Best Tent Camping near Carlinville, IL

Primitive tent camping area is very spacious but bathrooms were dirty and gross.  The women’s bathroom near T3 didn’t have toilet paper the entire three days we stayed there.  I drove to other restrooms while we stayed there.   Shower house was nice, with one small shower stall and large ADA shower stall.  Camp host was friendly and helpful. The campground is just a few minutes from Carlinville Walmart and restaurants.

Peaceful tent camping on Walkers Island at $8 per day.

Doesn't allow pets for tent sites

A small and not crowded place to camp with all you need and hospitality. Great for tent camping and hiking.

Quiet midweek in tent camping area except for heavy equipment in field nearby. Large campground with open space and playground for kids. Short walk to beautiful lake.

I camped here in a tent before we had an rv. The primitive sites were perfectly quiet and away from others. Toilet was close and so was parking. I kind of miss tent camping!!!

I have been coming here for years with my family when I was younger. I took a trip alone with my tent for 4 days in May. The place is as pristine as it was when I was a kid- perfect bathhouse, beautiful lakeshore, and cozy tent camping. Plenty of wildlife to observe and wonderful fishing to be had. Great to ride a bike around, too!

There are only about 6 tent sites at this campground, which makes it not entirely friendly for tent campers. However, the bathrooms were lovely and clean. For those who are allergic, there is a colony of feral cats living outside of the office. OUTDOOR DOMESTICATED CATS ARE TERRIBLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, please do not encourage this behavior.

I stayed at the tent sites. They are first come, first served, and a short walk from the parking spots. There are times of RV sites also, although the host said most all are reservable and only a handful are firstcome, first served. There are restrooms and a shower house that are clean.

It was March, it was cold at night, but this ADA cabin had heat & electric, 5 beds with mattresses, beds with mattresses (2 pr bunks beds in the second room). Cement sidewalks from parking area to toilets & cabins, each with a waterfront view, fire pit & picnic table. From our cabin we walked grassy paths to a lovely bridge. Around the pond's perimeter are dispersed sites for tent-camping or possibly day-use. It was a challenge to find the park entrance, at night, and the closest small town is about 10-miles away. The very reasonable cost was transacted online.

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.

Drive by, choose a spot, let the host know. We tent camped. The ground was relatively flat minus some tree stumps. Every site has a fire pit with adjustable grill, picnic tables, ours had a concrete slab for gatherings, 2 vehicle parking bumper to bumper. Outhouse was a short walk from us and was decent (no sink). Water spicket just beyond that. They’re sporadically placed. Our site was in the shade and not far from the road though there were others that were further back. We did some of the trails which were okay. Something to do, a bit of exercise, and it had some cute little bridges and stops to sit or step out onto the water (must be able bodied). It is a pond not a lake, I could see all points of it from one standing position. Also, no beavers, they left a long time ago. The showers were clean. Walmart is about ten minutes away if you need groceries. It’s a good stop if you’re passing through and need to rest, get a little walk in, shower. Definitely wouldn’t recommend for some one out of town or state who wants to plan a vacation here.

These walk in sites check all the boxes.  At the western part of the RV loop, is a peninsula of primitive tent camping spots to choose from.  About half the sites were filled by the second day we were there.  We settled on 62, which is spacious and provides access to the path from the front and behind where you can walk into site 64 as well.  A parking area with a single spot for each camp site is well marked and by two vault toilets.  Park staff and host were great.  A decent fishing spot is just in front of site 64.  $8 for IL residents is hard to beat, if you don't need an RV spot with electric.  A water source is also by the parking spots.  The weekend we were there the weather had cooled some and a great breeze was coming off the lake.  Springfield being so close is a bonus.

The only negative is like any spot and how previous people leave the camp looking before you are there.  Some garbage in the fire pit and random spots are par for the course in any state park.  Pick up the trash and dump it in the dumpster by the parking lot.  Leave the site better than you found it is our motto.

We stayed here in order to visit Springfield, Illinois, and we really enjoyed this spot. The sites are a good size, the campground is easily accessible from the highway, and there are nice amenities. We would definitely stay here again.

a couple cute trails and 1 nice little campground that you can pitch a tent in or drive your RV too. close to the beautiful historic New Salem Village. my dog and I love it here!

This is a great little place to go fishing and just spend some time relaxing. Deer Run is mostly trailers and RVs, but can easily accommodate tent campers, and is less crowded than Hickory Point. The campground hosts are very friendly and helpful. The lake and surrounding area is beautiful!

This campground has changed owners multiple times, and is sorely in need of renovation.  The sites are sunk down, poorly rocked and extremely narrow.  The majority of sites are backup only, which is a recipe for disaster with all of the rain central Illinois has had this Spring.  Be prepared for mud and standing water.  4wd a must

Spent a tent night here at the Deer Run portion of the camp.  It's a nice, well kept campground with clear level spots.  Bathrooms are basic and in the front of the camp loops so you have a walk if you stay in the back like I did.  Also, water is in the center of the loop so not very convenient.  Each space did have power and the price was reasonable.  I'd recommend staying near the front or in a trailer.