Tower Rock Campground
Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jun. 20, 2018

Cricket, cricket

Tower Rock Campground, Shawnee National Forest, Il is ideal for fishermen.

Coming off the ferry from Marion, Kentucky there were no signs pointing the way. ( side note: lots of Amish in the Marion area, some very good products for sale and scenery to see)

No or spotty signal in this area so have your directions on paper. In Cave in Rock ( this is where the ferry crosses to) you take W Clay St to the left. It turns into Cave in Rock Rd which will get you there. Cave in Rock has some food and fuel, you might want to fill up here if you haven’t already. Cave in Rock State Park is with in a mile to the right.

Once on Cave in Rock Rd. watch for the sign (near 280 “block” of street addresses) because if you miss the turn it will be a minute before you can turn around to come back on the country road. On the road in stay to the left.

Tower Rock is boonyville like most of the Shawnee NF sites in this area. Perfect for a get away from the hustle and electronics of city life. 

The actual campground is basically a mowed area in the woods close to the river. There is a pit toilet but otherwise pick your area and settle in, there was plenty of room for a group gathering or to just string up your hammock next to your vehicle. We continued down to the boatramp which is a cement pad into the river. Parking is in an overgrown dirt lot. Dark and quiet at night unless you have loud fellow campers. No camp host to speak of, just you and the woods and river (and bugs and snakes ;)

I don’t kayak on the Ohio River so we did not put in, it was a nice quiet no frills stay with only two other campers while I was there.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • The ferry ride across
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  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • The boatramp
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  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Tower Rock Campground by Shelly S., June 20, 2018