Shagbark Group Map
Shagbark Group Camp
Shagbark Group Area Grill
Shagbark Group Area Campsite and View of Volleyball Area
Shagbark Group Area Map

Featured amenities

Pet Friendly Pet Friendly

About Shagbark Group Area

Shagbark Group Camp is located on the western shore of Rend Lake near the Sandusky cove— the perfect place to enjoy a wide variety of activities, events, and nature at its best. Rend Lake is made up of 20,633 acres of water and 19,523 acres of land. Whether you're looking for high adventure, a peaceful retreat, or something in between, you'll find it here in the heart of Southern Illinois.

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
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Feb
Mar
Apr
May
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Currently open - Sep 7 to Nov 1

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Pet friendly Pet friendly
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
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Reviews (4)

What Guests Are Saying

Shagbark Group Area offers a safe and private environment for families, with enjoyable activities like volleyball, horseshoes, biking, and community gatherings. While there were concerns about a bad smell and some unwanted attention from e-bikes, the staff responded promptly to address these issues. Overall, the camping experience was positive, enhancing the family's enjoyment.

Review Summary

3.8
4 reviews
5
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4
75.0%
3
3
25.0%
1
2
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1
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tammy s

June 21, 2026

4

We have used Shagbark approximately 14 years, we enjoy the privacy and safety it provides for our kids to play.

Rex S

September 22, 2024

4

We enjoyed our experience camping. We played volleyball and horseshoes, rode bikes, sat by the community fire pit, and walked.
Our only negative experiences were the strong bad smell (dead animal?) and the people on e-bikes and vehicles “gawking”. We did speak with the camp hosts and a park ranger about the latter issue. They were very concerned and allowed us to close the gate. We did have less gawkers after that except for 2 e-bikes that opened the gate and rode in, then left the gate open?
Overall a positive experience. Thanks!

Jami r

May 21, 2023

4

Loved having the loop for our group. Too much thru traffic that wasn’t in our group. Camp grounds needs fixing up. Disappointed with conditions.

Christina G

May 26, 2022

3

I would like to start with the POSITIVE. The Group site was AWESOME! Well laid out and we had a great time. What I didn't appreciate was the staff drawing a HARD LINE about not letting us in early...claiming the "cleaning crew" needed time to finish and they had had issues in the past with letting people in early. There was NO ONE cleaning anytime even NEAR to the check-in time at 4pm. We were made to wait in a line with our RVs in 90 degree weather for 1-2 hours...until AFTER 4pm...we had to CALL to see where the ranger was to let us in...and, I believe due to our phone call, he arrived at 4:05pm. THEN, the very next morning we were awoken at 630am by a staff member WEED WACKING in the Group site. This is unacceptable. In my opinion, even HOTELS will let you check in early if the cleaning crew confirms they are done. And, they certainly don't start vacuuming IN or NEAR your ROOM at 630am! Again, lovely park. lovely Group site, and we had a great time, but...these were definitely annoyances.

Location & Directions for Shagbark Group Area

Shagbark Group Camp, Sesser, IL 62884 United States

Elevation: 139 ft

Getting There

From I-57 take exit 77 and turn west onto Route 154. Turn south onto Rend City Road and continue straight into North Sandusky Campground. Shagbark Group Area is located in the back portion of the campground.

Nearest town

Sesser, IL - 6.7 mi

About 10 min to downtown

Highway access

The campground is accessible via I-57, with exit 77 leading to Route 154. Route 154 provides direct access to the area.

Policies & Rules

General

  • An Additional fee of $25.00 will be added to the Use fee charged on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
  • Off-road vehicle use must have prior approval.
  • See Park Information Guide for additional rules and regulations.
  • Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 7, 2026

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Explore Sesser, IL

Population: 2,023

Nearby larger city

St. Louis, MO

Approx. 76 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 479 ft

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