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Dog-Friendly Camping near Johnsonville, IL

4 campgrounds with availability this weekend

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    Sam Dale Lake State Conservation Area permits pets at all 35 camping sites surrounding the scenic lake. The campground maintains well-trimmed foliage and clean grounds according to recent visitors, with electric hookups available at each site. Gun Creek Campground at Rend Lake also welcomes pets, featuring lakeside sites with extra-long concrete pads for boats and RVs. Both campgrounds maintain a quiet atmosphere even during busy holiday weekends. Water hookups are limited at Sam Dale Lake, with a central water station available for filling tanks before setting up camp. Pet owners should note that neither location offers fenced dog areas, so pets must remain leashed at all times.

    Hiking trails connect many of the campgrounds to nearby water access points, making morning walks with dogs convenient. Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area offers additional pet-friendly options with a trail system that connects the campsite to the marina, though some paths could be better marked. Campers report good cell service (1-2 bars LTE with AT&T) at most locations, sufficient for emergency veterinary contact if needed. The campgrounds near Johnsonville maintain pit toilets rather than flush facilities, with shower access varying by location. Wildlife in the area requires keeping dogs properly secured, especially during evening hours. During summer months, the lakeside locations provide ample swimming opportunities, though dogs must remain out of designated human swimming areas.

    Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Johnsonville (59)

      1. Rend Lake Gun Creek Campground

      4.3(6)6mi from JohnsonvilleRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "You also have easy access to stores in the surrounding towns."

      "Rend Lake is a large COE recreation area with 4 campgrounds, some with full hook ups for $28 a night, two dams, 2 beaches, several boat launches, a marina, golf course and a restaurant. "

      from $9 - $28 / night

      Check Availability

      2. Sam Dale Lake State Conservation Area

      4.2(5)3mi from JohnsonvilleRVs, Tents

      "Dump station right outside the campground. Site 35 was perfectly level for the Class C (cruise America rental with no levelers. Great Campground host. We didn’t have a reservation."

      "Clean campground right on the lake."

      3. Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area

      3.8(13)18mi from JohnsonvilleRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Most of the sites are large and a good distance from the next one. Shower house is alright. The store/restaurant has been closed for a year or two now because of the Illinois budget."

      "Lots of squirrels for the dogs to chase and lots of wood in & around the campground. Hosts told us they were making more space for specific species of trees so “take all you want” from the area."

      4. Charley Brown City Park

      4.3(3)10mi from JohnsonvilleRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Campground is off the beaten path, lots of space to spread out, and the top 4 amenities (electricity, water, flush toilets and showers). It’s not the cleanest bathrooms but certainly not the worst."

      5. Archway RV Park

      3.9(17)27mi from JohnsonvilleRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "There is a nice playground and dog park as well as a pond at the location. Great place to stop traveling through or for a weekend."

      "They also have a fenced in dog park. No shade in that area, but nice touch!"

      from $60 - $75 / night

      Check Availability

      6. Gun Creek

      4.7(25)37mi from Johnsonville100 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Pet friendly and beautiful lake views from many of the camp sites. I recommend checking the grade of the camp site because some of the ones next to the lake were at a pretty big angle."

      "One of the first campgrounds that you come to at Rend Lake when you get off the highway, this campground has lots of positives and few negatives."

      Available this weekend

      from $20 - $30 / night

      5 Sites Available

      7. Harmonie State Park Campground

      4.3(35)45mi from Johnsonville194 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Multiple walking trails and bike trails. Nice shelter houses and picnic areas. Multiple playgrounds. Nature center in the campground. Many events scheduled for summer."

      "It was at the back of the campground, but close to the bathrooms/showers and just across from the playground. It was close enough to walk to the Nature Center and grab ice cream."

      Available this weekend

      from $20 - $33 / night

      104 Sites Available

      8. Okaw Valley Kampground

      4.3(26)40mi from JohnsonvilleRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "There’s a very nice updated playground and a pond with a walking path around it. The place is very well taken care of. If we ever came back this way we would stay again."

      "Beautiful walking paths, convenient, great pricing. They filled us up on LP too. Thanks again, Barb and Gary!"

      9. Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground

      4.4(15)36mi from JohnsonvilleRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "Wayne Fitzgerald State Park is on Rend Lake, just off I-57 in Southern Illinois. It’s a great place for camping, fishing and bikes."

      "Many of the sites are walk up only.  The sites have a lot of room to enjoy a relaxing weekend or set up yard games.  Rend lake is a good size lake with numerous areas to explore the water."

      10. South Marcum Campground

      4.6(21)40mi from Johnsonville160 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "This is hands-down the nicest campground on Rend Lake."

      "They're very close to the Illinois state fair grounds. There are tent sites as well as RV sites that are very close to the lake."

      Available this weekend

      from $16 - $44 / night

      3 Sites Available

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    Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Johnsonville, IL

    435 Reviews of 59 Johnsonville Campgrounds

    • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 30, 2026

      Whittington Woods Campground

      Decent Campground

      We had never stayed at Whittington Woods, but several of our camping friends have stayed here over the years while traveling through the area. At a recent RV open house, we talked with the campground (CG) owners and decided to switch our reservation from another private CG to Whittington Woods to check it out. The owners suggested sites 92 or 97, and we were able to reserve back-in site 92 with FHUs for our two-night stay. Site 92 is one of the better sites, with a large yard and good separation from neighboring sites. The CG was easy to find off I-57—follow your GPS or the signs. Check-in was quick, and we were escorted to our site. Unfortunately, one of the CG’s regular guests had set up in our reserved site 92 instead of site 93. After a brief discussion between our owner/escort and the guest, moving him was clearly not going to be a quick process. We were offered a couple of other available sites and decided to take site 93. Site 93 was a significant downgrade, with only a sliver of yard and very little separation from site 94. The sewer and electrical connections are near the center of the gravel pad, while the electrical breaker is on the opposite side of site 94. The water connection is at the very back, requiring more than 30 feet of hose for our rig. The owners were very nice, probably too nice when dealing with their“regulars,” and made the situation more tolerable by giving us a good discount for site 93. We received two bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. We normally get good performance from our T-Mobile internet with two bars, but download speed was only 41.2 Mbps. The CG Wi-Fi was better at 69.3 Mbps download. There are a lot of mature trees, so satellite/Starlink reception could be iffy depending on the site. The CG is conveniently located near I-57 and right off IL-37, although there was quite a bit of highway noise that was manageable for us. The property provides plenty of room for walking, especially with a dog, and has a decent-sized dog park. There are quite a few full-timers and regulars, with some keeping their sites well maintained and others not so much. We also saw some of the same latitude given to“regulars” when it came to keeping dogs on a leash and picking up after them. They have 5 pull throughs that are mainly used for overnighters that are handy but close together. We understand why several of our friends regularly stay here for a night or two while traveling to and from Florida. Whittington Woods is conveniently located off I-57 and offers FHUs, making the CG a practical overnight stop. Our home base is only about an hour and a half away, however, and we have better options in the area when we need a final stop to flush tanks before heading home.

    • Ronald C.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 14, 2026

      South Marcum Campground

      Large site

      Great campsite very large easy to get in and additional parking for your truck right next to your trailer

    • Scott M.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 13, 2026

      COE Rend Lake North Sandusky Recreation Area

      Excellent campground

      What started as a one-night camping trip quickly turned into a three-night stay—I just didn't want to leave! Most of the campsites feature beautiful lake views and are well-shaded by tall trees. Each spot is equipped with an electric hookup, a fire pit, and a picnic table, plus having access to hot showers made the stay super comfortable. To top it off, our cats loved taking walks with us around the campground!

    • nThe Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 9, 2026

      Vandalia Lake Camping

      Simple quiet municipal campground on a beautiful lake near I-70

      This was a beautiful place to spend an evening on our cross country trip. We were able to secure site B7 -a nice level and shady spot on a beautiful tree lined lake. The site was dusty but there was a picnic table and electricity. It was 90 degrees in early October so I can imagine the open spots are really hot during the heat of the summer. Signs tell you to check in with camp host before parking but there was no one at their camper. I called the phone number and a helpful gentleman explained that the sites were first come, first served and someone would be around to collect our $20 fee. One large bathhouse for the campground was a good walk away but was spotless. I would have given this campground a 5 rating but after walking around, we realized that most of the sites by the lake were hard packed dirt, small and not level. However there is a new section I that has 10 long back in gravel pads with electric & water. They are away from the water but close to the shower house. Finally, google coordinates directed us to a private residence just short of the marina. Follow directions to the marina and find the road to the campground at the end of the parking lot.

    • Randy H.The Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 27, 2026

      Gun Creek

      Great Digs

      Rend Lake, in Whittington, Il is just a great place to camp. From primitive to full hook ups they have what you need for a Corps of Engineers campground.

    • NThe Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 25, 2026

      Timber Trails Campground

      Peaceful stopover spot

      Jody, the hostess, is friendly and responsive. We stayed one night in the fall so the many permanent RVs were not occupied. The park is large and surrounded by woods and fields. We had a peaceful night near the cornfields where the short-term RV sites are located. Can hear the train horn in the distance. Note that they are tandem, so pull thru for the first person but back in for the second. We would stay here again.

    • Rodney W.
      Sep. 14, 2026

      Old Bates Campground Llc

      Amazingly quiet and peaceful

      I believe this is one of the best campgrounds I've been to. It is safe friendly, theres laundry, lp fill, close to rend lake, 20 mins from walmart, a great place to relax and visit, vacation, whatever you like.

    • MThe Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 12, 2026

      Harmonie State Park Campground

      Nice State Park

      Nice quiet wooded campground. We were only here 1 night, but it was very enjoyable. Very large campground with shaded & sunny spots, mostly level, showers & bathrooms were clean, but no locks on the doors in women's & no doors in the men's, only curtains. Double lane dump station well laid out & good water pressure. We were here 2nd week in September on a Friday so it was not crowded, but I suspect during the summer it would be. The mosquitoes were bad so be prepared. All in all we would stay again.

    • JThe Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 10, 2026

      Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground

      Great campground!

      We arrived at 7 picked a spot in the fcfs area and were surprised that it was almost empty. We got a premium site on the water, with no other campers in sight. The website says the reservation areas were full but that was not true, you have to book 4 days in advance. The camp host was great! It will be on my list of places to overnight in the future. But the lake is beautiful and you could spend multiple days there if you wanted!

    Guide to Johnsonville

    Campgrounds near Johnsonville, Illinois provide access to over 25,000 acres of recreational land across multiple conservation areas and state parks. The region has elevations ranging from 450-580 feet above sea level with humid continental climate patterns that create distinct camping seasons. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing while summer highs regularly exceed 90°F with high humidity levels.

    What to do

    **Fishing opportunities: Bass and bluegill fishing at Sam Dale Lake supports anglers of all skill levels. "Clean campground right on the lake," notes Elmer L. at Sam Dale Lake State Conservation Area.

    **Kayaking on Rend Lake: Paddle through secluded coves and inlets with abundant wildlife viewing. "Nice little campground on Rend Lake. Sites are spread out with long concrete pads... Lake is very pretty - you could anchor your boat off your campsite," reports Maggie C. from Rend Lake Gun Creek Campground.

    **Hiking trail system: Several interconnected paths with variable terrain from flat shorelines to wooded hills. "Main trail was nice but could be better marked. Lost our way a few times but still a good hike," shares Tracie E. from Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area.

    **Wildlife observation: Morning and evening hours provide prime deer watching opportunities. "Never been to a CG with such abundant wildlife! Can sit at your spot and watch deer throughout the day," says Lucas T. from Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground.

    What campers like

    **Spacious sites: Many campgrounds offer larger than average sites with good separation between neighbors. "The sites were pretty level. The campground is well kept, about 20 minutes from any groceries so come with your necessities," notes Tina J. about Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area.

    **Beach access: Several lakes feature designated swimming areas with sandy shorelines. "This State Park is located outside Carlyle, Illinois. This park offers playground areas and more. Cabins, campsites with power or no power the choice is yours," explains Jake L. about Eldon Hazlet State Park.

    **Early morning tranquility: Lakeside sites provide peaceful dawn conditions for nature enthusiasts. "Our tent site was shaded and our one neighbor was quiet and friendly. We felt secluded yet had easy access to the campground shower house," writes Julie M. about Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area.

    **Fall camping events: October brings special programming at many parks. "They have a huge Halloween event every year where people decorate their sites (pretty extensively) and there's a haunted house, then kids trick or treat from site to site," shares Aimee T. about Illini Campground.

    What you should know

    **Water tank filling: Many sites require bringing water from central stations. "It clearly states electric only. Which was no problem. They had a water hookup that you could pull up to for more water if needed," explains Jonathon B. from Sam Dale Lake State Conservation Area.

    **Site leveling challenges: RVers should check site conditions before setup. "Many sites do have a steep grade," cautions Debra M. about Rend Lake campgrounds. "Some spots do have a fairly good slope to them," confirms Jeff F. from Gun Creek.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Johnsonville, IL?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Johnsonville, IL is Rend Lake Gun Creek Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.

    What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Johnsonville, IL?

    TheDyrt.com has all 59 dog-friendly camping locations near Johnsonville, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.