Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Giant City State Park
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States
- Season
- Year-round
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 669 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T weak · Verizon weak (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Makanda
- Address
- 235 Giant City Road, Makanda, IL 62958
- Phone
- (618) 457-4836
- Activities
- Camping, Group Camping, Equestrian Camping
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Giant City State Park is an Illinois DNR state park in the South region of Illinois. Camping site types: Class A (showers, electricity, vehicular access); Class C (vehicular access without showers, or walk-in with shower access); Equestrian camping. Also offers: Youth group camping. Pets ARE allowed (leashed, with water, never left unattended or in a parked vehicle) - IDNR's general statewide practice, confirmed via Starved Rock State Park's own IDNR FAQ. Reservable online through Illinois DNR's own Explore More Illinois system (camp.exploremoreil.com, redirects to the live recreation.exploremoreil.com/IllinoisWeb/ booking platform). Advance booking requires at least 3 days' notice; most sites are reservable May 1-October 31 (some year-round - confirm per park).
Fees
Class A: $20/night ($30 holiday weekends) - showers, electricity, vehicular access. Class C: $8/night - vehicular access without showers, or walk-in sites with shower access. Youth group (Class Y): $2/person/night, $20/day minimum. Equestrian camping available (specific class/rate varies by site). Reservation fee $5/reservation (non-refundable) plus first night's camping fee; camping fees refunded if cancelled online 3+ days before arrival. Discounts (about half the listed camping fee, full utility fee still applies) for Illinois residents 62+ or disabled with a Class 2/2A card; Illinois disabled veterans and POWs camp free aside from the utility fee; no entrance fee to any Illinois state park (dnr.illinois.gov).
Illinois DNR says camping is generally available year-round, weather permitting, with a fall-winter camping period October 1 to April 30 and reduced fees when cold weather closes buildings and shuts off water; call the park ahead for available amenities. Reservations run April 1 to November 30 on ExploreMoreIL; 53 of the sites are listed as walk-in (first-come). The shower building in the Class A campground is closed the day after the first shotgun deer season (weather-dependent), reopening April 1st. This campground is closed during shotgun deer season. Horse owners may utilize the Class A Equestrian campground from May 1 through October 31.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 28° | 5° | 67° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 47° | 29° | -1° | 72° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 59° | 41° | 19° | 78° | 5 of 11 |
| April | 68° | 49° | 31° | 84° | 1 of 11 |
| May | 78° | 62° | 44° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 86° | 68° | 55° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 88° | 72° | 63° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 85° | 71° | 63° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 84° | 66° | 53° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 67° | 50° | 35° | 83° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 57° | 40° | 16° | 75° | 3 of 10 |
| December | 46° | 32° | 11° | 66° | 9 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Panther Den Wilderness · 5.9 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
All 277 trails in Shawnee National Forest
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Trail of Tears State Forest · Illinois State Parks · 12 mi
- Ferne Clyffe State Park · Illinois State Parks · 12 mi
- Pine Hills Campground · USDA Forest Service · 14 mi
- Lake Murphysboro State Park · Illinois State Parks · 16 mi
- Trail of Tears State Park · Missouri State Parks · 19 mi · 54 sites
All public campgrounds in Illinois · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.