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Best Tent Camping near Bartlett, IL

582 Reviews

Primitive tent camping options near Bartlett, Illinois include several secluded forest preserve campgrounds within an hour's drive. MacQueen Forest Preserve stands out with nine walk-in tent sites spread at least 50 yards apart in wooded and meadow settings. The campground, a former Boy Scout camp, offers affordable primitive camping at only $4-5 per night through a self-registration system at the parking area.

Most tent sites in the area require campers to park and walk in their gear, with MacQueen providing a wagon or dolly to transport equipment from the parking lot. Tent campsites typically feature fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities remain minimal. Vault toilets are standard, with no showers available at most locations. Water access varies significantly—MacQueen has non-potable well pumps while Frederick's Grove at McKinley Woods offers drinking water. Sites generally operate seasonally, with some like Channahon State Park Campground remaining open year-round, offering walk-in tent camping opportunities even in winter months.

The primitive tent experience around Bartlett emphasizes seclusion despite proximity to urban areas. Campsites at MacQueen Forest Preserve feature significant spacing, providing privacy not commonly found at developed campgrounds. Several preserves offer direct access to water features and trail systems. Frederick's Grove connects to the I&M Canal Towpath, ideal for bicycle touring campers using tent sites as overnight points. According to reviews, MacQueen's campsites provide exceptional privacy: "There are eight primitive campsites here, and they're spread out at least 50 yards apart. You can't see the campsite next to you." Train noise affects some locations, with one camper noting that "if you cannot sleep to the sound of trains at night, this is not the campground for you."

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Best Tent Sites Near Bartlett, Illinois (10)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Bartlett, IL

17 Photos of 10 Bartlett Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Bartlett, IL

582 Reviews of 10 Bartlett Campgrounds

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2020

    MacQueen Forest Preserve

    Secluded Hike-in Tent Campsites on the Kish

    This is where to go if you don't like pitching a tent in a field of RVs. There is one wheelchair accessible tent site on a blacktop path in the forest canopy. This is a very primative campground with 1 set of Vault toilets. The other campsites require a walk/hike along a gravel path for completely wooded sites or cross a football sized meadow for open air sites. There are several well-water pumps "not for drinking." Each campsite has a fire pit and a picnic table. Pack out your garbage for the dumpster in the parking lot. There are only 9 sites total. VERY private and secluded. Tents only! Massive forest preserve area for excellent hiking. Some fellow campers were doing a diy tubing right to the campground. (About a 2 hr lazy river tube from Kingston or 5hrs from Genoa on the slow moving S. Branch of the Kishwaukee River which can be pretty deep in places.) Absolutely NO ALCOHOL. Cost for tent sites is only $4 per tent or tent-like structure. There are primitive cabins for rent and a large lodge if you rented the structure for an event here. By their facebook page, it looks like there have been beautiful weddings here. This is a former scout camp flanked by more forest preserves. The ranger is very nice and the entrance is locked from sunset to sunrise. I hesitated even posting this tent-camping primitive heaven, because I almost want to keep it for myself and the locals. Please practice leave no trace and follow the rules if you go so this place stays open. Dog friendly, but must be leashed all of time or a $50 fine. My dog loved the trails and river crossings! Gorgeous hidden gem about an hour into cornfield country from Chicago NW suburbs like Woodfield Mall. I had cell service at one spot in the parking lot, but it was fleeting with T-mobile. A fellow camper had the best private spot (#2) which other than the ada site was the best because it was closest to the parking lot, yet she still had a festival/yard cart to pull her gear up a gravel path. Make sure you bring yours or are outfitted with backpacking gear. Like anywhere, prevent insect deforestation and don't bring firewood, it's fine, they have plenty.

  • H. K.
    Jun. 26, 2022

    Camp Bullfrog Lake

    Nice but very little shade

    We stayed in the primitive tent area near the back of the park. It is walk in.

    There was a pole for a lantern, a picnic table, a fire ring and tent pad. There is one clean flush toilet and shower per each gender (the shower stall was spacious with plenty of hooks and benches). There were also vault toilets not too far away. The water spigot was pretty far away though. There were plenty of garbage cans.

    There were a few small trees but very little shade. On hot days I think a pop up shade shelter would be necessary to make it bearable.

    Overall it was pretty quiet.

    The last night we were there a large group of people with their tents showed up. There were not enough tent pads or picnic tables for all of them. I don't know if it was the park that booked so many people or if it was the group that overbooked.

  • Meg
    Jun. 12, 2022

    Rock Cut State Park - Staghorn Campground

    Beautiful View (site 20), serious slope

    We LOVE site 20 as does everyone else who books this one up quick. Literally the only downside is that you have no flat spots anywhere on the site, which killed our backs sleeping in tents.

    Pros - lake view, but a safe distance down the hill so no worries about the kids at the campsite.

    On the end with tons of privacy, full row of trees and a ton of space until the next site. It’s like your own mini oasis.

    Lake is also fabulous. We decided to rent instead of hauling our own kayak and they were clean, affordable and quick process.

    Cons - lol that hill is no joke. Pit toilets I wouldn’t touch with a 10ft pole, but that’s pretty typical.

  • D
    Aug. 3, 2025

    Paul Wolff Campground

    No showers

    We would gladly stay here again!

    Great campsite with the best staff ever! The sites are clean and very well maintained. We loved the staff patrolling the grounds. The trail system is great for walking the dogs. And I even grew to like the no alcohol in the preserve rule.

    The vault toilets are clean but smell like vault toilets at 95 degrees. There is one very clean flush toilet building but no showers. They don't advertise showers, but this is the newest and nicest campsite I have seen without showers. There is some shade, but you have to search for it.

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2020

    Paul Wolff Campground

    Great value Chicago suburb campsite

    I've camped here four different occasions this 2020 covid-19 year. The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms. It is a super clean campground with multiple hosts and forest preserve staff. There are a large number of RV pads overlooking the prairie and a few along a grove of trees. I was lucky once to see the equestrian area full of campers with their horses. There are 9 walk-in tent sites about 10-20 yards from parking (the two at the end p7 and p9 are connected for groups that know each other). There are multiple ada sites and two "walk-in/ie roll-in" site in the tent-only area. It's a good mix of young people, retired people, and families. I've seen weekends with mainly RVs and one weekend with a quarter of the drive-in sites being tents. The most shaded sites are p1,3,5,7 and 9. Many of the sites in the middle are wide open with little shade but nice summer breezes. Prices are a great deal if you live in Kane county but still worth the trip if you live in another county. Firewood is $7 for about .75 cu ft (what you can fit in a milk crate.) There are a few trails and I've seen lots of butterflies, gold finches, hawks, deer, flocks of giant sandhill cranes, rabbits, ground squirrels, and of course actual squirrels. Lots of people (including me) bring their leashed dogs. The other campers have been polite and friendly. I wish there was more distance between sites in the water/electrical loops for more privacy, but I'd go every weekend if I lived in Kane county because it would be worth the resident price even tho there are so many RVs. Because there is electrical it is a peaceful campground with no generator noise.

  • S
    Oct. 2, 2020

    Rock Cut State Park - Staghorn Campground

    Good Tent Sites

    We visited this spot last summer as a place to stay for 1 night on our way farther north.

    We really enjoy tent camping and prefer walk-in/hike in sites so we can have some privacy away from other campers. The campsites were decently dispersed and the ground was nice and grassy so it was pretty comfortable.

    We always want more space between campsites, but I think the privacy level was fine. The tent sites are right off the parking lot where the boat ramp is so maybe on a busy weekend it would be a little loud, but overall a nice night for us!

    We left in the morning to continue our drive so we didn’t spend much time checking out the hiking trails.

    We did however go checkout the beach which wasn’t much to write home about. If I remember correctly, we had to pay a fee to enter. Always happy to support a state park. We just figured since we were already paying to camp there, it wouldn’t cost extra. I’m pretty sure we paid an admission fee and didn’t stay for long. It was across the way and requires a drive instead of a hike to get there.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 12, 2020

    Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Well maintained and clean

    Very impressed with this state park! It was huge, almost 3 miles just to our site! The showers were clean. The spots were large and wooded with nice fire ring set ups. The staff was very helpful answering any questions and giving recommendations. We stayed on a primitive/wilderness site for $12 with no electric. They will allow anyone on these sites-we even saw huge RV'S and 5th wheels on primitive sites.

    There are amazing trails through park for people to hike, bike, or ride horse on.

    Spring Grove is a tiny town nearby with a little corner bar called “The Grove”. They serve amazing food with great service. Very clean! I recommend checking it out if you’re looking for some good food.

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 15, 2021

    MacQueen Forest Preserve

    Beautiful primitive campground I almost don't want to tell anyone about

    $4 individual primitive site

    Note: if you cannot sleep to the sound of trains at night, this is not the campground for you. I don't mind them at all, and rather enjoy the sound, but there were probably three of them that went by in the middle of the night rather close to the campground. There's a little bit of road noise, but not disturbing at all in the middle of the night. There's also a river on one side of the campground, but it can only be heard if you were at one particular campsite.

    This is one of those places that's so awesome, you really don't want to tell people about it. It used to be an old boy scout camp, and now they let the public use it. There are eight primitive campsites here, and they're spread out at least 50 yards apart. That's right, at least 50 yards. You can't see the campsite next to you, and they all have a picnic table and a fire ring. You do have to walk into all of them, but they do have one wagon and a dolly you can use to tote things in. It's an easy walk, on a crushed gravel road and mowed trail, and they do have one space near the parking lot that's handicap accessible. About half of the campsites are in a meadow at the back end of the campground. It would be beautiful for stargazing! There's also a giant fire pit with benches. The perfect area for a small group camp (as long as each party paid for the campsite that's back there).

    There's vault toilets and the one I used wasn't terrible, but it is primitive. There's even a light switch inside with a functioning light! There is a ranger house at the very front, and I get the impression that there's the possibility that someone actually lives there. The campsite looked very well maintained, like it had been freshly mowed around the edges.

    Even if the rangers don't actually live here, they're here regularly and it's obvious.

    The very best part? You're in the middle of the country, with gorgeous sunsets, and the primitive camping is only $4.

    There is water, but it is not, I repeat is not, potable.

    There are trash cans and dumpsters. There's also a lodge and pavilion which can be rented out for separate cost.

    I'll definitely be back next time I'm through this area. It's all self-checking, you just use the pay box in the parking lot.

  • Kristy G.
    Oct. 26, 2020

    Rock Cut State Park - Staghorn Campground

    Close proximity to Chicago, beautiful lake, nice trails

    We stayed on tent-only site 009 which gave us a small view of the lake through the trees, a direct trail to the lake to sit with our morning coffee, and plenty of space between sites so we couldn't see or hear any neighbors. It's a short walk in to the site from the parking area in that section (maybe 50 ft total) and parking is easy and plentiful in the lot. We brought our own potty so I can't speak on the cleanliness of the facilities, but I can say they store their firewood indoors which was excellent for nice dry wood that was easy to start and burned hot.

Guide to Bartlett

Tent camping near Bartlett, Illinois offers secluded options within short driving distance of Chicago suburbs. Most primitive sites sit along rivers or within forest preserves where camping remains affordable at $3-5 per night. The region features a mix of prairie and woodland environments with moderate summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F and frequent evening thunderstorms from June through August.

What to do

Kayaking and fishing: The Illinois and Kishwaukee Rivers provide excellent paddling opportunities. At Kayak Morris, campers report exceptional fishing: "Between me and my buddies we caught over 50 striper. I don't know if its the river convergence or the lake but they bite here hard!" The rental options make it accessible even without equipment.

Biking the canal trails: The historic I&M Canal Towpath connects several campgrounds in the region. "The main draw to this place is the tow path. I high recommend bringing a bike to enjoy the trail. The trail is also part of the Grand Illinois Trail network," notes a camper at McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove.

Wildlife viewing: Early mornings offer the best opportunities to spot local wildlife. "We were rudely woken up by the Woodpecker Association at 7am," reports one Frederick's Grove camper, highlighting the active bird population in the area.

What campers like

Site privacy: The spacing between campsites ranks high among camper preferences. "I hate to even tell people about this great spot. Spots are pretty spread out. Only sites 1,2,8 are forested the rest are around a large open field," writes a visitor to MacQueen Forest Preserve.

River access: Many sites offer direct water access. A Kayak Morris camper explains: "We brought our own kayaks and launched right from our campsite which was amazing but they rent kayaks for pretty cheap if you don't have your own."

Affordability: Budget-friendly camping remains a significant draw. "The very best part? You're in the middle of the country, with gorgeous sunsets, and the primitive camping is only $4," reports a MacQueen Forest Preserve visitor. Most sites in the region maintain similar pricing structures with self-registration systems.

What you should know

Weather conditions: Summer thunderstorms can create flooding issues. A Frederick's Grove camper warns: "Our night went from on and off light rain to three hours of down pour rain. With that said our site was flooded once we woke up. We had three inches up the the fire pit."

Noise considerations: Train traffic affects sleep at some locations. A reviewer notes about MacQueen: "I stayed one night and I really enjoyed myself. There wasn't anyone there. I assume it's because it's early in the spring."

Gate closures: Some preserves lock entrance gates overnight. "The park closes early, 8PM in summer, and earlier still off season. Check the fine print on your reservation!" advises a camper at Frederick's Grove.

Water sources: Water availability varies significantly by location. At Camp Shabbona Woods, potable water is available, while MacQueen Forest Preserve provides only non-potable well water with one camper specifically noting: "There is water, but it is not, I repeat is not, potable."

Tips for camping with families

Choose accessible sites: Some campgrounds offer ADA-compliant options. "In McKinley Woods proper there is a large camping area and two of the sites have concrete pads for ADA accessibility," notes a visitor. These sites typically require less hiking to reach.

Site selection for shade: Tree cover matters in summer heat. At Channahon State Park Campground, "This campground is surrounded by trees," making it comfortable even during hot days.

Gear transport planning: Most primitive sites require walking gear in from parking areas. "You do have to walk into all of them, but they do have one wagon and a dolly you can use to tote things in. It's an easy walk, on a crushed gravel road and mowed trail," explains a MacQueen Forest Preserve camper.

Tips from RVers

Limited accommodations: Most sites near Bartlett prioritize tent camping with minimal RV options. At Camp Shabbona Woods, "No electric or water hook ups can't keep your vehicle close to your campsite. The good the bathroom are in good shape and the staff was friendly."

Urban proximity awareness: Despite natural settings, urban sounds remain present. "Definitely felt the urban community close by with ambulances and firetrucks noises in the background. They close the gates after 10pm was weird but overall ok," reports a Shabbona Woods visitor.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bartlett, IL is MacQueen Forest Preserve with a 4.7-star rating from 6 reviews.

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TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Bartlett, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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