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Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground in the Shawnee National Forest region houses upscale glamping accommodations with full hookup options, electric service, and modern amenities for an elevated outdoor experience. The spacious sites accommodate visitors seeking resort-style camping near Stonefort, with comfortable accommodations set amid the scenic southern Illinois landscape. "Spacious and beautiful equestrian campground in southern IL," noted one visitor about Little Lusk, highlighting its appeal to those seeking boutique camping experiences. Nearby glamping options include Shawnee Forest Campground and Willow Bend Retreat, offering yurt accommodations with amenities like picnic tables, fire rings, and access to clean shower facilities, creating an ideal base for exploring the natural attractions throughout the area.
Trails leading directly from Little Lusk allow glampers to explore the surrounding Shawnee National Forest, with riding or hiking opportunities through scenic woodland terrain. The property features an arena and event barn that can be reserved for weddings and special occasions, adding versatility to the glamping destination. A recent visitor mentioned, "Deborah was helpful and attended to all of our needs," reflecting the personalized service that enhances the luxury camping experience. Garden of the Gods, Bell Smith Springs, and Ferne State Park lie within driving distance, making these glamping sites strategic basements for regional exploration. Winter visitors benefit from year-round operations at several locations, though amenities and seasonal programming vary throughout the calendar.
"Burn pit and cooking grill above the pit at every site I visited. Clean Air condition in the bathroom. Showers work great."
"There is no pool or activities for kids but we went out and explored the area Beautiful walking/bike paths around the property
Hosts were very kind and helpful, we felt very welcomed!"
from $40 / night
Check Availability"We stayed as a larger group on a non-electric site. The sites were sort of close together but the trees still helped provide a sense of privacy."
"Next depending on which site you pick it can be a short walk to the lake and direct put in of your water craft. A very cool feature is that several of the sites are double."
"Address: 50 Barger Rd, Stonefort, IL.
Little Lusk is the most Spacious and beautiful equestrian campground in southern IL. Bring your horses, or just come and camp and stay in the lodge. ""I will be back next time I'm near shawnee."
from $30 / night
"This place is very close to where you need to be. Outpost in between sells food, firewood, ice etc. Very basic campsite for drive up. People were very respectful, very dog friendly."
"We arrived on a Thursday and there were plenty of open spots. Friday they open some of the other loops up for more people to stay and it did fill up for the weekend. "
from $10 / night
Check Availability"The picnic tables are old and seem to be spread around as camper are moving them around. The main bathhouse is older, but nice and clean! There is a vault only bathroom at the back of the campground."
"The campsites, fire pits and pit toilets were well maintained. The shorter trails in the park were beautiful even in the winter. The Lodge also had excellent food and a very cozy feel."
"Under new ownership buy many cabins from 40 a night on up nice shower houses electric sewer and water at a lot of sites great trails well marked maps available stalls available store and restaurant to"
from $30 - $200 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $40 - $200 / night
"We spent 5 nights on Site A5 at Crab Orchard Campground. All sites are FC/FS. Full hookups are in Loop B & it was full. Overall the campground was full but not very many people around."
"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."
"This is hands-down the nicest campground on Rend Lake."
"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."
from $16 - $44 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Arrived just as the sun was setting which was beautiful over the lake. We were in Eagle 81. Large wooded site next to the lake."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability
ScoutGary and his family are very polite and very happy to be helpful. Great prices. Burn pit and cooking grill above the pit at every site I visited. Clean Air condition in the bathroom. Showers work great. I stayed here twice, my family and I had a great time and met some really nice people.
TravelerRelatively new. Has great potential. Located in Vienna, IL near Shawnee National Forest. It has 3 fish & release ponds. Sites were a bit hilly which stands to reason since it was converted from a golf course in 2016. Some sites are pretty long. It accommodated our 35ft. MH with attached car. Some sites are close together with very little shade. The campground had lots of open sites during our stay (3rd week in Aug), but during our stay 2 other short stay campers came in & they parked them right next to us. -Full hook ups available -Hosts were very friendly & provided insight to area. -Bath house - provided air conditioning. Although new & spacious there were only 4 in the entire campground & the toilet & shower were in same space. Upon arrival only 1 was open near us. Subsequently the 2nd was closed due to a water valve malfunction & wasn’t re-opened during our stay. My husband likes level sites & facilities he could use. He said he wouldn’t come back any time soon.
GuideLots of choice camping spots! Serene and private. Beautiful rolling farmland, just minutes from town. They also offer tiny home rentals, yurt-style glamping tents, RV spots with 30 amp, 50 amp and 110 outlets, and The Art Barn for larger groups, retreats or family reunions.
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.
GuideSouth Sandusky is a very nice campground with lots of trees, concrete pad, fire pit, playground, and bathroom facilities. It is wheelchair accessible and walking distance from the lake where you can swim, fish, boat, go tubing or just walk the trails.
TravelerWe stayed as a larger group on a non-electric site. The sites were sort of close together but the trees still helped provide a sense of privacy. There were clean bathrooms with running water a short walk away, didn’t attempt to use the showers. We could easily walk to the trails and we went fishing in the lake. It was mild and quiet the days we went in Mid-May 2020. 🙂 Beautiful scenery.
TravelerAddress: 50 Barger Rd, Stonefort, IL.
Little Lusk is the most Spacious and beautiful equestrian campground in southern IL. Bring your horses, or just come and camp and stay in the lodge. Ride or hike in the beautiful Shawnee National Forest. Campsites are spacious and can accommodate very large rigs. High lines behind sites. Stalls can be reserved. some sites are full hookup. Primitive camping also available. CALL them for more info at 270-205-7138. Arena and huge event barn on site. Event barn can be reserved for weddings. Numerous sites have electric and water. They have a Facebook page with numerous photos.
LegendWe stayed Easter Weekend here in the campground and had a great time. The campground is clean and maintained. Some sites are gravel and some are asphalt. Not sure if they are upgrading a little at a time?? There are plenty of trees for shade. Some sites are close together and some have more room in between them. The picnic tables are old and seem to be spread around as camper are moving them around. The main bathhouse is older, but nice and clean! There is a vault only bathroom at the back of the campground. No water hook up at each site, only electricity. . While you are here, check out the Lodge for dinner one night and climb to the top of the water tower observation deck for some amazing views! Make the quick drive to Makanda and explore the little hippy town. Don’t forget to take a stroll through the secret garden! . The Giant City Nature Trail and Devils Standtable were really pretty, easy strolls. The Trillium Trail is a little more rugged for those who prefer less crowded, slightly tougher trails.
TravelerWe love tent camping at South Sandusky. many of the site are right on the lake and the sunrise and sunsets are always gorgeous. they have quiet hours from 10-6 and the bathrooms and showers are always really clean (but there are still usually lots of small insects). It’s also just a short drive from the South Sandusky swimming beach. It’s sometimes pretty rocky in the water so we usually wear water shoes. If you camp for the hiking though this isn’t my favorite site. There are lots of bike trails but for just hiking there are much better places.
Camping options near Stonefort, Illinois range from primitive tent sites to full-hookup facilities scattered throughout the surrounding Shawnee National Forest region. The area sits at approximately 400-500 feet elevation with rolling hills and forested terrain. Winter temperatures typically hover between 20-40°F while summer months can reach 85-95°F with high humidity, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons.
Hiking diverse terrain: Multiple trails at Pine Ridge offer accessible hiking experiences for various skill levels. "The 2 mile loop road that goes around the whole campground and down to a beach access point for a gorgeous lake was a perfect little walk with the dog. Spectacular," notes one visitor who appreciated the campground's proximity to water features.
Fishing opportunities: Several campgrounds provide direct lake access for anglers. At South Marcum Campground, campers enjoy fishing from their sites. "Great campground in the lake. Clean bathhouses," reports a visitor who appreciated the abundant wildlife, noting they saw "lots of deer and turkey!"
Seasonal swimming: Lake beaches near camping areas offer summer swimming options. "There is a beach, but you have to pay $5/person which felt excessive for what it was," explains a camper from Oak Point Campground regarding the swimming facilities. Beaches typically operate from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend depending on weather conditions.
Spacious sites: Shawnee Forest Campground offers room for larger camping setups. "The sites are spacious and have picnic tables and fire rings. Full hookups is a plus," notes one camper who appreciated the campground's former golf course layout, adding that "it has the old golf cart paths as walking/biking paths!"
Proximity to natural attractions: Oak Point Campground provides convenient access to multiple destinations. A visitor explains, "Location is everything and this is well in the middle of a great area in Shawnee National Forest. Garden of the gods, Bell Smith springs, Ferne State park, and on and on. You can spend a week here and not see everything."
Lake views: South Sandusky Campground offers waterfront sites with dramatic vistas. "We love tent camping at South Sandusky. Many of the site are right on the lake and the sunrise and sunsets are always gorgeous," shares a camper who appreciates the consistently clean facilities despite occasional insects.
First-come availability: Some campgrounds don't accept reservations. "Sites are first come and there are no reservations taken. During the week, no problem. Weekends would be iffy," warns an Oak Point Campground visitor about securing spots during peak times.
Varying hookup options: Crab Orchard Lake offers diverse site types but availability fluctuates. "Full hookups are in Loop B & it was full. 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," explains a camper who stayed for five nights.
Budget considerations: Several campgrounds offer reasonable rates compared to private options. A camper at Pine Ridge noted, "We will definitely stay here again. And it was only $10 a night!!!" Most public campgrounds in the area range from $10-22 per night depending on hookups and amenities.
Playground access: Giant City State Park Campground offers activities beyond hiking. "The campground is clean and maintained. Some sites are gravel and some are asphalt," reports a visitor who recommends exploring beyond the campground, adding, "check out the Lodge for dinner one night and climb to the top of the water tower observation deck for some amazing views!"
Swimming beaches: South Sandusky provides water recreation for children. "We love the large beach. The campsites have a nice set up and are a decent size. The kids loved the playground. There were kids everywhere and everyone was very friendly!" shares an enthusiastic family camper.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Several campgrounds offer chances to observe local animals. "A great spot with decent proximity to a lot of nature," notes a camper from Shawnee Forest Campground who stayed during Labor Day weekend, mentioning the "super friendly camp host" and "tranquil" atmosphere despite being conveniently located off the interstate.
Leveling requirements: South Marcum sites require adjustment for larger rigs. "Great camp ground.. 50 amp service, some with water and some with Full hookup... Dump stations are EZ access on the way out," reports a camper who appreciated the clean bathrooms and overall experience at Rend Lake.
Precise positioning needed: South Sandusky requires careful maneuvering. "The loop has low-sloping ditches on both sides of the road, so precise backing is needed to land on the asphalt pad," explains a visitor to the Dogwood loop who appreciates the full-hookup options available in that section of the campground.
Site selection strategy: For glamping near Stonefort, Illinois at Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground, advance planning helps secure the best spots. "Campsites are spacious and can accommodate very large rigs. High lines behind sites. Stalls can be reserved," notes a visitor highlighting the equestrian-friendly facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Stonefort, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Stonefort, IL is Shawnee Forest Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 37 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Stonefort, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 glamping camping locations near Stonefort, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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