Best Dispersed Camping near Shawnee National Forest

This is dispersed camping within the Shawnee National Forest. The area can be tricky to find if you are unfamiliar with the area. It can also get very crowded on nice days due to its proximity to the college campus. It is also very popular with rock climbers and people on horseback. I found the trails to be somewhat confusing and not well marked. I was here Easter weekend and the weather was great, so there were a lot of tents set up right near the parking area. If you don’t mind hiking in a bit, peace and quiet can be found.

The campsite is considered to be primitive, which is fine, but it is right along the trail without any cover. All the campsites are one on top of the other without any cover in between or from the trail. They were all taken and incredibly packed during the Memorial Day weekend and honestly seemed very messy and unpleasant. I would not feel comfortable leaving my equipment and gear here unattended at all. I'm not sure if it's any better the further along the trail you go, but the areas we hiked it didn't appear there were additional primitive/dispersed camping spots available other than the ones near the trail head. Also, important to note that there are lots of ticks and poison ivy everywhere.

I have camped in backcountry locations and have done dispersed/primitive camping and enjoy it quite a bit, but I would have been miserable at this location.

This campground is an absolute gem and is by far our favorite in Illinois.Tucked into the tall pines of the Shawnee national forest, this park offers a handful of gorgeous sites for campers to enjoy, many that back right up to Lake Glendale. The sites are mostly private and have water hookups as well as electric. A nearby beach is available to enjoy during the summer as well as hiking trails. While this campground is certainly off the beaten path it is perfect for those that want to get away and enjoy some quiet time. No reservations though so you’ll want to get there ahead of time to ensure yourself a spot If you enjoy a very

Lake Glendale Recreation Area, _Shawnee National Forest, I_l is not to far from Harrisburg, Il if you need to stock up on supplies enroute to your camping excursion.

 If you enjoy sampling at local wineries while you visit different areas there is a short tour in this area, one of the wineries is Hogg Hollow. We stopped in while we were in the area. You will see the signs on your route between Harrisburg and Lake Glendale. Nice little winery with a tick covered Lab to greet you in the parking area. There is a longer wine trail further west in Shawnee National Forest.

When I entered Lake Glendale, Cardinal Bay boat launch was the first area I visited. It’s across the lake from the beach and has its own parking area. There were people fishing near the launch and you can access the lake trail from this area. Electric motors only on the lake.

The picnic area is a large area with a nice size pavilion and single tables sitting in several different locations near the lake and trail. The walk from the picnic area to the beach is not far either by road or lake trail.

You have the option of two different camping areas in Oak Point Campground, with several double sites that are ideal for family and group camping. There are electric and non electric sites with plenty of room for the bigger rigs. If you pick a water side site it is a short walk to the lake trail and I saw several personal watercraft sitting on the shore for use. 

There is a group camping area , Duck Campground that is at the very end of the road, so it’s nice and secluded. It has its own pavilion and facilities . I’m not sure if it’s open or closed. The CCC pavilions fire place was closed up but a grill at the pavilion had been used recently. The road in had a gate closed across it but a sign that said you could walk in.

While we were at the lake it was very quiet and peaceful even with the expected noise from the beach. Dark nights with star gazing and even a little bit of that eerie scary movie vibe at the far end of the lake where it’s a little too quiet......just sayin ;) We thoroughly enjoyed floating and hiking.

This is a spectacular place if you are looking for private and semi-private dispersed campgrounds that you can drive up to. Great hiking around the area. 

The road to get into the primitive camp area is long, and just a little bumpy but we had no problem in a 4x4, also saw volvos and subarus do just fine.  Sprinter vans would be fine. Was pretty dry when we visited, could see the road getting a little sketch after big rain.  Definitely not gonna be fun for even small RV's. Tough turnarounds for large trailers or 5th wheels.

This was our first trust disperse camping and I adored it. FREE is just that FREE. It’s a first come first served basis. Be prepared for random bugs dropping onto you as you’re doing things. If you’re terrified of wildlife this is not the place for you. It’s an interesting thing to hear what nature does when people aren’t around. The sounds in the night, the random howls in the distance …..

Try it out. You may just love it.

OH! By the way, the only negative things are the gravel road on the way down is pothole riddled and you have to hike to your spot. Don’t worry there are close spots .

Lost cellphone service immediately upon entering reserve, FYI. The place is beautiful; forests and great big, moss covered boulders. It was fun climbing down to the bottom of the falls, even with small kids. The site is popular and there was a good amount of people on Labor Day weekend, however secluded camp sites were easy to find, isolation was achieved, garbage was very minimally found (occasional broken glass or bottle caps near camp sites), and the trails were long and winding. We went during a dry spell and there was no running water at the falls! Still had a blast there though!

Lake Glendale is a true southern Illinois gem. They have recently improved the shower houses, the kids love the playground, and there is SO much shade! The campsites are pretty private and some of them are nice and large. There is a ton of hiking nearby, and we visited the Chocolate factory as well, which was a real treat.

We love going to Lake Glendale and go several times per year. It is quiet, the campsites are pretty (especially group), there are great hikes nearby, and a beach to swim on.

Campsites are up a poorly maintained dirt track from the parking area. A couple water crossings before the sites, the first one being the worst. Everything here accessible to a good 2WD with decent clearance. Only saw 3 vehicle sites and a couple tent sites before the third water crossing, which is as far as I looked.

Beautiful fall foliage. No falls since it hasn't rained in a while. Great hike around. Campsites were plentiful, alot of cars driving in late at night. Toliet was clean and open. Bring everything you need, there is no water source and bring lots of wood. We scavenged wood from the hills around but ultimately had to leave and purchase wood.

This place is popular with climbers, but I’m not one and had a rough time locating this place. The roads weren’t marked the same way they are on the website’s map, and the trailheads are confusing as well. I’m not sure how or if families manage to reach the bottom of the falls since there’s no clear way to climb down on either trail. We still had a great time, there are great campsites, and the whole surrounding area is awesome.

We almost had the entire campground to ourselves because it was February. We stayed here one night while coming back from MO. It had a huge campsite, unfortunately the bathrooms and showers were locked. Also part of the campground road was blocked off. We pulled up and didn't think we were going to be able to stay. We did a self registration and put a check in a slot and didn't otherwise speak to anyone in charge. We were able to walk a small trail by the campground along the lake but it started to rain so only got in about a mile. We packed up and headed out after that.

Off the beaten path and wasn’t sure what to expect but once there it was nice…just a parking lot with a vault lock toilet and a few campsites you see right away… also a few down the path if you want a little remote. The bathroom was stocked with tp but you will want to bring hand sanatizer or water. None available there. Cool views of the Bluffs 1/4 mile down the path and a bridge that would go over a waterfall if it wasn’t so dried up…would probably real pretty to see in the spring. Drove my Hyundai Elantra thru just fine, but it is a rough road and your car will get dirty.

Was able to find the camping right away. There was one other group set up. Nice roomy sites with fire rings. After setting up I took a great hike on the nearby trails connected to Jackson falls. Some wonderful hiking and an abundance of climbing! I did some free climbing on small boulders and managed to climb my way back to the top of the gorge. Upon returning i noticed the other camp had left the grounds to myself. Rain came over night and eventually forced my hand to leave the next day and dry out. Definitely going back. Careful with the rain, the camp is right on the stream so I woke to being surrounded by streams. The path out is also very steep. I was able to handle it with a small car but any more mud or rain I would have been stuck. good luck!

Jackson Falls is popular with climbers and has many marked routes. You are able to camp right along the water near the parking pull out and if you don't mind hikers passing by, it is a beautiful location. We were out in spring after a mid-march snow fall and melt which meant good water. I would love to come back in warmer weather to get wet. I would imagine warmer weather brings crowds.

We were hoping to stay there but upon arrival realized that was not to be. The east side of the road is where the camping sites would be but the road was completely washed out. It would be challenging for a jeep to make it back to some of those sites.

On top of that the river feeding Jackson Falls was all but dried up this time of year. Nothing but a trickle going down the cliff.

We headed to Glendale Lake nearby and had much better luck at Oak Point.

Went here in early May of 2022 with two friends. This area is massive; there are a handful of hammock friendly tent sites near the Vault toilet and parking lot, and there are plenty of sites available further up the road. When we went, it was rainy and fairly cool, so there were few bugs. My only complaint was that I had no cell service. I was too busy enjoying being there.

Had to cross two rather deep streams and the road has many ruts and is very uneven.

Fun hiking trails and beautiful sites! Hidden away gem for a fun afternoon of hiking. Can be hard to navigate at times but easily worth the climb up and down.

Great place to backwoods camp. It can be busy on the weekends and can be difficult to find an open site at times. Alot of hiking and rock climbing to do at Jackson falls.

Great little spot right off the interstate. Lots of nice scenery and decent fishing.