Cedar Lake Campground is a charming and family-friendly camping destination located in the scenic Shawnee National Forest near Vienna, Illinois. Our spacious 200 campsites cater to a variety of needs, including RVs with electric and water hookups, as well as primitive tent sites. Many of our sites are reserved for annual campers, creating a close-knit community atmosphere.
Our campground is particularly popular among horse lovers, offering ample space for horses and easy access to nearby trails. Nestled around a 25-acre lake, Cedar Lake provides a peaceful setting for nature enthusiasts. We also offer nearby attractions such as hiking trails, biking paths, and wineries, making us an ideal base for outdoor adventures.
Cedar Lake Campground is a hidden gem for campers seeking a peaceful retreat. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring your stay is comfortable and memorable. Whether you're here for an eclipse viewing, a family vacation, or a serene getaway, Cedar Lake offers something for everyone.
Picnics
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
RV camping
RV electric hookup
RV water hookup
Hiking
Debit cards
Credit cards
Good for kids
Kid-friendly hikes
Playground
On-site parking
Dogs allowed
We found Cedar Lake on our search for a camping spot during the recent Eclipse. The campground has 200+ sites many of which are yearly sites that are occupied by families many who are horse lovers. We found all of the campers there to be friendly and welcoming. There were still plenty of electric/water hookup site choices for us with our 25’ camper trailer to chose from. There are also lots of nice primitive spots around the 25 acre lake which were nice. The campground has lots of open space which made it very nice for the eclipse viewing. Jessica, who manages the campground, was very friendly and helpful in showing us our spot. It is located in the Shawnee Forest and is close to many nice hiking trails, nice bike trail and several wineries. If/when we return to the area we would definitely stay here again
Love camping here with our horses!! Great sites, easy in easy out. The best host!! Very accommodating!
Stayed here 4 days in an RV for the 2024 eclipse. The sites are roomy. The hookups are in pairs and we needed an extra hose and extension cord to get hooked up. Some of the sites like ours didn't have gravel and took a little more care than usual to get level. The owner Jessica was very helpful and pleasant to work with. She seemed to be working hard to make sure the guests were taken care of. I only saw one bathhouse, but didn't really use it. The showers didn't have a place to set a bag outside the bathing area itself. There was a hook on the wall beside one stall. There are horse facilities and a show area in the campground. We are not horse folks, so I can't really provide a review of those. There is WiFi available at the office. Some of the close campsites might be able to use it, but I think most of the campground would be out of range. Cell service was intermittent at best. There are at least 3 state parks within 30 minutes and several other Shawnee Forest sites to see. The Tunnel Hill Bike Trail is about 4 miles away if biking or walking is of interest. There are other bike / horse trails close by as well, but I didn't investigate them in detail.
Came for the eclipse. Stayed for the week. Worked from here all week. Great location. Friendly helpful staff. We will stay here again. Note....if you want to work from here Starlink is your friend.. if you are looking for an RV Resort. This is not it. It is A nice laid back campground.
We stayed here for the proximity to Camp Ondessonk. We are tent campers. The campground was nice enough for a nights stay, but it's really geared towards campers, not tents. It's also geared towards horses. There is a horse arena where an event was held while we were there. That was a little loud, but it didn't trim too late. My biggest gripe was our site's placement next to the road. We had a hard time falling asleep with the traffic noise. I'm not sure how much soundproofing a camper has, but a tent obviously has none.