Best Cabin Camping near Thebes, IL

Kind of a bare bones campground but this state park does offer rock climbing (if you have the expertise and your own gear). A few picnic shelters and an amazing CCC lodge that has a cabin rentals and a pretty good area restaurant. The park used to have an interp center but I believe the state closed it do to funding. The trails aren't always maintained it definitely depends on the season but the park itself is not to be missed.

Small lake. Has tent camping or cabins. All roads are gravel. We have stayed in the cabins. It was a double bed and also had a set of bunks. So plenty of room. Lake has sandy beaches. Small playset I the water for kids.

Stayed in Shawnee Lodge in camp campus. Camp Amenities include: lodges, cabins, shelters, parking, fire pits/ fireplaces all with wood supplied, amphitheater s, fishing along Little Grassy Lake, trails, swing set.

Campground here has both electric sites for campers and primitive sites for tents. All are shaded and quiet. Showers/bathrooms are really nice and clean. In addition to campgrounds, there's a very nice lodge with a good restaurant, and the cabins here are pretty good too.

Lots of amazing, beautiful hikes in this park, especially if you're into bluffs and large boulders. Easy drive to many other picturesque and unique parks (i.e. Garden of the Gods, Ferne Clyffe), and easy drive into town if you want something more civilized.

This was a great place. Again, amidst the corona pandemic but we were happy to find it. It isn’t what we’re used to, we usually like more remote, isolated, rugged, off the grid type sites (we had just travelled from Utah where we spent 15 straight days in the desert on the rim of a canyon and the end of a dirt road and never saw a person other than two raven friends) but, it was nice. The staff were super friendly and accommodating, and the bathrooms and camp store were extremely nice. The draw backs for us were how close it was to the interstate, and the fact that it’s just not what we’re used to when camping. This was a hotel to us, basically. It has a pool, playgrounds, a pond, and some tiny home type cabins that look like fun. For us, it’s a good place to stop while traveling...

One of our favorite getaways close to home for a weekend. Nice large shaded sites. Friendly and helpful staff.

 Lots 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.

We just wanted to get away for a night. This place was close and easy to book. We were very pleasantly surprised! Great clean campground- easy hook ups- pleasant staff and close to town. Went to Mary Janes for dinner gotta recommend! Campground Has a trail to a hike around lake. Playground was fun and safe. Lake for fishing. We would definitely go back.

Came here for a weekend getaway, to camp, hike and visit wineries, and was not disappointed. The campground is good, and camp hosts very friendly and helpful. Lots of trees for shade. Narrow roads with tight curves, along with the trees, made for a bit of a challenge. The hiking trails are beautiful, and not too crowded. There are many wineries within a short drive of the camp, which made for a fun afternoon. Really enjoyed our weekend here, and plan to return.

This wasn’t our first choice for a campground but Oak Point was full and sites were open here! I’m so glad that was the case as this definitely turned out to be an awesome campground. The sites are flat and open, but most are still shaded by a y’all tree canopy. The lodge and restaurant are a great way to escape the summer heat for a few hours! The Trillium Trail in the Park has beautiful views and rock formations. Get ice cream and walk the Secret Garden in Makanda. Lake Glendale is close by for swimming and kayak rentals. Of course you have to hike to the Garden of the Gods, but our favorite was the Little Grand Canyon. Both require some level of experience hiking and good hiking shoes/boots.

We were a bit nervous about this campground when reading reviews and seeing the location (there is an Impact Incarceration Program that shares the border), but I'm glad we found it. We booked this spot a few weeks in advance for Memorial Day weekend, and honestly we only booked it because it was the only campground left that seemed somewhat acceptable out of campgrounds that accept reservations. I'm glad we did. The location is amazing, it didn't seem as crowded as other campgrounds in Shawnee National Forest, it was well maintained, and had lots of features that range from hiking trails to a swimming pool (and pretty confident a basketball court as well). Even though we did not take advantage of these features, the campsite itself was wonderful. It was exactly what we wanted - a little pine forest to sleep in and get away from the city and take it easy for the weekend. There were lots of kids and other people as expected for the holiday weekend, but that did not interfere with our stay. The campsites are very compacted, but it still feels very personal and private due to all the tree cover and bushes. Additionally, there are bathrooms onsite that are pretty clean, but expect lots of mosquitos on them. Finally, Golconda is only 10 miles away and has a grocery store that was stocked with essentials we forgot and a gas station to fill up. 

Here are some of the negatives: LOTS of poison ivy and ticks. Luckily, we expected this and came prepared with tweezers, tick remover, insect repellant, and poison ivy wipes. I gave my dog tick medicine two days prior to our departure, and the tweezers and tick remover came in handy since I was bit despite the ample amounts of insect repellant. The poison ivy is EVERYWHERE. Anywhere you see trees and bushes, there will be poison ivy. It was definitely nerve wracking putting up the hammock and unfortunately did not get to cuddle our dog at all since we were nervous of the possible oils on his fur. Also, their system for reservation is flawed - when we arrived the campsite we booked had a family already all settled in, and luckily we were able to find another available campsite otherwise we'd need to talk to the superintendent and kick that family out in order to get settled in. I would have been incredibly disgruntled if this ended up happening, but luckily the campsite we ended up having was better than the one we originally booked. Could have gone either way though. Finally, cars aren't allowed next to the campsite. We initially parked next to it and the superintendent asked us to move it to the parking lot. Makes it a hassle and is a bit of a bummer, but it was fine.

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We spent 8 days in the campground. The host was excellent and clearly there to make the stay pleasant. Each site has electricity and access to water. Some have more.

All the hiking in the park is some of the best in Illinois. The visitors center has a lot of great information. The lodge has some of the best fried chicken anywhere and is very reasonable. Saturday night the dining hall was packed because of the all you can eat venue not to mention the excellent service

This is a park that would be better labeled as an unforgettable experience.

This is a wonderful place. I camped here as a teen and returning last summer was a great experience. In July the campground was nearly empty. We had our pick of nice shaded sites. The facilities were well maintained with new asphalt roads and clean pit toilets and water. The camp host was very welcoming and helpful. We had dinner at the historic lodge which is very popular and known for their huge portions and outstanding fried chicken. The lodge is worth the visit alone. The rock formations that make up the park are great for repelling and hiking. The hardwood forest provides great cover. If your visiting Southern Illinois this is high on the list.

There are currently 25 equestrian camp sites in this park in a different area than the normal RV and Tent campground. The campground is being upgraded this year in which I belive they are adding 50 amp full service to many of the electric only sites. There is currently walk in only unless you are reserving a horse camp. There are fantastic hiking trails and equestrian trails here and you would think you are in the mountains here. The geology is much like the Missouri area near the other bank of the Mississippi river. I have tent camped here and camped in a pop-up camper in the fall both times. Hiking is the best activity here unless you ride horses and that is great here too. This one and Wolf Creek on Lake Shelbyville are the best parks in Illinois for horse trails.

Maybe it's because I am from WI and we tend to rip on IL a lot, but I really found this park sub-par. I am also spoiled from getting to see some of the larger parks in the country. Would probably be nice for a long weekend with the kids. But I don't have kids. It's more of a touristy place than a real campground in my opinion. If you are in the area check out the view of Tower Rock. There are a lot of campsites available for both tent and RV, and they do offer grills, tables, camp fire pits, toilets, and a playground. Pets are welcome. Part of a foundation of an old house built on a rock is still around and is a neat part of history.

This campground was wonderful! The campsites were huge. There were trees everywhere which were great for shade and hanging hammocks. Many of the sites were pull throughs which is nice for larger rvs. Several bluff hikes with large rock formations and lush greenery were nearby. The lodge offered a delicious all you can eat fried chicken family style dinner. Lakes nearby for fishing, kayaking & paddle boarding.

Giant City is a great place to go with your family! The trails are fun and interesting while the lodge is fantastic! Amazing food there! The scenery is beautiful and the lookout tower gives amazing views!

We stayed here during the winter while visiting my brother who was in college nearby. He and his friends seem to camp here quite often and it was a great choice. Even in the winter the sites were quite clear and clean and it provided great access to nearby trails and hiking.

Due to the somewhat rural location you could not beat the view of the stars at night.

For climbers, there is a ton of nearby trad and sport climbing. The main wall stays wet for a while so if it has recently rained you may need to find somewhere else.

Wanting to explore some of the Shawnee Forest, we selected Giant City as it was recommended by a friend (and one of the few places that accepts reservations ahead of time!)  The campsite was good and we loved that it backed up to some woods, which our kids explored often.  The vault toilets were fine and the play ground was good.  We really enjoyed the hikes, seeing the sandstone "walls" that makes the area famous.  We found several short but gorgeous hiking trails, which was perfect for our young children.  We also had the entire loop of the campground to ourselves, as it was early spring and our spring break was an off time. We ate a great dinner at the lodge, which has beautiful panoramic views and the food was tasty too.  We liked the family style fried chicken dinner! Very prompt service, too.

Great campground, park ranger very close and comes around often. Nice big spaces for rv or tents.

Down side its not super close to alot of trails.

We came down for a spontaneous camping trip to explore SNF and found Giant City to be a great place to stay. We stayed in the primitive camp site, while there were others there, everyone was dispersed far enough that it felt private. Camp grounds were clean, quiet, and the camp host and park ranger were very kind. There is a nice trail across from the primitive camping site which also has a pond for fishing as well. Bathrooms and shower house were all clean! Overall we had a great time and will absolutely be back.

Camped here for a weekend and was not disappointed! There are multiple easy to get to "primitive" campsites for tent camping but all are within an easy walk of the outhouse, water hydrant, and parking lot. There are several easy hikes within a short drive to other areas of the park. The park also has a 6 mile hike-in campsite for backpacking and a lot of electrical hookups for RV camping. The trails are over cliffs and through gorgeous boulders.

We stayed at Giant City in February on a very cold weekend. It was still a fantastic trip! 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. Definitely visit the Lodge!!

This is your run of the mill campground. Lots of RVs, close sites, not much privacy. That being said there is nothing wrong with it, it’s just not a campground I’d go out of my way to stay at again.