What clients say about Starved Rock Family Campground in North Utica (IL)
We stayed here in September 2025. It was our first camping trip away from home. Typically we leave our camper parked at our local recreation club. It was a great change of pace - and the dogs loved the dog park! Can't wait to stay again this fall!
Our first time visiting and we will definitely be back! Nice playground for kids to play and their store with rec center activities was really nice. Grounds overall seemed clean, safe, and plenty of space. This was our first time out with an RV and it was so easy to get in and out of our spot and the campground as a whole. It was far enough away from major streets which made it really quiet as well. Everyone seemed really respectful of the quiet hours, which we loved! Only downside was the bathhouse smelled really bad the few times we tried to use it while out for a walk, so we just ended up always using our bathroom in the RV.
We enjoyed our stay here. Very nice and clean. Actually surprisingly quiet considering being by the highways. Our fire pit could be closer to the camper but it was fine and overall great stay. Dog friendly and easy to access our site. We’ll be back!
First time staying here, was a great experience! Sites are open, easy to find and access. Staff was welcoming and helpful. Well stocked camp store. Late in the season, can't wait to return next summer to use the pool. Great location close to Starved Rock and Utica. Will definitely be back!
What a lovely camping spot! Nice 30 and 50 amp and water hook-ups for RVs, but they also have more primitive sites as well, if that's what you're into. There are separate RV and tent camping sites. We were right next to a fenced-in dog park and we also had a creek running alongside us (I believe), although we couldn't see or access it through the brush. The shop in the check-in office offered quite a decent array of camping necessities and souvenirs. We will definitely be back ?
Wonderful camp ground! We loved our spot. There are bathroom and showers. We didn't use the showers so I can't comment on them. We had no issues finding the place or our camp site. They do a good job maintaining the grounds. The check in area is also a store with everything you need to enjoy your stay. Cant wait to come back!
What a great campground: we were there for 3 nights 10/15-18/2025. The staff is amazing. The rest rooms and showers are great. Lots of amenities. There are 3 state parks within 15 minutes of the campground. We'll be back next year.
Great campground! We stayed here as our home base to explore Starved Rock and Matthiessen SP. Campgroud was clean and well maintained. Staff was nice. Everything worked like it should
we were pleasantly surprised they had a bounce house going for the kids and some live music.
My only watchout for people is we stayed at the sites up front and while its not super close to the highway, that sound carries quite a bit. If you're sensitive to that I'd make sure you get a site towards the back.
We discovered about 4 years ago that this campground had reopened with new owners. We were really happy to see that they are a younger couple from the area, and have put a lot of work into the property. The staff is always kind, polite, and accommodating. While the campground is a work in progress, we do appreciate that it is quite clean, and geared more toward adults. There’s not all the craziness with kids running through your site, pedal bikes, screaming and “yogi-bear park” activities.
Beautiful campground for a family! The sites are big and flat. The camp store is inviting amd has lots of options for kids. The volleyball court, sand box, and soccer areas were all nice for my boys! Bathhouse was clean and had nice showers.
We stayed here 3 times in 2024; April, June and October. April was the first time we’ve ever camped. We tent camped each time. The tent sites we stayed at were 5, 6, and 15. All the sites had nice space for our tent and gear. Site 6 was nicely secluded(in June with the trees and plants in full bloom). Site 5 was very open and close to the bathroom. Site 15 was great in October as it sits in the bend of the creek and was really beautiful with the fall colors. The location of the campground is great for us as it’s only about 90 minutes away. The whole campground is well kept and we really enjoyed the pool in June. Depending on the wind direction, you can hear some road noise but it wasn’t a big deal for us. You just need to remember you’re not in the middle of nowhere. But the location by the roadways makes it very convenient to get there and get to the state parks. Seems like the owners are continually investing in the campground as each time we went, there was some kind of addition or improvement in various spots. This has become our go to spot for a weekend camping trip and we’re enjoying checking out the different tent sites. We just booked a weekend for this June. Edit: Had another great stay this summer at site 12. We really enjoyed the space and being next to the creek. My son and I had a blast playing pool and ping pong at the camp store on Father’s Day weekend.
Starved Rock Family Campground is an excellent choice for a family-friendly camping trip. It offers a clean, well-maintained environment with a staff that goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome. The amenities are a standout feature—from the general store to the pool and a dedicated dog park, there's something to keep everyone in the family happy.
The sites are generally spacious, providing a comfortable camping experience without feeling too crowded. Whether you're in an RV or a tent, you can find a spot that fits your needs. Keep in mind that while the State Park is nearby, you'll need to drive to get to the hiking trails, but the convenience and comfort of the campground make it well worth it.
Overall, it's a peaceful and welcoming spot that lives up to its name as a family campground and is a fantastic base for exploring the beautiful Starved Rock area.
Why stay at the state park when you can stay next door at Starved Rock Family Campground! HUGE campsites, clean toilets, hot showers, and a camp store with food, firewood, and popcorn. It took us 14 minutes to drive to Starved Rock and ten minutes to Ottowa downtown. If you're a little louder at night, or want to let your kids go wild, stay here.
This is a great campground. Nice hookups in good working order. Good level drive-through sites with concrete pads. Quiet, peaceful and scenic. Friendly, helpful office staff.
The only reason that I was reluctant to give a 5 star review is that more people will want to book stays there and it may be harder for us to book in the future because it will be so popular. But it’s such a nice place I couldn’t do that to them.
Loved the campground, playground & store. Saw lots of dogs all well behaved on leashes. Family friendly, kids loved large sandbox, hill & bouncy house. Staff are all very friendly & even helped us find our spot since we arrived at dark & staff member was kind enough to help back us in our spot.
People friendly, actives for the family, pool nice clubhouse and small store stocked well for a campground. Sites either concrete or gravel. Trees for shade but big nuts falling from the trees on my truck and camper all night did not make me happy. If I were to stay again it would not be under the trees. You can hear the highway however, it was not awful.
Starved Rock Family Campground is truly a gem! The service here is excellent – the staff are friendly, welcoming, and go above and beyond to make sure your stay is enjoyable. The campground itself has plenty of amenities, making it convenient and comfortable whether you’re staying for a weekend or longer. What really makes this place special are the amazing people who run it – you can tell they care about creating a family-friendly, relaxing environment. Highly recommend for anyone looking to camp near Starved Rock!
It was nice. The sites were a bit close to each other, however pretty standard for an RV park. Restrooms and grounds were clean as well, especially for how many families were there. The kids enjoyed the playground. They allowed dogs which was great!
This is a wonderful campground it's clean they have a wonderful general store and a AWSOME Dog park!!
If you camp here I have to mention a place to have the BEST FOOD we went to Mike's Brownstone we had the Italian Beef which was the BEST TASTING SANDWICH I HAVE EVER HAD.
We got a Deep Dish Pizza and trust me when I say this I have had the best in NY and this pizza will blow you away.
The dough was homemade and fresh the sauce was INCREDIBLE I have never had a sauce like this EVER!
It isn't much on the outside but the SERVICE & FOOD was the BEST I HAVE HAD IN A VERY LONG TIME!!!
So from the great Campground and dinner at Mike's Brownstone it was the BEST DAY EVER!!
And if you love spicy try the homemade Girardeau as much as I wanted to keep eating it was to spicy for me but I will admit I drank the rest of the juice from the Italian Beef it was to good to waste!!
We really enjoyed our stay, everyone is very friendly. The property is well maintained, and the gravel pad was level, which made set up so easy. The camp store has great gifts and plenty of firewood.
Our family loves this place! Helpful, friendly staff and very solid facilities. It's clear they care about their park. Also, not sure how they manage it but there weren't many mosquitoes and it rained several times during our stay. Walking trails between camp sites are kept tidy; nothing here seems overgrown. Only downside is the noise from the interstate; nothing they can do about that. We'll be back.
Great campground! Grew up in the area and never been to the campground there before, but was looking for one with a pool for the hot months and it didn’t disappoint! The camp store ahead plenty of things to choose from for souvenirs and necessities, also games that all my boys enjoyed playing. Only docked a star because the sites are a little small and close together but not bad enough to stop us from coming back!
The camp grounds were awesome! The staff were more than friendly. I had a need for duck tape due to a hole in my sleeping bag and they had sold out from the campground store (which is another huge perk, they carry so much), but they loaned me some they just had around and saved my comfort camping. The facilities (pool, shower, grounds) were very well maintained and the rate for a busy holiday weekend was very reasonable. I’d certainly stay here again.
Family was there this past weekend. Had a great time! Campground was very roomy and super clean! Store was very well stocked and a super nice play area/hang out area in the store. The both rooms were all very clean and nicely updated! Will definitely be back!
When we arrived at Starved Rock Family Campground for our FIRST EVER RV outing in my new rig, we were greeted by the warm, friendly staff. The full hook-up sites are clean, easy to set-up and included a nice picnic table and firepit to enjoy. There is a sizeable dog park where my terrier enjoyed running free and greeting other guest's dogs. It was a quick trip to Starved Rock National Park where we hiked different trails each day. We enjoyed our stay so much, we decided last minute to extend our trip 2 additional nights which the staff easily accommodated.
I was very skeptical booking a campground so close to I-80 but oh my gosh, it was the cutest place!!!! We had a great spot in the shade by the chickens and the kids loved seeing them. We have chickens at home so it was a nice added comfort for us. They have great paintings and carvings all over the campground. Very clean bathrooms and showers and a laundry facility onsite!
Although the highway is close, there are a number of trees blocking the sound and we didn't feel overwhelmed by the noise at all.
They also have a super quaint diner on site with yummy burgers, shakes and more. It's also a gas station so you can fuel up easily before getting back on the road and get any snacks and drinks you might need. I don't know that we'll ever be back in that area as we were traveling but if we are, we'd be happy to stay there again!
