Looking for the ultimate pet-friendly camping experience near Benton? Find the best information on pet-friendly campgrounds near Benton, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each pet-friendly campsite offers quick access to one or more of Benton's most popular destinations.
Located in the Middle of Southern Illinois just Off I-24 it is a great place to stay while you explore all the the Shawnee Forest. From Giant City to Garden of the Gods. The Tunnel Hill bike trail is a half mile away and Cache River is just down the road. We have 60 Full Hook up sites. Large pull through sites up to 120 feet long. We have Shower Houses and Laundry Facilities. Our Campground is Open Year Round.
$40 / night
$27 / night
Our park features paved roads, large concrete pads and patios, picnic tables, large shade trees. We have ice, soda, snacks, firewood with a few selected camping supplies and much more.
Legend
We’d seen signs for Shawnee Forest Campground (CG) many times as we headed out and back from our St. Louis home base and wanted to check this CG out. We followed our GPS to the clearly marked CG entrance but our GPS showed we still had about a half mile to go. We checked in at the little office and were given the choice of pull through sites with FHUs 12 or 21. We chose site 21. The gravel roads are slightly narrow with some trees but we did not have any issues getting to site 21. The water and electric(50/30/20 AMP) are at the back of the gravel pad. There are two sewer hookups, which was nice. The water pressure was good around 50 psi. Their WiFi was very good. There are mature trees here and there in the CG, so satellite should not be an issue. We got two bars on Verizon. Each of the bath houses have a washer and dryer. Our site was not level and with all the rain we had, there were water puddles at the steps. There are some nice sites in this CG but we were not offered one of the better ones even though there were plenty of sites open in the upper 26- 50 site area. If we come back, we’ll know where to ask for a site. They have a small lake and two ponds for fishing. There's no formal dog area, but there are paved trails around the large CG area, which made it nice to walk our dogs.
Ranger
Quiet setting by a pretty lake. Stayed only one night on a road trip. Paducah a nice town, visited the quilt museum. Nice toilets and showers.
Traveler
Plenty of space and nicely maintained Porto potty
ScoutTent camping back away from the RVs & we were the only people. Gorgeous river to view just a few steps away & the night sky view was fantastic. LOVED the bathroom & shower facilities!
Legend
Beautiful small campground with large sites. Restroom was emaculate. Clean park with a boat launch. Electric only spots and dispersed. Water and dump are on site.
Scout
Be free camp sites listings for state parks
Guide
Hosts were friendly, but didn’t brief us on information such as where is the trash bin, what is the WiFi password. Restroom was old but relatively clean. There’s only one valve in the showers so all you get is lukewarm water. Not good on a cool or cold day. Some of the long term people have too many dogs, one had 6 little yippers, kind of annoying. And I’m not against dogs
Traveler
We opted for this site on our way west as a stopover because it was free and not a parking lot. There are a couple of loop trails and we walked one of them. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon. The locals use the area for fishing and walking and it was somewhat busy in the afternoon. A couple of guys fished at night until about nine. There was only one other couple camping. Very quiet and peaceful. There was a portable toilet but we didn't investigate.
The cool thing was that the loop trail was forested by hundreds of paw paw trees. It must have been just past the season and we saw only a couple of decaying ones, but the entire trail smelled of apple cider vinegar and was quite pleasant.
If you consider this waypoint, two things:
1. The last mile is good, but very dusty, gravel road.
2. No cell coverage in the parking lot for T-Mobile, some coverage on loop trail.
Scout
Great little spot right off the interstate. Lots of nice scenery and decent fishing.
ScoutVery quiet and secluded. Campsites are roomy and some firewood is supplied.
Legend
Large park with not many large RV sites. Lots of tent and dispersed camping. Disappointing store. Equestrian area. Beach and boat launch.
GuideNobody here. Bring a fishing pole. No services except a porta potty.
RangerStopped here for the night driving through the area. Nice campground, clean, safe, and right off the interstate.
Ranger
There are only two camp site at this location and they are very close to each other. The camp sites are also very narrow. We camped in the lower site and had a difficult time getting everything out of the road.
On the positive side, the site was clean, there was nobody there over the weekend and there was a humming bird. The pond had lots of frogs and and a few fish.
TravelerTent camped here during the week in June and the campground was only about 1/3 full. Quiet and the restrooms and showers were very clean.
ScoutWe stayed 4 days and had a great time. The camp was clean and well maintained. The staff are very friendly and helpful and was more than happy to offer places to visit in the area, places to eat and provide assistance as needed. The trails are paved so we had a nice area to walk (twice around the lake from our site was 3 miles). :) We plan to visit again!
TravelerBeautiful spot with easy access and not far off the highway
ScoutGreat little stop, everything is clean and a fresh shower was refreshing.
Traveler
My parents (from Mississippi) and I (from St. Charles, MO) found this place sort of between us and we sure do love it. The owner Kelly and his whole team were nothing but gracious and hospitable to us the entire weekend. You can tell there's some work to be done on this new venture for Kelly but his heart in it and I can't wait to see how he continues to grow the property. Thanks for having us and we can't wait to come back.
The bath house was clean. The site was huge. There was plenty of firewood when we needed it. The nature was nature'in and the wild was wild'in. Good times.
Guide
We had so much fun playing in the creek learning about as Aztec and their gardening methods. Very adorable , baby goats and baby chicks that were just all over and loving living. ❤️ My family and friends found out that I was going there and she was more than happy to help us be accommodated for so many people. I kept adding and she was like no problem. Thank you so much for making it easy and affordable. We will definitely be back to visit. I feel that we have actually found some true lifelong friends. Thank you Ivy
Guide
Way to crowded tiny sites
Traveler
We stopped here chasing the 2024 eclipse. Easy to find. No cost. About 20 parking spaces, a vault toilet, and a boat launch. Open for solar panels, but tree cover around the lot. Only about 5 parking spaces are not on a slant. Places in the trees for tents. Absolutely beautiful views up and down the river. A single fire pit on the river’s edge. No road noise to speak of because it is way in the distance and rare at night. Fireflies and owls into the night. Mist on the water in the morning: just beautiful. T mobile service has 3 of 4 bars. There is no apparent Verizon service.
Traveler
Surprised to find nice porta potty at our site that was remote from others. Potable water and camper registration (but had a boil water warning but that was not normal). 30 min into Cape Girardeau and 15 min to Anna. Nice picnic table and raised fire ring/ grill.
Scout
We found this Rv campground while cruising through MO on to FL. We enjoyed this place! Beautiful, and quiet. New sites, tables, and a beautiful creek. A couple of pony’s too. We will definitely be stopping in again!
RangerThis is a convenient and pleasant campground, just off exit 3 on I24 in Paducah. The staff was friendly and walked us to our site and showed us the hookups. He gave us a lovely spot in the shade by the little lake. Have not used the showers yet so can't comment on that. We stayed on a Sunday night. The park was about half full. Seems to be a nice quiet family place.
They are across the street from a Mexican restaurant. There is a liquor store next door. Other businesses nearby.
Noise from the nearby traffic may bother some, but we didn't mind it and it was not loud enough to hear inside our RV.
It is a good place for us to stop on our way from MN to visit friends in FL. Also convenient for visiting the National Quilting Museum. We will stop here again.
GuideBeautiful little spots as you come in. Quiet and easy to get too.
GuideStayed here on the way to and from Florida (home in Minnesota). Very nice campground. Well maintained, big sites for our 40ft fifth wheel, great sunrise/sunset views, and the bathrooms are very clean and well lite. The gentleman/host that greeted us at the office upon arrival was polite and helpful. Will definitely stay again!
If you're looking for pet-friendly camping options near Benton, Missouri, there are several great spots where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Benton, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Benton, MO is Trail of Tears State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 19 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 67 dog-friendly camping locations near Benton, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
