Oak Point - Lake Glendale, near Vienna, Illinois, is a fantastic spot for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors. This campground offers a mix of tent and RV sites, many of which come with electric hookups, making it a comfortable choice for campers.

The beautiful lake is a highlight, providing opportunities for kayaking and fishing, with easy access from several sites. Visitors rave about the scenic biking and hiking trails that wind through the area, perfect for exploring the natural beauty of [Shawnee National Forest](https://thedyrt.com/camping/illinois/near/shawnee-national-forest). One camper noted, “Good hiking, kayaking, and fishing,” which sums up the outdoor fun available here.

Amenities include clean bathrooms with showers and friendly staff who are always ready to help. Campers appreciate the spacious fire pits and picnic tables, making it easy to gather around for meals and stories. Just remember to bring your bug spray; those horseflies can be pesky! 

While the campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis, many find that the peaceful atmosphere and privacy of the sites make it worth the trip. Whether you're here for a weekend or a longer stay, Oak Point - Lake Glendale is a solid choice for a relaxing getaway in nature.

If you are looking for a place in the center of the Shawnee National Forest, then Lake Glendale Recreation Area is for you. Its central location makes it easy to visit main attractions on either side of the forest or any place in-between. Surrounded by tall pine trees and mixed hardwood forests, Lake Glendale Recreation Area offers a wide range of recreation opportunities including hiking, camping, swimming, boating, fishing and bicycling. The accessible picnic area has a large picnic shelter near the lake with party grills for group gatherings.

Oak Point - Lake Glendale

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Grantsburg, IL has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Grantsburg and user-submitted reviews.

Grantsburg

The Best Camping Near Grantsburg, Illinois

This campground is an absolute gem. Tucked into the tall pines of the Shawnee national forest, this park offers a handful of gorgeous sites for campers to enjoy, many that back right up to Lake Glendale. The sites are mostly private and have water hookups as well as electric. 
A nearby beach is available to enjoy during the summer as well as hiking trails. 
While this campground is certainly off the beaten path it is perfect for those that want to get away and enjoy some quiet time. 
No reservations though so you’ll want to get there ahead of time to ensure yourself a spot
If you enjoy a very 

Our favorite IL park!

Our favorite in all of Illinois!!
Tucked into the tall pines of the Shawnee national forest, this park offers a handful of gorgeous sites for campers to enjoy, many that back right up to Lake Glendale. The sites are mostly private and have water hookups as well as electric. 
A nearby beach is available to enjoy during the summer as well as hiking trails. 
While this campground is certainly off the beaten path it is perfect for those that want to get away and enjoy some quiet time. 
No reservations though so you’ll want to get there ahead of time to ensure yourself a spot
If you enjoy a very 

#1 in Illinois !!

The concessionaire stocks ice and wood, folks drive nice and slow for the kids, and there is a little playground for the kids to play on as well. Each campsite is surrounded by trees and it is nice and quiet. We love this campground!

Great family spot

Very Quiet when we stayed in December for a night.  Spots in the woods and by the Lake can’t hear traffic. Bathrooms warm Showers Hot.
Would love to be here in spring or Fall.

Nicely set up wooded spots


Wow, this campground was a pleasant surprise for my son and I who are traveling through.  We had Spot 20 &amp; it was very private and cozy.  The showers are very very clean.  The woman who was our camp host was truly amazing and helpful.  She works so hard making sure the campground facility is clean and stocked well ready for the guests' needs.  Please give her a bonus or a raise because she was awesome!!

Awesome 

Try to come as early as possible to make sure you get a good spot.

Pretty Crowded

Sites and bathrooms super well maintained. Sites were big and tucked away into pretty nooks. Close to some awesome hikes, Jackson falls was a fav. Fsho will return

Great stay

Good size campground with both electric and non electric loops. Good number of sites. Generally in need of update. Playground was really rough. Lake provides some fun opportunities and rentals are available. Paducah is pretty close and has anything you could need. 

Nice National Forest Campground

This place is very clean and quiet! The sites are very nice with privacy. It’s close to a lot of local hiking, Bell Smith, Millstone Bluff, and several others. Also the trail around the lake is awesome! If your lucky enough to have a waterfront site you can paddle out in the lake. Only downside is it’s first come first serve so you can’t make reservations. This is a problem sometimes because the campground fills up fast….its not a big campground….at least the electric and water sites are limited. 

Perfect getaway for Southern Illinois 

We were lucky to have site #10 available when we arrived.  It had a small trail leading to an alcove. We were able to easily port our kayaks to launch. There are many water lilies to work through/around.  They weren't blooming when we were there, but I'm sure it's impressive when they are.  It's a beautiful lake. We also hiked and mountain biked the trail around the lake.  Fun for everyone!

The camp host was very friendly and helpful. The firewood for purchase and the dump station were very welcome.  Our site was mostly quiet and other campers were friendly.  The woods give a nice feeling of privacy.  The site was clean and easy to back our 19' tt into. 

The location was convenient to Garden of the Gods and Burden Falls, both of which I highly recommend.

The only downside was that the bathroom had a mold issue on the ceiling. They had a fan circulating, but the rough hewn cedar(?) ceiling will need to be cleaned and sealed.  The bathroom was otherwise spotless.  It's not a cleaning issue, but a construction issue.

Also, we had no T-Mobile signal at the campground or through most of Shawnee Forest. We had to drive into town to get a signal, so download your maps ahead of time!

Lakefront, Great Kayaking

CG offers sites with electric and water and then sites with no hook-ups. The electric/water sites were much better than the “tent” sites. Tent sites were closer together and not very level. The “RV” sites, however, we’re pretty level and well spaced out. We’d recommend sites 20-24 for their lake views. There were two bathroom buildings both with flush toilets and showers. We only used the smaller one. They were pretty clean. CG sold firewood for $4 a bundle or 3 for $10 and 22 lbs ice bags for $5. Staff were friendly. $22/night is a great price though I wish they’d take reservations. We went during Spring Break for a long weekend and CG didn’t fill up, still a bit chilly to camp for some I guess! Roads in the Glendale Recreation area are in need of repair. Trail around the lake was a nice 3mi hike and is easily accessed directly from a number of the sites, including ours. This CG provides a great base to explore the surrounding area’s many natural wonders. 

Great base for exploring Shawnee NF

Good hiking kayaking and fishing.  Next time I’m bringing my mountain bike 

Nice campground 

It was packed for the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse. The Camp Attendant was very accommodating and absorbed everyone to an overflow camp along the road.

Total Solar Eclipse of Aug 21, 2017

We camped here during the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse and it was also the overflow site which at that time was the side of the camp entrance road. Fast forward to April 7,8 &amp; 9 2024 We are again on overflow campground where this time was their group camping site which was much better than the side of the road. The overflow site has 4 unisex bathrooms but no showers (showers are at the main campground) there is dining (open) pavilion with a fireplace and a filtered well water system. We had a blast watching the Total Solar Eclipse.

Solar Eclipse Crossroads 

This is a little gem of a refuge within the Shawnee NF - about 30min from Marion, down a beautiful country road before nestling among the trees around the lake. The drive is paved/gravel the whole way, so very easily drivable for anyone in anything. Plenty of camp sites, both with electric and non-electric, double and single. Bring bug spray - horseflies and ticks. Beautiful lake, beautiful biking trails, etc. Firepits w/ grates are spacious and nice, fees are online. 1 bar verizon at camp, can get up to 3 bars within the area.

Photos of Oak Point - Lake Glendale

Real photos from real campers