Top Tent Camping near Ava, IL

Looking for the best options for tent camping near Ava? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Ava, Illinois's most popular destinations.

Best Tent Sites Near Ava, IL (13)

    Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

    1. Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

    16 Reviews
    47 Photos
    9 Saves

    Turkey Ridge is for campers who want a serene outdoor experience. It is a Class C walk-in campground that includes camp pads, picnic tables, cooking grills and showers. Drinking water and toilets are located near the parking lots.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • Tents
    • Trash

    $18 / night

    • No image available

      2. Blue Heron Campground & Marina

      1 Review
      8 Saves
      • Electric Hookups
      • ADA Access
      • Tents
      • Standard (Tent/RV)
      • Showers
      • Toilets

      $15 - $20 / night

      • No image available

        3. Apple Creek Conservation Area

        1 Review
        1 Save

        Apple Creek Conservation Area is located in northeast Cape Girardeau County, three miles east of New Wells on Route CC. The Missouri Department of Conservation created Apple Creek Conservation Area in 1986 with the purchase of 2,100 acres from several landowners. Steep hills and narrow valleys characterize this area, and approximately 2.5 miles of Apple Creek stream frontage forms its northern border. The Conservation Department has created watering ponds and planted food plots and agricultural crops within the forest to provide additional food sources for wildlife.

        • Pets
        • Fires
        • Tents
        • Equestrian
        • Standard (Tent/RV)
        • Trash
        Camper-submitted photo from North Marcum Day Use Area

        4. North Marcum Day Use Area

        2 Reviews
        1 Photo
        11 Saves

        Overview

        Congratulations! Youve just discovered the perfect place to enjoy a wide variety of activities, events and nature at its best. Even a short visit to Rend Lake will impress you with the versatility of this magnificent area. Whether youre looking for high adventure, a peaceful retreat, or something in between, youll find it here.

        Natural Features:

        North Marcum Day Use Area sits along the banks of Rend Lake in the heart of Southern Illinois. Plenty of shade and a large sandy boat in are, make this day use area desirable for a day on scenic Rend Lake. Rend Lake is made up of 18,900 acres of water and 20,000 acres of land.

        Wildlife in the area includes white tailed deer, wild turkey, fox, raccoon, opossum, waterfowl, and others as seasons change throughout the year.

        Recreation:

        Take a leisurely morning stroll, ski or sail lake waters, spend the afternoon viewing inspiring art exhibits and end your day by the warm glow of a campfire under starry night skies. The fields, forests and waters of Rend Lake provide a natural haven for wildlife and an outdoor wonderland for you. Boat, hike, fish, hunt, swim, and explore at your leisure. If you prefer a little less nature, visit one of the resorts around the lake and delight in superb lodging and dining. Just minutes away youll find golf, trap and skeet, arts, antiques, museums, wineries, and more.

        Facilities:

        North Marcum Day Use Area features two large picnic shelters with tables, grills, and drinking water. The shelters can accommodate up to 75 guests each, and the area has a boat ramp, playground, and dock all within walking distance.

        • Pets
        • Electric Hookups
        • Reservable
        • Tents
        • Group
        • Showers
        Camper-submitted photo from Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
        Camper-submitted photo from Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
        Camper-submitted photo from Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
        Camper-submitted photo from Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
        Camper-submitted photo from Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
        Camper-submitted photo from Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

        5. Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

        3 Reviews
        10 Photos
        2 Saves

        Backpackers enjoying their commune with nature will appreciate the solitude of the individual campsites in the Class C Backpack campground. Located a half-mile from the Turkey Ridge primitive campground parking lot, these woodland sites have cooking grills, toilets and showers. Water and trash receptacles are available at the Turkey Ridge parking lot. You're reminded to be careful with your fires and to pack out what you pack in.

        • Pets
        • Fires
        • Phone Service
        • Tents
        • Trash
        • Drinking Water
        Camper-submitted photo from Dutchman Lake Camp
        Camper-submitted photo from Dutchman Lake Camp
        Camper-submitted photo from Dutchman Lake Camp
        Camper-submitted photo from Dutchman Lake Camp
        Camper-submitted photo from Dutchman Lake Camp
        Camper-submitted photo from Dutchman Lake Camp

        6. Dutchman Lake Camp

        3 Reviews
        6 Photos
        44 Saves
        • Pets
        • Fires
        • Phone Service
        • Tents
        • Group
        • Dispersed
        Camper-submitted photo from Buck Ridge  -  Lake Of Egypt

        7. Buck Ridge - Lake Of Egypt

        2 Reviews
        1 Photo
        8 Saves
        • Pets
        • Fires
        • Phone Service
        • ADA Access
        • Tents
        • Trash
        • No image available

          8. Mandolin Grove

          1 Review
          • Pets
          • Fires
          • Phone Service
          • Reservable
          • Tents
          • Tent Cabin
          Camper-submitted photo from Willow Springs Campground
          Camper-submitted photo from Willow Springs Campground
          Camper-submitted photo from Willow Springs Campground
          Camper-submitted photo from Willow Springs Campground

          9. Willow Springs Campground

          1 Review
          4 Photos
          2 Saves

          Private property sunken into the Shawnee National Forest.

          • Fires
          • Reservable
          • Tents
          • Trash
          • Firewood Available
          • Showers

          $20 - $125 / night

          Camper-submitted photo from Buck Ridge Campground
          Camper-submitted photo from Buck Ridge Campground
          Camper-submitted photo from Buck Ridge Campground
          Camper-submitted photo from Buck Ridge Campground
          Camper-submitted photo from Buck Ridge Campground
        Showing results 1-10 of 13 campgrounds

        Recent Tent Reviews In Ava

        383 Reviews of 13 Ava Campgrounds


        • GB N.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from DD Hwy Campground
          Oct. 22, 2024

          DD Hwy Campground

          October tent camping

          Tent camping back away from the RVs & we were the only people. Gorgeous river to view just a few steps away & the night sky view was fantastic. LOVED the bathroom & shower facilities!

        • Tabitha R.
          Camper-submitted photo from Johnson Creek
          Oct. 12, 2024

          Johnson Creek

          Nice!

          This campground provides large spots, drinking water, vault toliets, dumpsters, picnic table, lantern hook, fire ring, and contactless check in. I also appreciate the value of these sites. It really is a reasonable rate for forest camping.

        • Cecilia
          Camper-submitted photo from Pine Hills
          Aug. 15, 2024

          Pine Hills

          Very nice

          Very quiet and secluded. Campsites are roomy and some firewood is supplied.

        • JThe Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Trail Of Tears State Park
          Aug. 11, 2024

          Trail Of Tears State Park

          Train Lovers.

          Large park with not many large RV sites. Lots of tent and dispersed camping. Disappointing store. Equestrian area. Beach and boat launch.

        • Scott B.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Hilltop Campground
          Jul. 22, 2024

          Hilltop Campground

          Nice stop

          Stopped here for the night driving through the area. Nice campground, clean, safe, and right off the interstate.

        • EThe Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Shawnee Forest Campground
          Jun. 16, 2024

          Shawnee Forest Campground

          Great place to camp!

          We stayed 4 days and had a great time. The camp was clean and well maintained. The staff are very friendly and helpful and was more than happy to offer places to visit in the area, places to eat and provide assistance as needed. The trails are paved so we had a nice area to walk (twice around the lake from our site was 3 miles). :) We plan to visit again!

        • Wil V.
          Camper-submitted photo from Benton KOA
          May. 30, 2024

          Benton KOA

          Loud

          1 side is directly on the freeway VERY loud, the other is in between the sewer treatment plant and municipal airport. If you're a light sleeper might want to stay away Full video review on YouTube https://youtu.be/QpuNpA7UVZI

        • JThe Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from South Marcum Campground
          May. 13, 2024

          South Marcum Campground

          Great Campground

          Only $26 a night for full-hookups is amazing. Cell service for AT&T is marginal at 2 bars LTE. Only issue that I have is that site 49 is very hard to get level in, make sure that you bring extra leveling blocks if possible

        • JThe Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Archway RV Park
          May. 8, 2024

          Archway RV Park

          Great campground

          Sites are nice, although all sites face each other meaning you will be 5-10 feet from your neighbors if you are sitting out front. Full-hookups with only a 50amp connection so if you are using 30 make sure you have a 50/30 adapter. Overall very nice campground, well maintained.

        • Barb N.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Gun Creek
          Apr. 30, 2024

          Gun Creek

          Blue Jay #49 Water site

          Love this state park! Clean, quiet, water views and lots of bike paths to ride.

        • Steve G.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Crab Orchard Lake Campground
          Apr. 24, 2024

          Crab Orchard Lake Campground

          Excellent Lakeside Campgrouind

          Getting there: Easy access off Illinois 13 East of Carbondale 

          Check in and staff: Campground is now under the egis of recreation.gov& reservations through them are a must. This is new& when planning the trip the website said“first come first serve” so we arrived on a Friday evening(4pm) with no reservation. The sign said RV sites all taken. The host was wonderful! He has been here 9 years and steered us to a nice site for the one night we will be here. The online experience with recreation.gov was not pleasant, impossible in fact. So I had to call. This took quite awhile. Once I got a real live person it was great, and we got our site with no problems. 

          Amenities: Bathrooms: clean, paper towels& air dryers. 

          Site: A-35. In the middle of the A loop and therefore not on the water. Still, very nice. After all, beggars can’t be choosers! Sites are somewhat spacious, but not terribly private.

        • Michelle K.
          Camper-submitted photo from Sharp Rock Falls Recreation
          Apr. 4, 2024

          Sharp Rock Falls Recreation

          Longbranch Shooting House And Saloon

          You're welcome to at longbranch! Please make your reservations.
          Only 16 spots left!

          Ava Illinois +1 618-318-6734 Text your name and number of people on your campsite to reserve your spot.

          The Solar Eclipse Event "PARK @ THE MOON"

          Extended or early arrivals welcome. Just simply request more information in the text. We will get ahold of asap with a more information and a confirmation number.

          #ShareThisPost #solareclipse2024

        • Tonya B.
          Camper-submitted photo from Shawnee Forest Campground
          Mar. 18, 2024

          Shawnee Forest Campground

          Great Place!

          Stayed here on the way to and from Florida (home in Minnesota). Very nice campground. Well maintained, big sites for our 40ft fifth wheel, great sunrise/sunset views, and the bathrooms are very clean and well lite. The gentleman/host that greeted us at the office upon arrival was polite and helpful. Will definitely stay again!

        • Jake C.The Dyrt ADMIN User
          Camper-submitted photo from Willow Springs Campground
          Mar. 1, 2024

          Willow Springs Campground

          New to the Dyrt!

          Jake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!

        • Logan W.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Giant City State Park
          Feb. 23, 2024

          Giant City State Park

          Great trails and well kept campsites

          We stayed at Giant City in February on a very cold weekend. It was still a fantastic trip! The campsites, fire pits and pit toilets were well maintained. The shorter trails in the park were beautiful even in the winter. The Lodge also had excellent food and a very cozy feel. Definitely visit the Lodge!!

        • Logan W.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Pyramid State Park
          Feb. 4, 2024

          Pyramid State Park

          Nice campsites and lots of lakes

          We stayed at the campground on the north end of Pyramid. The campsites were close together but we visited in February so we were the only campers. The fire pits were a little run down but the sites were nice and level with a table. No lantern posts. Pit toilets that were decent. The park office is a pretty long drive from the north end campground. The hiking is limited but the campground was peaceful and close to the lakes. Probably covered in bugs in the summer. Overall pretty nice stay

        • David F.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
          Nov. 30, 2023

          Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

          Southern Illinois getaway

          Great campground away from roads and noise. Goreville is small local town with grocery store and service station for supplies. South LOOP sites 1-23 are first come sites. NORTH LOOP SITES 24 - 59 Reservable at https://camp.exploremoreil.com/ Some 50 amp sites (4, 6, 18, 32, 36, 38, 47, 48) rest have 30 amp. See map in photos. WATER potable at Dump Station also 5 hydrants scattered amongst camp sites. TENT and Equestrian camps take road to the south west of lake.

        • Stuart O.The Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
          Nov. 14, 2023

          Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

          Quiet in November

          We do most of our RV travel in the early spring and late fall.  Ferne Clyffe does not take reservations after November 1, so its first come first served.  Payment is deposited in a kiosk near the black water dump site.  This was not well explained on the signage or websites, but, at least in mid-November, there were enough experienced campers around to explain things. 

          Otherwise, Ferne Clyffe is gorgeous. Great for star-gazing. Lots of mature oak and sycamore trees that I'm sure provide nice shade in summer.  In mid-November, there's lots of deer hunters, which means it gets quiet early in the evening.  Spaces are of moderate size on the interior, and are more spread out on the perimteter.

        • T
          Camper-submitted photo from Shawnee Forest Campground
          Oct. 29, 2023

          Shawnee Forest Campground

          Suburb Camping

          Came to this campsite with my boyfriend and I as well as our two dogs. We were in spot 51, we have a large 8 person tent and need water & electricity so we rent out RV spots instead of the typical tent spots. When we arrived after our 15 hour drive, someone decided to park in our site. Once they moved we were able to start putting up our tent which was on a hill so we were slanted throughout the night. A family rented out the entire rest of the cul-de-sac, which isn’t the parks fault, but they claimed the pavilion and surrounding area. I would call this more of “suburb camping” because there are hardly any trees for privacy, large open fields of grass, and you are 2 minutes from the highway, food, and gas stations. It is only a single bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower instead of any stalls. They provide WiFi that did not work for us, we had better connection with our cellular data. No garbages anywhere in the campsite, thankfully we had our own garbage bags and tossed it in the dumpster before we left. It was fine to crash for one night, but I wouldn’t want to stay here for an extended period of time.

        • kThe Dyrt PRO User
          Camper-submitted photo from Shawnee Forest Campground
          Oct. 23, 2023

          Shawnee Forest Campground

          Quiet, Peacefull, Friendly

          This was one of the best I have stayed out. I met some nice people, Manager helped me get my electric set up, (user error), Facilities clean and very nice, roads and park well taken care of..

        • Klayton W.
          Camper-submitted photo from Shawnee Forest Campground
          Oct. 7, 2023

          Shawnee Forest Campground

          Close to home, will be back

          Easy access, very clean facilities and lots to do and see nearby, friendly service. The constant interstate noise is a bit annoying



        Guide to Ava

        Camping near Ava, Illinois, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From scenic views to family-friendly activities, there’s something for everyone in this beautiful region.

        What to do

        • Hiking: Explore the trails at Hawn State Park Campground. Reviewers mention, "There are several hiking trails and an overlook," making it a great spot for nature lovers.
        • Fishing and Kayaking: At St. Joe State Park Campground, visitors enjoy "close access to the river for fishing and kayaking." It’s perfect for those looking to cast a line or paddle around.
        • Wildlife Watching: Many campers appreciate the wildlife in the area. One reviewer at Trail of Tears State Park Campground noted, "The views of the river are great," and you might spot some local critters while you’re at it.

        What campers like

        • Clean Facilities: Campers at Shawnee Forest Campground rave about the cleanliness, with one saying, "The camp was clean and well maintained."
        • Friendly Staff: Many reviews highlight the helpfulness of campground hosts. For instance, a visitor at Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area mentioned, "The hosts were nice and very helpful!"
        • Spacious Sites: Campers appreciate the roomy sites at Gun Creek. One reviewer said, "Very well kept, friendly staff, very convenient from interstate," emphasizing the spaciousness.

        What you should know

        Tips for camping with families

        • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for places like Giant City State Park Campground, where families can enjoy "great hiking, seeing the sandstone walls that make the area famous."
        • Plan Activities: Campers at St. Francois State Park Campground enjoyed "two great trails in the park," making it easy to keep kids entertained.
        • Safety First: One reviewer at Shawnee Forest Campground mentioned, "The staff are very friendly and helpful," which is reassuring for families needing assistance.

        Tips from RVers

        • Check Site Sizes: RV campers at Gun Creek noted that "not all spots are level," so it’s wise to check site dimensions before booking.
        • Electric and Water Hookups: Make sure to confirm the availability of hookups. A visitor at Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area mentioned, "Our site only had electric hookup," which is important for RVers.
        • Plan for Dump Stations: Campers at St. Joe State Park Campground found that "the dump station backs up for up to an hour on Sundays," so plan accordingly.

        Camping near Ava, Illinois, has its perks and quirks. With a little planning, you can enjoy a fantastic outdoor adventure!

        Frequently Asked Questions

        • Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ava, IL?

          According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ava, IL is Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 16 reviews.

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

          TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Ava, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.