My husband and I have been camping several times at Crab Orchard Campgrounds. We love it there. The…read morecampgrounds are kept clean, restrooms and shower houses are very clean. Staff is friendly and goes out of their way to be helpful. Every lot has a nice scenic view. You have the opportunity to fish and swim at the beach. We enjoy just walking around the campgrounds. The campground is dog friendly, and all dogs are on a leash or small pen. We are looking forward to many more visits here. The Grizzell.

Brought out 6 year old and 8 year old to camp for the weekend. Before we knew it we had kids from…read moreseveral other camp sites at our site so my husband brought out the s'mores and began fixing them for everyone. He cut a limb from the tree in our yard for 1 of the boys and all of a sudden a man filming him with a phone started walking towards us yelling at him. This was one of the camp host.My husband explained what he was doing and the man continued to film in in front of all the children and yell about the stick he pulled from the tree. My husband apologized and said it wouldn't happen again. About an hour later about an hour later the refugee police pulled up and said that the man had called him grumbling about the tree. We were ticked and fined. I have read other reviews on the FB website where people have written about this particular camp host.

Cleanliness : high marks…read more Grounds : well maintained Playground : swings / slide, very basic Staff : friendly and helpful Views : main road is visible but the site is nestled back amidst mature trees. Wood carved animal totems on site are a nice feature. Other : they have a well designed and maintained chicken coop w 3 dozen or so Rhode Island Reds and a few other breeds. The chickens free range in the day. We raise chickens and can appreciate their set up

What a quaint spot for our overnight stay on our long trek back to Reno, NV. The restrooms/showers…read moreare closed due to COVID-19, so be sure you are self-contained if you stop here. They still have full hook-ups. The ground are well-kept and have statues carved from wood around the site - Rocky (from Bullwinkle, not the boxer ); Abraham Lincoln; and a rooster on top of a pig on top of a horse - not kidding. Oh, and there are real roosters and hens walking around. Super cool! The sites are gravel and level with fire rings. While the campground is very quiet, there is interstate noise at night - be aware. Also, there seems to be a waste water treatment facility nearby - the occasional funk is not so amazing. Great for an overnight stay or a long weekend away with the kids, especially once the pool opens back up.

Perfect place to stop if you are looking for convenience. Full hook-ups, pull in sites that seem…read moreto be level are a plus. The sites are real close together so they have designated areas for a fire and Playground is a bit small but besides that, this is a nice clean campground. We will definitely stay here again!

Two washers and dryers but one washer has been broken for a long time. People live here and leave…read moretheir clothing in the washers and dryers for many hours or even overnight. I know people say to take it out but we're not touching someone else's personal items. This place charges sales tax but I'm not sure why... no other campground in Illinois has charged us tax of any kind. We've asked at other campgrounds about this and they say that tax isn't charged for tent or rv sites but is charged for cabins as they are considered regular lodging. This place says that they are required to charge it but something doesn't seem right about that (not in Illinois anyway).

Joined a friend at their campsite to spend the day kayaking. Easy place to find. Plenty of parking…read more Electric hookup was great for the ac. Easy area to put in your kayak. This lake is spacious. Lots of private beaches so you can't dock anywhere.

Fun place to camp. Beautiful lake. Everything was phenomenal fishing with fun. Fantastic but of…read morecourse there's always going to be bugs. Lol but it was well worth it will be back. Absolutely fun time.

Had a really nice weekend at Ferne Clyff. There are 18 trails that are maintained and for various…read morelevels, but be aware that nearly every trail has poison ivy just at the edge of pathways. There's lots to do, whether you're there to hike, bike, climb, or relax in nature. The camping grounds are a bit crowded, but most everyone keeps to themselves and are very friendly. There are lots of primitive restrooms throughout the park, but maintained with plumbing restrooms are only available for overnight paid guests. If you forget firewood, there is a place near the main campground restrooms where you can get bundles of firewood from a vet owned business. As of 5/8/2026 when I'm writing this, each bundle is $5 and can be paid in cash or QR.

This is my go to hiking park when I need to introduce someone to the beauty of SoILL on a tight…read moretime budget. The Waterfall Trail is flat and wide and boasts a fun waterfall in wet seasons, but also lovely bluffs and wildlife even when it's dry. My favorite hike was on a cold January day. We started with flurries, and the ground was completely white when we completed it. My kids are also HUGE fans of the Hawks Cave hike. Lots of fun boulders to climb on and explore. It's a short (though a bit steeper) hike, but begs you to linger at the cave.

My wife and I wanted to check this place out since it was on her bucket list and apparently it…read morebecame on my bucket list as well since I love to see some other worldly things in my own home state of illinois. Thankfully we lucked out and we didn't get rained on but this place was still pretty busy. Depending on when you show up parking can be a bit Limited. The trails to the top is not too long either but the interaction is so long and breathtaking. I've never been to a park since I've been to Matheson State Park where you are able to climb on every little thing. The views here and the experience is unlike any other. It felt like I was back in the Smoky Mountains but with less tourists. They have public restrooms here as well though if there's a line it could take a while. Me and my wife spent a good few hours here and if you follow the trail it will take you right back to the parking lot. We also enjoyed that this place is also dog friendly too!

Glad we went the route we did which is to the right as opposed to the left. This has the frequent…read morestairs/incline with is better for my knees than the sharp decline if we were to go the other way. I also liked that the multiple or compiled sandstones was the last we saw as opposed to the first, like a grand finale. And then the gradual decline on the way down to complete the circle. This is a very quick route where you can see the famous camel rock actually many of the rocks look like faces ;)

Everyone is so friendly and the grounds are super clean. Tents or campers with electric hook ups if…read moreyou want them. Nice lake to fish in. Sandy beach with roped off swim area. You can kayak, or paddle boat on the lake. Golf cart trails through the woods for riding. Playgrounds for the kids. I highly recommend this campground.

Super friendly staff. Dog friendly park, most people here…read moreare permanent or semi permanent residents squished in here and there around the private lake. Rental spots are inexpensive and most are pull through sites, which we alway love that. Sites are clean and the bath house is practically brand spanking new with hot showers. The memorial day weekend brought back to back activities which included DJ's for everyone to enjoy tunes, try your hand at games, with mega log fire chats and those lake views. Grab some frozen treats or bags of ice at the office. Again, super friendly and rates are great. Only take cash or checks. They are respectful of quiet hours, most people live here for periods of time.

I took my two teenagers here this morning for a horseback ride. Carol greeted us with a big smile…read moreand patiently walked us through the process, double checking our saddles to make sure everything was secure before we took off. Our tour guide (Chevy) was super friendly and informative about all the fun things offered too! We will 100% be going back again soon! Thank you Carol and Chevy for helping my daughter have a wonderful birthday celebration!!

I almost didn't want to write a review to keep this a hidden top notch gem of a campground. This is…read morethe best campground for both electric and non-electric camping in the state hands down! Flush toilets, antibacterial hand soap and spacious hot showers. Bathrooms are meticulously clean by campground standards. Camp sites are spaced nicely for privacy, clean and well kept up. Water is easily available and drinkable. Jennifer the camp manager is the nicest person and will help you in anyway she can to make sure you have the best experience. Ice and wood sold there. I loved that quiet times are posted from 10pm to 6am. We definitely will be back here. During Covid this was the only place we could go and felt safe.