Best Tent Camping near Ava, IL
The Shawnee National Forest region surrounding Ava, Illinois offers several tent camping destinations within a short drive. Turkey Ridge Campground at Ferne Clyffe State Park provides dedicated tent sites with established amenities, while Backpack Campground in the same park offers more primitive walk-in tent sites. Dutchman Lake Camp provides dispersed tent camping options approximately 30 miles southeast of Ava for campers seeking a more rustic experience.
Tent sites at Turkey Ridge feature gravel pads with fire rings and access to drinking water and toilet facilities. The walk-in tent areas at Backpack Campground require carrying gear a short distance from parking areas but provide more secluded experiences. Most tent campgrounds in the region maintain pit toilets, though their cleanliness varies seasonally. Campers should note that firewood can be difficult to find at some locations, as one visitor mentioned at Ferne Clyffe. Water availability differs significantly between established and primitive tent areas, with dispersed sites generally requiring campers to bring their own water supplies.
The tent camping experience near Ava benefits from the heavily forested terrain that provides ample shade during summer months. Hiking trails connect many of the tent campgrounds to scenic features including limestone bluffs, small waterfalls, and cliff caves that are particularly notable at Ferne Clyffe State Park. The primitive tent sites offer greater privacy and wilderness immersion, though they lack amenities. Walk-in tent areas provide a middle ground between convenience and seclusion. According to one visitor, "The walk-up primitive sites are secluded, wooded, and within a pit toilet and water source." Weekday tent camping typically offers significantly lower occupancy rates than weekends, particularly in the spring and fall shoulder seasons when temperatures are most comfortable for tent camping.
