey Run State Park features Sugar Creek for rentals. "Saturday we rented a canoe from a canoe place right down the road from the campground."
Stargazing in designated areas: Harry L Swartz Campground is officially designated as a Dark Sky Park. A visitor reports, "Since the campground is right next to a Dark Sky Park, stargazing is amazing if you have good weather." During the Perseid meteor shower, "a local expert came to give a talk and there was a meteor viewing party of sorts, so that was very interesting."
What campers like
Private, shaded campsites: Friends Creek Campground offers secluded sites with natural barriers. "The sites are spaced a decent amount of distance apart and with the many trees, it did not feel crowded, despite being almost full when we were there," notes Lee D. Another camper confirms, "I loved that between some of the camp sites, they left a patch of prairie to act as a privacy barrier."
Clean, well-maintained facilities: Campers consistently praise the maintenance at many area campgrounds. At Friends Creek, "The bathrooms were very clean. The Macon County website is a bit wonky to navigate. The camp host is a jewel," shares Larry R. Another visitor adds, "The bathrooms and showers are immaculate. We can't say enough about Friends Creek."
Family-friendly amenities: Fox Ridge State Park Campground provides family-oriented facilities. "Prices and availability for sites was easy great hiking trails clean shower and bath houses I recommend trying this campground to anyone," notes Bill R. Another camper mentions, "All sites were spacious and shaded. We did not use any of the facilities but were impressed with how secluded our campsite felt."
Proximity to attractions: Many campgrounds offer strategic locations for exploring the region. "Nice place for an end-of-summer trip. Arrived on Sunday and nearly had the place to ourselves. Campgrounds are far removed from town and very quiet," reports Alli about Harry L Swartz Campground.
What you should know
Reservation systems vary by location: Some campgrounds require advanced planning while others allow same-day arrivals. At Forrest W. Bo Wood, "Reservation made on Recreation.gov. Sometimes available spots for one night. Can stay for two weeks in thirty day period," notes Debi. For state parks, booking windows typically open 6 months in advance.
Weather-related challenges: Summer heat and insects can impact comfort at many locations. "Our biggest issue with this campsite was the extensive bugs, once the sun goes down the bugs get horribly bad," reports Austin-Tarra G. about Bo Wood. At Harry Swartz, a visitor warns, "We would hesitate before camping here during the heat of summer unless you have a/c."
Wildlife awareness needed: Several campgrounds report active wildlife, particularly raccoons. One camper at Turkey Run State Park advises, "As some other reviews stated, watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything." During evening hours, securing food is essential at most locations.
Site selection matters: Many campgrounds have significant variation between sites. "Some of the sites are very private, others are closer together. 42-47 had a lot of vegetation between them and were very private," advises Rachel about Harry L Swartz Campground. At Turkey Run, "If that's what you're looking for, try to get a wooded site on the outsides that back up to woods."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Clinton Lake Recreation Area offers family-friendly facilities. "We stayed in the J loop, which was more family friendly and very close to the beach. There was a walking path from our site to the shore which was perfect for our young family to go back and forth on," shares Linda N. Multiple campgrounds feature dedicated play areas within view of campsites.
Shower availability: Turkey Run State Park Campground provides excellent shower facilities for families. "The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure," notes Samantha S. This contrasts with Harry L Swartz where shower houses close seasonally: "The shower house was closed until May but the pit toilets were open and still reasonably clean."
Site selection for families: When camping with children, some sites offer better configurations. "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," shares Kaley A. about Turkey Run State Park.
Educational opportunities: Several parks offer learning experiences for children. Friends Creek Campground features "a historic schoolhouse, and guided tours are available by calling." At Harry L Swartz, the bald eagle viewing opportunities provide wildlife education along hiking trails.
Tips from RVers
Leveling challenges: Many campgrounds require preparation for uneven terrain. At Turkey Run State Park, one RVer notes, "The site was very uneven. It definitely slopes to the back corner. It was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end." At Fox Ridge, sites are described as "level sites with growies between sites."
Hookup variations: Electrical service differs across campgrounds. At Charlarose Campground, "There were only 2 sites that were full hookups big enough for our 5th wheel," advises Pam M. For Turkey Run Canoe & Camping, "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."
Easy access locations: For travelers seeking convenient glamping near St. Joseph, Illinois, D & W Lake RV Park offers strategic positioning. "Super easy on and off the highway. With that you do get some noise but not too bad," notes Charles M. Another camper confirms it's "Just north of town and you will be back on the road in no time."
WiFi and cell coverage: Connectivity varies significantly between glamping accommodations. "Cell signal is off and on, but got us through," mentions Gary P. about Fox Ridge State Park. At Harry L Swartz, "AT&T cell reception is good at any of the sites," while another camper reports, "There's 2 bars of Verizon service."
