22 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Several cabin options exist within a short drive of Salem, Illinois, concentrated around Carlyle Lake and Rend Lake. Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area and Washington County State Recreation Area provide cabins with basic amenities, including electricity and outdoor picnic areas. Most cabins feature standard furnishings like beds, tables, and basic kitchen facilities. "The cabins are overpriced due to no running water or nearby toilet but more private and great lake views," noted one visitor about Washington County's accommodations. Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area offers more developed cabin options with lake views and proximity to shower facilities.
Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. Okaw Valley Kampground provides family-friendly cabin rentals with access to a fishing area and paddle boats. Most require advance reservations, especially during summer months when lakeside locations fill quickly. Many cabins permit pets, though policies vary by location. Gun Creek Campground at Rend Lake maintains cabins with concrete pads and picnic tables, providing lakefront options. A camper mentioned, "We loved staying here. Pet friendly and beautiful lake views from many of the camp sites."
Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Kitchen facilities vary significantly between properties—some provide only outdoor fire rings while others offer basic indoor cooking capabilities. On-site camp stores at locations like Eldon Hazlet and Okaw Valley Kampground stock essential items and firewood. Carlyle and Mount Vernon offer the nearest full-service grocery options for cabin guests needing supplies. Bathroom facilities are typically shared, with shower houses serving multiple cabins at state parks and larger campgrounds.
"Most of the sites are large and a good distance from the next one. Shower house is alright. The store/restaurant has been closed for a year or two now because of the Illinois budget."
"It's a small campground that offers a playground,bathhouse, hiking trails, and a small swimming area. There is easy access walking down to the marina. With small towns close to this state park."
"This State Park is located outside Carlyle,Illinois. This park offers playground areas and more. Cabins, campsites with power or no power the choice is yours."
"while there are many full service sites available, this campground offers dozens of rustic tent sites right next to Carlyle Lake as well!"
from $15 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Family owned with a nice little fishing area (no license required catch and release) paddle boats and camp store. A nice pool with a big covered pavilion, clean restrooms and showers with hot water."
"Cute camp store with very long pull through parking (no need to unhook). Campfire ring and picnic table. Nice area to walk, medium size lake that fish bight."
"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."
"Stores nearby. Just staying one night as we headed back home. No complaints! There are some cute vintage campers and tiny cottages for rent as well. Nice doggie park area fenced off too!!"
from $60 / night
Check Availability"Full hookups, reservable sites, walk up sites, and all sites are large! Full hookup sites are booked solid so make sure you go online 6 months out or you are out of luck."
"Decent spacing and sites look mostly level. Water not at many sites. Showers are great separate toilets/shower rooms."
from $20 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Cleanest bathrooms ever and heated and air conditioner. Quiet and plenty of trees and a walking path. A beach to swim at and a dock to fish off. A playground for kids."
"There's miles and miles of walking and biking trails! The sites are pretty generously sized. The host was nice and the price was fantastic! I paid $42 for 4 nights."
"Awesome campground, fill hoses available for your rig, 30 amp power. Fun little trails, boat rentals and a swimming “beach” . On-site store and nicely groomed campgrounds."
"Rend Lake is a large COE recreation area with 4 campgrounds, some with full hook ups for $28 a night, two dams, 2 beaches, several boat launches, a marina, golf course and a restaurant. "
"They keep up with the grounds and shower houses very well. Easy to navigate roads and many things to do. You also have easy access to stores in the surrounding towns."
from $9 - $28 / night
Check Availability"Showers ran cold at first but after a few mins it gets warmer! There were plenty of pit toliets through out the campground and trash cans."
"This is a small lake management by the state of Illinois. The campground is usually not crowded, but some weekends do get busy. There is a shower/bathroom that was clean each time we were there."
"There are sites with electric, water, and sewer. Several sites are right on Rend Lake. Most sites have concrete picnic tables and fire rings."
"RV or tent, book online at Recreation.Gov not all spots are level. Electric on most but not all have water. Campfire area and picnic table provided."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability
TravelerThis State Park is located outside Carlyle,Illinois. This park offers playground areas and more. Cabins, campsites with power or no power the choice is yours. This is one State Park i enjoy visiting. However there are times this park cannot be accessed because of flooding.
TravelerWonderful private campground surround by woods, an open field and a small pond. There is a small playground, covered patio, bathrooms with showers and plenty of lawn space! Pet friendly and looks very ADA accessible, I had a great time spending one night here with my dog. $15 for tent/primitive camping, $25 for electric!
ScoutFamily owned with a nice little fishing area (no license required catch and release) paddle boats and camp store. A nice pool with a big covered pavilion, clean restrooms and showers with hot water. We had a level pull thru gravel site with a picnic table and small fire ring and didn’t have to unhook for our overnight. Walking/hiking wooded trails 2 cabins available- several seasonal folks. We were there on a Sunday evening and didn’t really see anyone. Little bit of road noise but so convenient! Thanks Barb!
GuideReally great campground. Good mix of tents and RVs. Bath house was very well kept and clean. Showers ran cold at first but after a few mins it gets warmer! There were plenty of pit toliets through out the campground and trash cans. My tent site was clean, good flat spot for tent, picnic table and fire pit with attached grill.
The Concession building in the park is closing. No boat rentals, selling everything he has on the shelf.
Caught a few bass and and good amount of hiking. Large trail around the whole lake, smaller trails lead to sites around the different campgrounds.
LegendRend Lake is a large COE recreation area with 4 campgrounds, some with full hook ups for $28 a night, two dams, 2 beaches, several boat launches, a marina, golf course and a restaurant. Not all facilities were open when we visited in March. Hiking and biking trails and close to town for gas and bait. Each site has a stone picnic table and fire ring. Showers, bathrooms and playgrounds in multiple places and convenient locations. Some sites do have steep grade, originally booked Bluejay 48 and moved.
https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233504?tab=seasons
ScoutIt is overcrowded all through the week in the RV area with no great views of the lake, sadly. 2. cabins.but overpriced due to no running water or nearby ttoilet but more private and great lake views Awesome fishing here and boat rentals
GuideThere’s not a bad campsite here. There are sites with electric, water, and sewer. Several sites are right on Rend Lake. Most sites have concrete picnic tables and fire rings. The bath houses are really nice, they are individual shower houses that are clean and well lit. The grounds are very well maintained. The park was full while we stayed there, but was really quiet. You can tent camp or use a camper.
RangerRV or tent, book online at Recreation.Gov not all spots are level. Electric on most but not all have water. Campfire area and picnic table provided. Bathhouse is clean and park areas are all clean, dump station on site. We will be back and book closer to the lake in a level site.
LegendBenton KOA Journey is an easy overnight stop just off I-57. Since we were already familiar with the campground layout, we called ahead to ask if we could go directly to our site on the opposite side of the road from the office and check in afterward. The staff gladly accommodated our request. We stayed in Deluxe Full-Hookup Pull-Through Patio Site 65, which made it easy to center our 40-foot fifth wheel on the utilities. The site was slightly off level, but we did not need to use blocks. The gravel patio featured a huge wheelchair-accessible picnic table, fire pit with cooking grate, stand-up charcoal grill, wooden swing, and bench. We received one bar on Verizon and two bars on T-Mobile. There are mature trees around the seven pull-through sites across the road from the main campground, but Starlink should work in most of them if you're able to position the dish around the trees. For this overnight stay, we used our T-Mobile Home Internet, which averaged 358 Mbps download and 2.7 Mbps upload. The campground Wi-Fi was adequate for light browsing. A fenced dog park was conveniently located near our site, and being across the road from the main campground helped reduce interstate noise. Overall, this is a clean, well-run KOA with exceptionally friendly and helpful staff, and a good overnight stop returning to our home base in southern Illinois to rest and dump tanks.
Cabin camping near Salem, Illinois provides access to multiple lakes and conservation areas within a 30-mile radius. The region sits at approximately 550 feet above sea level with rolling terrain surrounding several reservoirs and recreational lakes. Winter temperatures typically range from 20-40°F while summer months see 70-90°F with moderate humidity, creating variable camping conditions throughout the year.
Hiking trails: Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area offers several trails including a main path through wooded areas. "Main trail was nice but could be better marked. Lost our way a few times but still a good hike," noted one visitor at Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area.
Fishing opportunities: Washington County State Recreation Area provides multiple fishing access points with various species available. A camper mentioned, "Awesome fishing here and boat rentals" while staying at Washington County State Recreation Area.
Swimming options: Dam West Campground offers beach access for families during warmer months. "The beach at Dam West is great for the kids! We spent an afternoon there and enjoyed a picnic and swimming," according to a camper who visited the area.
Boating and water sports: Rend Lake provides extensive boating opportunities with dedicated access points. "Lake is very pretty - you could anchor your boat off your campsite," observed a camper at Gun Creek Campground.
Privacy and separation: Many campers appreciate the spacious sites at certain locations. "Most of the sites are large and a good distance from the next one," mentioned a visitor at Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area.
Dark skies for stargazing: The relatively rural location provides excellent night sky viewing. One camper at Washington County State Recreation Area noted, "The campground is pretty far from any big metro area, so the sky was real dark, great for picking out constellations."
Wildlife viewing: The natural setting offers opportunities to observe local fauna. "We listened to Whip-por-will calls around the campfire," shared a visitor at Washington County State Recreation Area.
Family-oriented atmosphere: Okaw Valley Kampground provides dedicated family facilities. A reviewer noted, "The pool, the lake, the gigantic playground, the pavilion, the laundromat, the location, the cleanliness in the bathhouse, the gardens… the hosts Barb and Gary work their asses off to upkeep this place."
Limited cell service: Some areas have reduced connectivity. "This is a great place to be unplugged and enjoy time with friends and family!" reported a camper at Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area regarding the minimal cell coverage.
Cash only at some locations: Be prepared with physical payment methods. "No cards accepted. We had to run back to the town of Nashville to get some cash from the ATM," warned a visitor at Washington County State Recreation Area.
Water quality concerns: Water systems can sometimes present challenges. A camper at Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area noted, "I filled my trailer's tank at the drinking water supply when you enter the campground. It was extremely dirty with a lot of copper colored solids."
Seasonal availability: Not all facilities operate year-round. "Only negatives is that this campground is not open year-round," mentioned a visitor regarding Dam West Campground.
Bathroom facilities vary: Quality and accessibility of restrooms differs between locations. "Bath houses were large and basic," reported one camper about the primitive camping areas at Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area.
Reserve sites early: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially during peak times. A visitor to Dam West Campground advised, "We arrived at this campground at 11am on a Friday only to find that that the first-come, first-serve sites were already full."
Explore Halloween events: Some campgrounds offer special seasonal activities. "They have a huge Halloween event every year where people decorate their sites (pretty extensively) and there's a haunted house, then kids trick or treat from site to site," shared a camper about Illini Campground.
Consider pool access: Swimming options may require additional fees. A camper noted, "There is a nice large zero entry pool for a $5 fee on weekends" at Illini Campground.
Check playground availability: Multiple play areas exist at certain locations. "There are three playground areas, a basketball court, sand volleyball and a pool during summer months," observed a visitor to Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area.
Level pads vary by site: Some locations have challenging terrain. "There is a bit of a slope to the pads so you will need to level," warned a camper at Gun Creek Campground.
Water fill options: Plan for water management where hookups are limited. "Campsites are electric only, so you need to fill your water tank before parking," advised a visitor at Gun Creek Campground.
Dump station accessibility: Waste disposal facilities exist but quality varies. "Dump station was just fine," reported a camper at Washington County State Recreation Area.
Hookup availability: Different site types offer varying amenities. "We were on electric only. Wish we had known we could have gotten a senior discount," mentioned a visitor at Gun Creek Campground.
Adapter requirements: Electrical connections may require specific equipment. "Full-hookups with only a 50amp connection so if you are using 30 make sure you have a 50/30 adapter," advised a camper at Archway RV Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Salem, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Salem, IL is Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area with a 3.8-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Salem, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 22 cabin camping locations near Salem, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
