Illinois is a state that is popular for its vast stretch of open public lands that includes reserved and protected outdoors. This makes finding a space for that camping trip you have been planning for so long pretty easy while in the state.
Tourists from all around the world along with the local residents arrive at Illinois to enjoy the great outdoors along with various other activities like white water rafting, hiking, etc. all the while enjoying the vast and serene natural beauty of the great outdoors while taking a sip of their morning coffee.
While camping in Illinois, one can even face a dilemma to settle for a location and view as the state has a large number of settings on offer. Is it the serene wilderness or a quiet spot by a creek, you won’t be able to make a quick decision, but when you do, you won’t regret coming here!
- Starved Rock State Park Campground
The Starved Rock Campground is located within the Starved Rock State Park that offers a rich stock of breathtaking canyons formed by natural erosion processes from glacial meltdowns millions of years ago.
The uniqueness of these beautiful canyons is that they gracefully slice through the thickly wooded sandstone chunks of land that litter the terrain of the park. This is indeed a breathtaking view when seen from the top of St. Peter sandstone.
This is a state operated campground that hosts 128 camping sites with modern amenities and well-connected roads. All of the campgrounds are accessible to the guests via scenic drives. The campground offers accommodations to the RV, tent and vehicle campers along with other family friendly options that include camping cabins and lodging facilities.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Horseback riding 5. Paddling 6. Snow sports 7. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. RV hook up 5. RV sanitation 6. Access to potable water 7. Pet-friendly sites 8. Fire Pits |
Location Details:
2668 East 873 Road, Oglesby, IL 61348, USA
Phone: 815.667.4726
- Garden of the Gods Campground (in Shawnee National Forest)
The wild rock formations that litter the Garden of Gods campground offers a unique and beautiful view to the guest planning to pitch in for the night or two or more! It is nestled in the thick of the Shawnee National Forest and offers a scenic view to the campers no matter the direction they are looking at any given point of time.
This is a state operated campground that hosts 12 camping sites with all the modern amenities one can imagine of. Accommodations are available here to the guests in the form of spots for RV, car and tent camping.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Horseback riding 5. Climbing 6. Swimming 7. Wildlife watching
|
1. Toilets
2. Picnic table 3. Fire Pits 4. Access to potable water 5. Pet-friendly camping sites |
Location Details:
Observation Trail, Herod, IL 62947, USA
Phone: (618) 253-7114
- Illinois Beach State Park Campground
A big shout out to the beach players! Yes, the Illinois Beach State Park Campground is your dream destination if you fancy pitching your tent in the shades while your kids go ahead and build that sand castle they have been planning with their creative heads for quite some time!
The campground is located on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. The sandy beaches of the campground make this a dream destination for the beach bums looking for some sandblasting action!
This is a state run campground that sports a huge patch of land dedicated to the young and wild. On the flipside, the campground sports 224 camping sites capable of accommodating full-size RVs, yurts, tents, and vehicles for camping.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Biking
2. Boating 3. Fishing 4. Hiking 5. Paddling 6. Wind sports 7. Snow sports 8. Swimming 9. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. RV sanitation 5. Fire Pits 6. Access to potable water 7. Pet-friendly sites |
Location Details:
1 Lake Front Dr, Zion, IL 60099, USA
Phone: 847-662-4811
- Sand Ridge State Forest (Pine Campground)
The Sand Ridge State Forest is known for its serene beauty and quiet campgrounds. Among the lot, the Pine campground is worth the shout-out due to its comfortable and accommodating nature. The campground is surrounded by tall pine trees that reach impressive and towering heights!
All of the 24 camping sites hosted by the campground is equipped with modern amenities and provides accommodation to tent, vehicle and RV campers with ease. The campground also offers a broad range of outdoor activities including the worth mentioning sand trails that are dotted with pear cactus along with open grasslands and beautiful fields!
This is a state run campground that provides a family friendly ambiance to its guests along with easy access to all of its camping sites via well connected and maintained roads.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Hiking
2. Horseback riding 3. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Picnic table 3. RV sanitation 4. Fire pits 5. Access to potable water 6. Pet-friendly Camping sites |
Location Details:
Topeka, IL 61567, USA
Phone: 309 – 597 – 2212
- Illini State Park Campground
The Illini Campground can be considered as an ideal example of a place that has something or the other for everyone that steps into the beauty of these grounds. The breathtaking views of the Illinois River are worth mentioning along with facilities like advance booking of camping sites adds to the appeal for all of the 100 camping sites hosted by the campground.
This is a state run campground that offers accommodation to tent, vehicle and RV campers with ease.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Biking
2. Boating 3. Fishing 4. Hiking 5. Snow sports |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. RV hook up 5. RV sanitation 6. Fire Pits 7. Access to potable water 8. Pet-friendly Sites |
Location Details:
2660 E 2350th Rd, Marseilles, IL 61341, USA
Phone: 815 – 795 – 2448
- Wolf Creek State Park Campground
An ideal place for unwinding and shaking the stress out of your bones, the Wolf Cree k Campground is a spread-out destination for campers looking for thickly wooded camping sites. All of the camping sites offer the guests with a feeling of calm and security due to the location of the campground that is nestled safely within the Wolf Creek State Park.
The campground hosts 148 fully equipped camping sites that welcome full-size RV campers too! Electrical hookups for RV campers, sites for tent campers and parking areas for tailgating backpackers are made available by the campground.
All of the camping sites are accessible by drive or horseback rides. This family friendly campground also sports accommodation facilities like camping cabins and lodging services for the family guy or gal!
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Horseback riding 5. Paddling 6. Wind sports 7. Snow sports 8. Swimming |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. RV hook up 5. RV sanitation 6. Fire pits 7. Access to potable water 8. Pet-friendly sites |
Location Details:
1837 N Wolf Creek Rd, Windsor, IL 45669, USA
Phone: 217 – 459 – 2831
- Woodford Campground (in Woodford State Fish & Wildlife Area)
The Woodford Campground is located on the eastern side of the beautiful Illinois River. Popular and attractive outdoor activities like hunting, boating, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, etc. are available to the guests opting to spend their weekend in any of the 12 fully equipped camping sites hosted by the campground.
This is a state run campground that is known for its accommodating camping sites for full-size RV campers, large family tents and vehicle parking lots equipped with modern amenities.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Surfing 5. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Picnic table 3. RV sanitation 4. Full Hookups 5. Pet-friendly sites 6. Fire pits |
Location Details:
142 State Park Rd, Woodford, VT 05201, USA
Phone: 309 – 246 – 8351
- Anderson Lake Campground (in Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area)
The Anderson Lake Campground is safely tucked within the Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area. Living on the lakeside and waking up with breathtaking views of the Anderson Lake is really an experience that cannot be expressed adequately in words.
The rhythmic sounds of water are slowly moving with the gentle winds during the night and in the early hours is something like smooth and soothing music to one’s ears.
The northern most campsites of the campground are known for its aesthetic value due to its position just beside the Anderson Lake. The southern camping sites are located beside the smaller Carlson Lake that is drained in the early onset of summer.
This is a state run campground that efficiently hosts 100 camping sites that feature all the modern amenities for making a living comfortably within the wilderness.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Wildlife watching |
1. Picnic table
2. RV sanitation 3. Fire pits 4. Pet-friendly camping sites 5. Access to potable water |
Location Details:
647 IL-100, Astoria, IL 61501, USA
Phone: 309 – 759 – 4484
- Canyon Ridge Campground (in Apple River Canyon State Park)
The beautiful colors and breathtaking views of the giant cliffs at Canyon Ridge Campground nestled within the Apple River Canyon State Park are truly amazing.
Equipped with outdoor activity options like fishing, hiking, etc., the Canyon Ridge Campground hosts 50 fully equipped camping sites. Bear this in mind; the campground maintains a vigilante attitude towards consumption of alcoholic beverages within its boundaries.
Accommodations are available for the RV, vehicle and tent campers here at the Canyon Ridge Campground.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking |
1. Toilets
2. Picnic table 3. RV hook up 4. RV sanitation 5. Fire Pits 6. Pet-friendly campsites |
Location Details:
8763 E Canyon Rd, Apple River, IL 61001, USA
Phone: 815 – 745 – 3302
- Big Oak Campground (in Argyle Lake State Park)
The Big Oak campground is the most popular camping destination among the lot nestled within the Argyle Lake State Park. It is considered as a place where all the radical aspects of the modern civilization meet the serenity of nature!
Modern amenities like 24/7 access to showers and electricity makes this a dream destination for families looking for a little adventure. The campground also tickles the adventurous veins of the rugged backpacker by hosting fully primitive camping sites among its 17 hosted camping spots.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Horseback riding 5. Paddling 6. Snow sports 7. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. RV hook up 5. Fire pits 6. Access to potable water 7. Pet-friendly ambiance |
Location Details:
640 Argyle Park Rd, Colchester, IL 62326, USA
Phone: 309 – 776 – 3422
- Twin Oaks Campground (in Argyle Lake State Park)
The Twin Oaks Campground is an ideal place to go camping within the Argyle Lake State Park in primitive style! Getting all grizzly, rugged and weird within the wilderness has never been easier than camping within the camping sites hosted by Twin Oaks.
Due to its location, the campground provides a whole array of adventurous outdoor activities to its adrenaline addicted guests. This is also a state run campground that hosts 31 camping sites with accommodations available for full-size RV campers, tents and vehicle campers as well.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Horseback riding 5. Paddling 6. Snow sports 7. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. Fire pits 5. Access to potable water 6. Pet-friendly ambiance |
Location Details:
640 Argyle Park Rd, Colchester, IL 62326, USA
Phone: 309 – 776 – 3422
- Twisted Oak Campground (in Argyle Lake State Park)
Ideal for horse camping, primitive style rides within the thick woods and a little fire beneath the tall trees, the Twisted Oak Campground is not your typical camping ground!
Don’t be fooled by the minimalistic approach of the managing authority looking after t he grounds. The underdeveloped look is intentional, but the hidden treasure lies in the broad range of modern amenities the campground provides to its guests.
The state run campground hosts 64 fully equipped camping sites available for the horse, tent, car and full-size RV camping sessions!
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Horseback riding 5. Paddling 6. Snow sports 7. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. RV hook up 5. Fire pits 6. Access to potable water 7. Pet-friendly ambiance |
Location Details:
640 Argyle Park Rd, Colchester, IL 62326, USA
Phone: 309 – 776 – 3422
- Beaver Dam State Park Campground
Beaver Dam Campground is an intentionally underdeveloped and minimalistic campground that is a favorite amongst campers and backpackers alike for hiking and fishing sessions.
The campground spans over 750 acres and is covered with dense vegetation comprising of Oak and Hickory trees. Camping cabin rentals and spaces for RV, tent, and car camping are available in the campground due to the fact that it hosts a whopping 76 camping sites. All of the sites are equipped with modern day amenities like hot showers and outdoor activities like hiking etc.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Biking
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. Fire pits 5. Access to potable water 6. Pet-friendly ambiance |
Location Details:
Beaver Dam Ln, Carlinville, IL 62626, USA
Phone: 217 – 854 – 8020
- Des Plaines Campground (in Des Plaines Fish & Wildlife Area)
The Des Plaines Campground offers a tranquil setting for spending a night or two in any of the 22 camping sites hosted by the campground.
A word to the wise, special weather permits needs to be acquired for pitching your tent here during the mid-April to mid-October season.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Boating
2. Fishing 3. Hiking 4. Horseback riding 5. Snow sports 6. Wildlife watching |
1. Toilets
2. Picnic table 3. Fire pits 4. Access to potable water 5. Pet-friendly ambiance |
Location Details:
24621 N River Rd, Wilmington, IL 60481, USA
Phone: 815 – 423 – 5326
- Clinton Lake Campground (in Clinton Lake State Recreation Area)
The Clinton Lake Campground is known for its beautiful setting, and awesome outdoor activities t hat includes fishing, swimming, and boating in the namesake lake itself!
This is a state run campground that hosts 308 camping sites that provide accommodations for vehicle, tent and RV camping.
Best Time to Visit:
| Activities | Facilities |
| 1. Biking
2. Swimming 3. Fishing 4. Hiking 5. Boating |
1. Toilets
2. Showers 3. Picnic table 4. RV hook up 5. RV sanitation 6. Fire pits 7. Access to potable water 8. Pet-friendly camping sites |
Location details:
7251 Ranger Rd, De Witt, IL 61735, USA
Phone: 217 – 935 – 8722