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Best Tent Camping near Augusta, IL

191 Reviews

Tent camping options near Augusta, Illinois include several primitive sites along the Mississippi River watershed. Bear Creek COE at Lock and Dam 21 in Riverside, Illinois offers year-round tent camping with basic amenities. Approximately 30 miles southwest, Dupont Reservation Conservation Area in Louisiana, Missouri provides riverside tent campsites with views of the Mississippi. Both locations cater specifically to tent campers seeking natural settings without developed infrastructure.

Primitive tent camping in this region requires self-sufficiency and preparation. Most sites lack potable water, with campers needing to bring their own supplies. Bear Creek offers minimal facilities with no electric hookups, no reservable sites, and no sanitary dump stations. Sites typically feature natural surfaces with limited grading. At Dupont Reservation, campers will find basic vault toilets and permission for campfires, but should note the absence of picnic tables at most sites. The region experiences seasonal flooding, particularly in spring, which can temporarily close riverside tent campgrounds.

Campers report that Dupont Reservation Conservation Area provides excellent river access with most tent sites directly fronting the Mississippi. According to reviews, the area includes approximately 10-12 primitive tent sites, most with simple fire rings and gravel parking spots. One visitor noted that "pretty much every site has great views of the Mighty Mississippi," allowing campers to watch boat traffic from their sites. Summer visitors should prepare for insects due to the adjacent wetlands. The area experiences occasional noise from both river barges and a nearby train track. Spring Lake Campground in Burlington, Iowa, though farther from Augusta, offers more amenities for tent campers including drinking water, showers, and reservable sites that fill quickly during peak season.

Best Tent Sites Near Augusta, Illinois (5)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Augusta, IL

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Tent Camping Reviews near Augusta, IL

191 Reviews of 5 Augusta Campgrounds

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 3, 2020

    Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    Lovely Primitive Campground

    Stayed one night in July. We tent camped in site 1 of the primitive campground. There are 7 sites well spaced with a picnic table, fire ring, trash can and three sided shelter in each site. Pit toilets are in the middle. Each site is along the tree line with plenty of shade. These are walk in sites ranging from 0.10 miles to 0.50 miles from the parking lot. Just $6 a night. Hiking trails, kayaking and fishing are available but we didn’t get a chance to take advantage of those things. Very friendly and helpful campground host drove over from the RV campground to register us and even offered to take our stuff to our site. Great experience. Only 3 sites in use on a Friday night.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2021

    Dupont Reservation Conservation Area

    Right on the River

    This is a free primitive campground on the Mississippi River. Most sites have some sort of fire ring and a gravel spot to pull a vehicle in. I only saw two picnic tables in the whole campground(maybe 10-12 sites total). The clean but basic vault toilet is at the far end of the campground loop near the boat ramp. Pretty much every site has great views of the Mighty Mississippi(depending on where your neighbors set up their site), which means you can watch boat traffic from your site and maybe feel a little like Huck Finn. A few notes of caution: this area WILL flood if the river floods; it WILL be buggy in the summer as the campground backs to a large wetlands area; on the other side of the wetlands is an active train track, so you may have train noise as well as barge noise on the river.

  • L
    Oct. 30, 2023

    Siloam Springs State Park Campground

    Hidden Gem of Illinois...

    This site was so much better than what I was expecting! My friend, Kari, her 3 Doodles, my Beagle, and I camped out the first night in the group section, because there's hardly anyone there and we got there too late in the day to actually start hiking. In the morning, we loaded up our packs, put the little packs on the dogs (they have to carry their own food and water), and headed up the Red Oak Backpacking Trail. I don't know if we started at the beginning or not, but we parked by a little wooden bridge and the hill to start off our adventure kinda kicked my ass a little bit. After we made it up the initial incline, the landscape was beautiful and varied from flat areas to valleys and some creeks (which I was very thankful for after a few hours in 90° and 25 lbs on my back). We ended up setting up camp at a spot we thought was nice just before it got dark, because we didn't know where or how much further the primitive hike-in campsites were. The next day, we figured it out, but we wouldn't have made it there before dark. Towards the end, there were stairs built into the earth that were way too difficult to manage when your legs are jelly and your pack is heavy, so it was almost easier trying to take the side of the stairs and make your own little path, so just a heads up there. We had so much fun the whole time and I can't wait to go back for some snow camping later this year (they are open year round)!!!

  • Frank H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 22, 2024

    Hickory Haven Campground

    Great Tent Camping

    Level grass tent sites. Shade of trees. Electric outlets at sites. Water accessible. Bath house kept very clean. Plenty of hot water for showers. Picnic table & fire ring at site. Economical. Laundry. Ice bags available. Picnic shelter with sides, 3 picnic tables, small mini fridge, electric lights & outlets, ceiling fan, portable fan, water and deep sink available for campers to use.

  • James D.
    Oct. 1, 2016

    Fulton County Rec Area

    Getting to see the wildlife made this place worth it

    My wife loves birds, and if it weren't for all of the geese on the lake we wouldn't have enjoyed our stay here. There are plenty of sites for tent camping but the one we got wasn't level so we kept sliding our bags off our sleeping pad. There are shower houses but they weren't the best maintained. Being able to bring our dogs was a plus. There wasn't a boat ramp that we saw but you can kayak on the water. Fishing was really just to kill some time because the park itself was pretty boring. Maybe we were just in a funk, or maybe this place was funky. Being around all the water was this places only saving grace.

  • Travis R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 17, 2024

    Welter Recreation Area

    Primitive Campsite

    This campsite appears to not be well maintained it may even be closed. There is no electricity and one vault toilet. Weeds are overgrown, and fallen trees have not been cleared. However, it has a wonderful view of the river and is directly on the banks. Because there are fallen trees, firewood is plentiful :).

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 23, 2022

    Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    Great Friendly, Family Park

    We certainly didn’t expect the Prairie Lake Campground to be full in late October! Both loops were full, but there was just enough space for us to squeeze in for 2 nights! (A few spaces seemed to be filled with deer hunters who were up and out quite early.) Site has electricity with water centrally located in the center of the loop. We needed a 100 ft fresh water hose to fill up. Luckily a friendly neighbor had one for us to borrow! Nice warm bath house had push button showers with locks on the stalls with a dry space to dress inside the stall. Lake has boat dock with about 6 slips. The point on the lake was a beautiful setting for a fall wedding on Saturday! Lots of families with kids riding bikes around the loop and some playing wiffle ball in the open field. Each spot had a picnic table and fire ring. Our spot, #78 sat under a tree with great shade. Bagged ice is available at 1st host site for $4 and a bundle of firewood for $6

  • Dave N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 12, 2020

    Spring Lake Park

    Great Boating/Fishing

    Well kept campground on a lake. Spots are all on grass. Most are level. Lots of shady spots. Picnic table and fire ring. Seems like most of the sites are seasonal campers. Very quiet for how many campers are here. Restrooms and hot showers, fairly clean. This would be lots of fun for boaters. Rates were $20/night w/electric 7/20

  • J
    Oct. 21, 2023

    Dupont Reservation Conservation Area

    Lovely camground along the banks of the Mighty Miss

    It’s actually the Ted Shanks Conservation Area. Dupont is a bit further north, no camping there that we saw.

    . All sites fronting the river, shaded by trees. Mix of campers, fishermen and hunters. A few trains at night but not many. Vault toilets. No tables, no fire rings.

Guide to Augusta

Tent camping near Augusta, Illinois centers around the waterways that define the region's landscape. The area sits at the intersection of several major river systems with elevations between 500-600 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-90°F with high humidity, while spring brings increased precipitation that can affect accessibility to riverside campsites.

What to do

**Fishing access: Spring Lake Campground provides excellent fishing opportunities from shorelines or boats. "I've stayed here every summer great place lots todo with the kids had a lake to fish, kayak, canoe," reports Taylor A.

**Water recreation: The Mississippi River watershed offers numerous paddling routes. During summer months, campers can bring kayaks or canoes to Dupont Reservation Conservation Area where the main channel provides consistent water levels even during drier periods.

**Wildlife observation: The wetland areas behind the campsites at Dupont Reservation support diverse bird populations. Jonny P. notes the campground has "All sites fronting the river, shaded by trees. Mix of campers, fishermen and hunters."

What campers like

**River views: Campers consistently mention the Mississippi River vistas as a highlight. Rosemary S. says of Dupont Reservation Conservation Area, "The campsites are large and pretty well maintained...I have only accolades for this primitive campground."

**Family-friendly amenities: Parents appreciate the recreational options at certain locations. At Spring Lake Campground, Troy P. calls it "A gem! Nice place for kids and adults! Would highly recommend."

**Spacious sites: The camping areas typically feature well-spaced sites that provide some privacy. Taylor A. mentions Spring Lake Campground has "an outdoor skating rink next to the lake very neat."

What you should know

**Reservation requirements: Some campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. According to Troy P., visitors should "Get there early or make reservations fills fast!" at popular spots like Spring Lake Campground.

**Limited facilities: Most tent camping options near Augusta offer minimal amenities. Rosemary S. notes at Upper Augusta Skunk River Access, "Not many tables are available. The one I used was wobbly, but held up."

**Site changes: Always verify campground status before traveling. Travis R. warns about Upper Augusta Skunk River Access, "I don't think this camp site exists anymore. There is a roadside stop next to it with a Pavillion but no campground."

Tips for camping with families

**Bring recreation equipment: Pack fishing gear, water toys, and outdoor games when camping with children. Taylor A. mentions Spring Lake Campground has "lots todo with the kids" including fishing, kayaking and canoeing options.

**Plan for insects: The wetland environments support mosquito populations in summer months. Annie C. cautions about Ted Shanks Conservation Area: "it WILL be buggy in summer as the campground backs to a large wetlands area."

**Weather preparation: Spring flooding can impact riverside locations. Jonny P. notes Ted Shanks Conservation Area has "All sites fronting the river, shaded by trees," which provides some protection from summer sun but requires monitoring river conditions.

Tips from RVers

**Limited hookups: Most sites near Augusta cater primarily to tent campers. For RVers seeking services, Dupont Reservation has "a gravel spot to pull a vehicle in" according to Annie C., but lacks hookups.

**Noise considerations: Both natural and human-made sounds can affect camping experiences. Annie C. mentions, "you may have train noise as well as barge noise on the river" when staying at riverside campgrounds near Augusta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Augusta, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Augusta, IL is Spring Lake Campground with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Augusta, IL?

TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Augusta, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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