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Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area offers pet-friendly camping across multiple campgrounds, including Prairie Lake Campground and Primitive Campground. All sites welcome pets with standard leash requirements, providing spacious spots with fire rings and picnic tables. The Primitive Campground features seven three-sided shelters available for just $6 per night, while Prairie Lake provides 84 electric sites with 19 featuring full hookups. ['The campground is nice and well maintained with sites fairly well spaced, offering plenty of grass and open areas.'] Both tent and RV campers find suitable accommodations, with cabins available that overlook the water, though these rustic structures lack air conditioning and running water.
The surrounding area provides excellent recreational opportunities for visitors with dogs. Multiple hiking trails wind through the 26,000-acre property, with well-marked paths ideal for morning walks with leashed pets. The campground's lakefront location supports fishing, boating, and kayaking, with some campsites directly overlooking the boat docks. While the newer campground has smaller shade trees offering limited coverage during summer months, the primitive camping area provides more substantial shade along the tree line. Campers should note that the location is relatively remote, with the nearest small towns about 10 miles away, making it advisable to bring all necessary pet supplies. The park maintains clean facilities with modern shower houses featuring locking stall doors and multiple vault toilets distributed throughout the camping areas.
"Like the quite agricultural Illinois environment but suggest shopping for your needs prior to leaving larger cities as most of the few small towns are limited to a Bar and Dollar store."
"From our cabin we walked grassy paths to a lovely bridge. Around the pond's perimeter are dispersed sites for tent-camping or possibly day-use."
from $6 / night
Check Availability"It is family and pet friendly. The owners are fantastic, friendly and caring. They keep the grounds in great shape and always have fun activities to participate in."
"Right outside of Jacksonville, Ashland, Virginia, and close enough to Springfield. We were there last weekend and will be there again at the end of the month. Happy Camping!"
"Praire Lake Campground has 3 facilities on the lake. FAMILY camp for Rv, Tentand cabins. 1. 84 sites with Electric or 19 have FHU. 2."
"Had a blast, pond was nice, did some fishing, rode bikes, walked trails. Will definitely go back again."
"You can still here some cars because of the highway but it wasn’t like really crazy. The part is a decent size if you don’t want to hear traffic go further in the back."
from $46 - $121 / night
Check Availability"Trails are well marked and maintained over 26 miles of trails."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Pet friendly. Not 5 stars since we had to leave a day early due to weather. Not their fault but sites became a lake and couldn’t even step outside. Barely any AT&T service."
"a couple cute trails and 1 nice little campground that you can pitch a tent in or drive your RV too. close to the beautiful historic New Salem Village. my dog and I love it here!"
from $10 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Good Price, nice location for fishing and kayaking. also."
"This time no water due to water break.issue. just a nice place on a beautiful lake. Nice for bird watching."
from $8 / night
Check Availability"Nor did we know there were hiking trails! The hiking trails are located on the road up the hill directly across from where you turn off of the highway to drive up to the village."
"There are some hiking trails and pavilions and a softball field. There’s a stage they sometimes have plays and bands."
GuideThe bathrooms here were heated and sparkling clean. Our Starlink had zero obstructions worked lightening fast. We LOVED having a dog park to exercise our dogs daily!
Great location, close to all the Springfield attractions and Slauterhaus Brewing in Auburn, IL (this is the best brewery nearby, better than Buzz Bomb or Obed & Issacs in town!).
GuideWe loved this campground. Was all paved sites and roads. Pretty level sites. Utilities harder to get to but all in all a great family campground. Pet friendly. Not 5 stars since we had to leave a day early due to weather. Not their fault but sites became a lake and couldn’t even step outside. Barely any AT&T service. Couldn’t use phone as hotspot at all.
ScoutWe only stayed for one night in our way north but we will return. Nice level site, pull.through for overnighters (thank you) lots of grass and walking areas for pets, pool, playground etc. friendly service and a welcoming place
TravelerThis is our favorite campground in central Illinios. It is family and pet friendly. The owners are fantastic, friendly and caring. They keep the grounds in great shape and always have fun activities to participate in.
LegendWe stayed at Argyle Lake State Park in the Twisted Oak Campground, site 20. It was terrible. They had just mowed the grass after letting it grow 6 inches high, so it was everywhere. As a result grass stuck to everything and was on everyone. Imagine a hairy dog or cat shedding all of its hair and getting all over you.
The campground had very little tree cover and the campsites were right on top of one another. In the summer heat you get cooked.
Adding insult to injury the bathrooms were disgusting. This makes family camping with small children very difficult. I did not take any pictures and cannot comment on the lake or the rest of the park because we only stayed one night and left first thing in the morning because we had such a bad experience.
Personally, a lot of these problems could be remedied by decreasing the number of sites (to create more space), planting more trees, and hiring a staff who takes pride in the cleanliness of the campgrounds.
LegendWe were surprised to discover this state park in Illinois but searching on the Dyrt App helped us have a great visit. There are 4 different camping areas within this park. There are electric sites near the showers. Another loop of electric sites is down the road. Keep going and you find a small loop of nonelectric sites ($8! It’s hard to beat that price). A mile further and there is a gravel road where you can find walk-in sites (some didn’t look cleared but others were stunning).
In our loop of rustic campsites, it filled up on the first night. There isn’t as much greenery between sites so this was a bit of a struggle noise wise. The rest of the weekend only had a couple other sites filled. We were well distanced and this ended up being a really enjoyable campground. There are vault toilets near the road. Garbage cans are almost at every other site. While they weren’t emptied out while we were there, they didn’t really fill up with just a few of us.
Recent storms brought trees down and even damaged the road around the lake. Cars are only able to go halfway around - but you can go halfway and then drive back around to see it all. The camp host recommended hiking the road. The 5 mile journey was popular even though it is a series of steep climbs and descents. We loved it and our dog loved meeting all the other dogs walking their owners around the lake. This hike became our morning ritual as it was cooler temps and shady.
There is a small restaurant at the lake. It’s near the boat launch. We saw many boats and even people fishing from shore. This man-made lake is a popular spot.
Having looked at some other campgrounds in the area, this one appealed to us the most. Even hearing a train once or the sound of distant shooting didn’t take away much from our experience. We’re glad we discovered it!
LegendThis review is for the backpacking campsites within the Sand Ridge forest. The trail is a mix of sand and soil. It’s quite an unexpected discovery in Illinois. We didn’t see anyone else on the trail but we saw cars parked so hikers were out there.
We stopped at 2 different campsites. They are just a short distance off the trail. Each was a small clearing with forest right up to the edge. A fire pit is also available. All the backpacking sites were empty so it seems that lots of options are possible.
We didn’t come across water sources so we asked the ranger. He pointed out a couple spots the have spigots or hand pumps. Be sure to have a water supply before heading out.
The longest loop is just under 15 miles but you can do different loops together to increase mileage. There is prickly pear in this area so be careful where you step. We also were told to avoid a trail because it was sandy and a tough climb. The man said he breaks horses by riding them up the hill. If this is a concern, I recommend asking around to find the best trail for you.
This is a hidden gem right in the middle of Illinois.
TravelerNice and quiet campground, we stay there during the Illinois State Fair every August and it is about 20 mins away from the fairgrounds. Only down fall is there needs to be more rock on the sites, the sites get muddy after a rain!
GuideAs you enter the park on a long road in, it opens up into an RV site first. The road will surround the lake for an AMAZING motorcycle ride, or a walk with your dog.
The Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area spans 26,000 acres of central Illinois landscape, offering several camping options within a 15-mile radius of Virginia, Illinois. The park features multiple lakes with Prairie Lake being the largest at 210 acres. Located in Cass County, the campgrounds experience seasonal weather patterns with summer temperatures often reaching the mid-90s and high humidity levels.
Fishing and boating access: At Anderson Lake State Conservation Area, visitors can enjoy direct access to both Anderson Lake and the Illinois River. "Good location for fishing and kayaking also," notes Barry G., who appreciated the wooded campsites with electric and water for tent camping.
Historic exploration: Visit Lincoln's New Salem Historic Site to learn about early pioneer life. "I love to walk through all the old buildings and learn about Lincoln's way of life. They even had horses and a bull out in the pastures! All the kids were feeding one of the horses handfuls of grass over the fence," says Leah H., who also mentions the outdoor amphitheater with evening plays.
Hiking trail access: Multiple marked paths exist throughout the region. At Lincoln's New Salem, "The hiking trails are located on the road up the hill directly across from where you turn off of the highway to drive up to the village. There were really no signs to let you know they are there but once you reach the parking lot all the trails are properly marked and well kept," explains Ashley Y.
Lakeside views: Campers appreciate the peaceful water settings. At Buena Vista Farms Campground, "We rented two cabins for the weekend and loved the place. Cabins were modern and clean overlooking the pond. They offer kayaks, canoes, and peddle boats free to campers," Sarah S. reports.
Shade coverage: Many campers with pets value tree cover in summer. "Each site is along the tree line with plenty of shade. These are walk in sites ranging from 0.10 miles to 0.50 miles from the parking lot. Just $6 a night," says Amanda C. about the Primitive Campground at Jim Edgar Panther Creek.
Clean facilities: The campgrounds maintain reliable bathroom access. Jennifer F. notes about Lincoln's New Salem, "Nice, clean bathhouse. Camp host was friendly and diligent about making his rounds." Similarly, at Schuy-Rush Park, Mary H. appreciated the "Friendly staff, clean restroom & showers."
Wind conditions: Several reviews mention significant wind at some campgrounds. "This is a really nice campground but the only downside is that it can be pretty windy," J K. warns about Jim Edgar Panther Creek. Lucas T. adds, "Always super windy too!" regarding the same area, noting it's "under developed" and "years always from being fully grown."
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies widely by location. At Crazy Horse Campground, Sarah S. reports "No Verizon wireless service here or anywhere for about a 45 mile radius." Similarly, Kaitlin D. found "Barely any AT&T service. Couldn't use phone as hotspot at all" at Lincoln's New Salem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Virginia, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Virginia, IL is Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area with a 4.4-star rating from 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Virginia, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 41 dog-friendly camping locations near Virginia, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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