113 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The Shawnee National Forest surrounding Makanda, Illinois contains several diverse camping areas including Giant City State Park, Ferne Clyffe State Park, and Little Grassy Lake. These locations offer a mix of established campgrounds with both primitive and developed sites, accommodating tent camping, RVs, and cabin options. Giant City State Park Campground provides electricity at most sites, while Touch of Nature Education Center specializes in cabin accommodations. Several campgrounds in the area feature lake access, including Little Grassy Lake Campground and Crab Orchard Lake Campground, both operating seasonally from April through October.
Southern Illinois camping typically remains accessible year-round at select locations, though seasonal closures affect many campgrounds between November and March. "This is a great little park in southern Illinois. It is surrounded by cornfields, however the park is wooded. The park surrounds a very pretty lake," noted one visitor about Washington County State Recreation Area. Water access represents a significant consideration for planning, with many campgrounds offering lakefront sites with boat launches and fishing opportunities. Bathroom and shower facilities vary considerably between locations, with most developed campgrounds providing flush toilets and hot showers during peak season. Cell service can be limited in more remote areas of the Shawnee National Forest.
Campers report high satisfaction with sites that provide water recreation opportunities. The region contains numerous hiking opportunities, with trail networks connecting many campgrounds to natural attractions like rock formations and waterfalls. According to one visitor, "We spent 8 days in the campground. The host was excellent and clearly there to make the stay pleasant. All the hiking in the park is some of the best in Illinois." While some campgrounds offer reservations through ReserveAmerica, others operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Campground proximity to natural features like Giant City's sandstone formations, Little Grand Canyon, and Garden of the Gods provides strategic base camp locations for exploring the broader Shawnee National Forest region. Makanda camping options range from basic tent sites to more developed campgrounds with various amenities. Electric hookups are available at many developed sites, though full hookups with sewer connections are less common.
"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."
"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."
"We took a chance camping here since we hang hammocks but we found a site that had some trees nearby. We were pleasantly surprised to see a port-a-pottie at the campground."
"Stayed during the eclipse so crowds were intense but the hosts lets us camp where we could find room, the site was clean and the pond was beautiful (as always bring the bug spray when camping near the"
"Wthat a nice find in southern Illinois just outside of Marion. Very big roomy and grassy sites. Some right on the lake shore."
"Getting there: Easy access off Illinois 13 East of Carbondale Check in and staff: Campground is now under the egis of recreation.gov& reservations through them are a must."
from $10 - $25 / night
Check Availability"We've been wanting to explore southern Illinois for a long time, but it's a six hour (min) drive from our home."
"The lake is quiet and clean. A nice hidden gem located a short drive from beautiful hiking trails. We will definitely be back."
from $15 - $35 / night
Check Availability"Had very nice trails, very clean. Forest is beautiful. We camped at the primitive area spot 11. Spots are pretty dam close to each other. There is camping you can walk off to."
"Great campground away from roads and noise. Goreville is small local town with grocery store and service station for supplies. South LOOP sites 1-23 are first come sites."
from $18 / night
Check Availability"Ferne Cliffe State Park is situated in the Shawnee National Forest, in the southern part of Illinois."
"Dog friendly, pretty well spaced out campsites but some are used as paths with to get to farther back campsites. Good set up, not too close to neighbors and it’s heavily wooded in between."
"PRO Senior discount saving $6
Able to reserve on-line 365 days prior to arriving
Very friendly and helpful camp host
Unobstructed view of the Mississippi River
Great dark sky viewing
No highway"
"As close to camping next to the Mississippi river as you can get"
"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."
"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."
"Quite quaint and easy access to campground."
"This campground is family friendly and right on the lake. We were lucky to come on a cooler weekend and get a more private campsite."
"We followed our GPS to the clearly marked CG entrance but our GPS showed we still had about a half mile to go."
"Super friendly camp host, conveniently located off the interstate and feels pretty secure and tranquil. I will say some of the gravel was washed out which is surprising given how dry it’s been."
from $40 / night
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GuideFull hook up. Level. Parked in large trees. Concerned we might not be able to get our slide out, but it was okay. Shaded. Great water views. Lots of boat activity. Gave we “party cove” vibes. But family friend party cove.
GuideThe views!!! Loved it. Lots to do in the area. Recommend Giant City! Grounds were well maintained. There was a giant snake behind our site. And goose poop everywhere. But we are camping in THEIR homes.
GuideLovely lake. If you have an E-bike, you can ride MILES around the lower portion of the lake.
We were in spot 57. Spectacular views of the lake. Lots of trees. Large spaces. Nice concrete picnic table. But boy oh boy was this space unlevel. We were down 13 inches low in the back. The best we could get it was 6 inches off. A camper may not be as much an issue… but a class A, it’s rough.
GuideWe were on our hike in Shawnee National Forest, and we found this campground. And it was an amazing experience. It has a beautiful view of the sunset, and there are ponds. There are horses on the property, and it’s very cheap for tent camping. The staff was amazing. She showed us around with her 4x4 the whole property, the horses, and the pony or a donkey. The showers were pretty decent and cleaned
I would recommend this place for everyone
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.
GuideThis hidden gem is worth the visit. It’s off the highway down Amish/Dutch country. It has a maintained gravel road beautiful lake and in June it’s covered with lightening bugs. Lots of wild flowers and the sunset- WOW! On the trail there is a sign to set up for selfies. With a dog it wasn’t as easy as I’d hope to capture the moment. Ha
ScoutOften empty, free, great hiking near by. Known to flood but it’s volunteer run and you will have to check local weather reports to know.
ScoutI couldn't afford to camp but the man over the camp site was very nice
ScoutAny website or review about this little Opry campground clearly states $15 a night but when the lady came to collect money in the morning at 6:30 in the morning it was 25 and she was very disrespectful and her in the way she responded to the proof of it being only $15 a night due to her lack of marketing
Makanda sits in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest at approximately 400-500 feet elevation, characterized by sandstone bluffs and rolling hills. The region experiences distinct seasons with humid summers reaching the 90s and mild winters with occasional freezing temperatures. Free dispersed camping opportunities can be found at several sites, while established campgrounds operate with varying seasonal schedules.
Night fishing opportunities: Turkey Bayou Campground offers excellent spots for nocturnal anglers. "We could hear the fish jumping all night," notes Sheryl P., who visited in June. This free primitive campground features porta-potties but requires campers to bring their own water.
Waterfall hiking: The seasonal waterfalls at Ferne Clyffe State Park offer hiking options for all skill levels. "Rebman trail is good for anyone including little kids," says David H., who visited in April. The park features both Deer Ridge Campground with electric sites and Turkey Ridge for tent camping.
Climbing routes: Multiple rock climbing options exist for experienced climbers. Josh M. notes about Giant City State Park: "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."
Affordable waterfront access: Crab Orchard Lake Campground offers budget-friendly lakeside camping. TJ G. reports: "Cheap campground that is clean and quiet. The back in site we had overlooked the lake. For the price, you can't beat the view."
Dark skies for stargazing: The rural setting provides excellent night sky viewing. At Trail of Tears State Park, campers mention "Great dark sky viewing" as a pro, though note that trains run nearby throughout the night.
Wildlife viewing: The area supports diverse wildlife watching opportunities. "There is a lot of wildlife though and it was really neat to listen to all the different species throughout the night," writes Gina J. about her experience at Ferne Clyffe State Park. Turkey Bayou campers report seeing numerous waterfowl.
Primitive sites limitations: Turkey Bayou provides free camping but minimal amenities. "This simple, FREE campground is in a beautiful location by the Big Muddy River... There is no toilet and or water spigots, so bring your back country shovel and fresh water," advises Shari G.
Seasonal closures: Many area campgrounds have limited winter operations. Little Grassy Lake Campground operates April 1 to October 31, making advance planning crucial during off-season months.
Trail marking inconsistencies: Some hiking routes lack clear directional markers. Daniel B. notes about Giant City State Park: "the trail itself is tricky. It does have markings, which keep you on the trail, but there's no way of knowing how far along the hike you are, or how long the hike even is."
Educational opportunities: The Touch of Nature Education Center offers cabin accommodations and outdoor education programs. James M. reports: "Camp Amenities include: lodges, cabins, shelters, parking, fire pits/fireplaces all with wood supplied, amphitheaters, fishing along Little Grassy Lake, trails, swing set."
Water recreation options: Multiple lakes provide swimming and boating access. "Really love this site! There was a lot of goose poop but other than that it was great! Cool breeze off the lake!" shares Samantha P. about Crab Orchard Lake.
Cave exploration: Kids enjoy exploring the numerous small caves throughout the region. "Our favorite is Hawk's Cave Trail. It's an easy hike and the kids explored the caves for hours!" writes Dani B. about Ferne Clyffe State Park.
Site selection strategies: Little Grassy Lake Campground offers varying sites with different privacy levels. David H. advises: "#35 is a nice location. Large yard and not super close to other campers. #53 is smaller but very private."
Hookup accessibility: Most area campgrounds with RV sites provide electric but not always full hookups. Joel R. notes about Giant City: "They have electric sites, and water is available but you need to fill your tank before setting up camp. Sites are flat and most are pull through."
Sewer connection challenges: At some campgrounds, drain connections may require special attention. At Trail of Tears State Park, one camper notes: "Sewer connection was high above ground so drainage was up hill. Camp host warned us upon arrival we may need to use dump station to get tanks totally drained."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Makanda, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, Makanda, IL offers a wide range of camping options, with 113 campgrounds and RV parks near Makanda, IL and 7 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Makanda, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Makanda, IL is Giant City State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Makanda, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 7 free dispersed camping spots near Makanda, IL.
What parks are near Makanda, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Makanda, IL that allow camping, notably Shawnee National Forest and Rend Lake.
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