Are you planning a tent camping trip to Cave-In-Rock? We've got you covered. The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Cave-In-Rock with tent camping. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
This campground is the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) work camp. Somewhat off the beaten path Camp Cadiz is usually quiet and rarely do the campsites fill up; with the exception of turkey and deer hunting seasons. The campsites are level and each has a fire ring with grill and picnic table. __Equestrian camping is allowed.__Recreation Area brochure/map
Located along the banks of the Ohio River, Tower Rock Campground offers beautiful scenery and close proximity to water activities like fishing and boating. The 1/4 mile trail can be accessed near the boat launch. Be aware this area is prone to flooding when river levels fluctuate.
$8 / night
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.
$18 / night
Legend
Hurricane Creek Campground is small and intimate while still being close too many amenities. There are adequate RV campsites, and tent sites. Some RV sites require some serious driving skill to back your RV into and we better suited for tents. The tent sites are ample for tents, and two of the five tent sites have Trees close enough together for Hammock Camping.Tent site 11 has two trees that are not too big in diameter for hammocking. Parking for tent sites is above in a lot, and RV's are directly behind you 25-30 feet. I would recommend tenting on an RV site if you want your vehicle close to your site.
Guide
We stayed here in the middle of July in 2019! Wow was it hot! It also had a bit of flooding, how ever it made it easier for our girls to launch their kayaks and swim. Great spot for kayaking and tent camping. We were the only ones there so it was perfect! Highly recommend for tent camping.
Traveler
Tent camping.
Traveler
Quiet campground. Nice shower house. Quick walk to cave in rock or the cave in rock restaurant. Very few campers. Large open grassy areas. Lots of deer…and ticks. Campground host is really nice but the ranger is a pain
Scout
This place is right off the highway close to most things. It’s a cute little place with RV sites and tent sites. The tent sites are located on the lake and have power available. The price was very reasonable and the people here were very friendly and accommodating. The only down fall is the highway noise. Definitely would stay here again given the chance!
Traveler
Great family campground where you can do anything from camp in a tent to rent a bunkhouse.
Energy lake is at land between the lakes but you pay for your site at the gate. You can choose a primitive site, a camper site with utilities, or a bunk house with heat and a/c. You can also rent a canoe or a kayak for the day. There is a private beach and great fishing.
I would recommend energy lake to any type of camper.
Legend
Primative camping at its best. This is heavily used in the summer and early fall. Picnic tables and fire rings, vault toilets. Go in the off season and you will have plenty of privacy. Fairly level tent sites , some with nice trees for hammocks. Close to Little Grand Canyon, a really neat natural bridge, and Illinois wineries.
Legend
Stopped at this campground on the way to St. Louis. It is remote with several trails to explore. The sites were level and good for tent camping.
Legend
Tower Rock Campground, Shawnee National Forest, Il is ideal for fishermen.
Coming off the ferry from Marion, Kentucky there were no signs pointing the way. ( side note: lots of Amish in the Marion area, some very good products for sale and scenery to see)
No or spotty signal in this area so have your directions on paper. In Cave in Rock ( this is where the ferry crosses to) you take W Clay St to the left. It turns into Cave in Rock Rd which will get you there. Cave in Rock has some food and fuel, you might want to fill up here if you haven’t already. Cave in Rock State Park is with in a mile to the right.
Once on Cave in Rock Rd. watch for the sign (near 280 “block” of street addresses) because if you miss the turn it will be a minute before you can turn around to come back on the country road. On the road in stay to the left.
Tower Rock is boonyville like most of the Shawnee NF sites in this area. Perfect for a get away from the hustle and electronics of city life.
The actual campground is basically a mowed area in the woods close to the river. There is a pit toilet but otherwise pick your area and settle in, there was plenty of room for a group gathering or to just string up your hammock next to your vehicle. We continued down to the boatramp which is a cement pad into the river. Parking is in an overgrown dirt lot. Dark and quiet at night unless you have loud fellow campers. No camp host to speak of, just you and the woods and river (and bugs and snakes ;)
I don’t kayak on the Ohio River so we did not put in, it was a nice quiet no frills stay with only two other campers while I was there.
TravelerOur family has been camping here for 20 years now. We love it! Very peaceful and clean. Tent sites are right next to the beach so kids can go back and forth easily. Bathhouse is very clean and kept up. Sites can be on an incline but if you are from here you know that terrain near the lake area is very hilly! If you need a flat site be sure to scope out before hand:) only con for us is having to walk through the rv sites to get to the tent sites. Makes it a little awkward. But the view and atmosphere is worth it. Very good prices as well!
Guide
I actually didn't end up camping here because it looked like a rock site. I maybe saw two tents, everyone else in big RV's. If you are doing tent camping I would look elsewhere. I might've missed an area that was more tent friendly but I didn't see it. I would do primitive with a tent probably.
RangerNot big by any means but we'll kept and cozy. Primitive with water and restrooms. Worth the stay for thise wanting a small area and tent camp.
Plenty of hiking trails with a lot of information about the area. Pretty close to convenience stores for your needs.
Legend
We stayed here on our way to St. Louis and found it to be average. The campground was clean and run of the mill. The tent sites were adequate and semi level.
GuideWe found this little gem at a last minute camping adventure on the way home from out of town. It was one of our first tent camping experiences. Nothing fancy, but the pit toilet and water supply worked just fine for us and our kids. We found some beautiful hiking and water holes.
ScoutI called ahead The owner took me in "after hours" walked me to my site and showed me around. Tent camped there, there was room for me- lots of RVs and lots of space for more RVs. Right off the highway, noise was manageable inside my tent- RVs wouldn't hear any highway noise. The showers were clean and had hot water. Had everything I needed
Traveler
There are a lot of hiking trails and we really enjoyed them all! The tent camping accommodations were less than stellar, simply because of the “outhouses “. There was a ton of wildlife though and it was really neat to listen to all the different species throughout the night. Overall the grounds are quite nice.
Ranger
We love all the bays and coves at LBL. We prefer less crowed camp areas and that is what sugar bay offers. Right on the water with access to several other things close by. Spots are in the grass and nothing fancy but perfect for us that love to Tent camp and enjoy natural comforts over amenities.
Guide
A park on the outskirts of Evansville Indiana. Has many things to do for the weekend. Many nearby attractions and activities. They have primitive tent sites RV sites with E&W,some also have sewer. Stay the weekend or up to 3 months or longer.
ScoutVery clean, level sites, large lake with a well maintained walking trail. Lake side sites, wooded sites and regular sites in the middle. Water, 30 and 50 amp, shower house, small laundry facility. Wifi fiber being installed, boat ramp, primitive cabin, tent camping, large childrens playground. Very nice, quiet, clean. We come here often. $25.00/night.
Scout
Not a lot of tent sites, but enough. Nice wooded primitive sites with easy access to water and toilets. Had my pups with, and no problems at all. Nice trails for different hiking skill sets. Only issue I found at all was firewood is surprisingly difficult to come by.
Traveler
We’ve gone when there was nobody (it was fall and pretty cold) and got to tent camp by the water and LOVED it. We went back on a weekend in June and it was awful. Packed, and RVs were loud and honestly rude. No tent only sites and RVs won’t hesitate to park next to a tent rather than by an RV. Bathroom was stocked but rancid and had no water. The site would be great if it were less busy so scope it out before hand.
Traveler
CG offers sites with electric and water and then sites with no hook-ups. The electric/water sites were much better than the “tent” sites. Tent sites were closer together and not very level. The “RV” sites, however, we’re pretty level and well spaced out. We’d recommend sites 20-24 for their lake views. There were two bathroom buildings both with flush toilets and showers. We only used the smaller one. They were pretty clean. CG sold firewood for $4 a bundle or 3 for $10 and 22 lbs ice bags for $5. Staff were friendly. $22/night is a great price though I wish they’d take reservations. We went during Spring Break for a long weekend and CG didn’t fill up, still a bit chilly to camp for some I guess! Roads in the Glendale Recreation area are in need of repair. Trail around the lake was a nice 3mi hike and is easily accessed directly from a number of the sites, including ours. This CG provides a great base to explore the surrounding area’s many natural wonders.
Traveler
I stopped here on my way back home splitting up a 14 hour drive. The campsite was clean and had a good size. Each campsite has fire pit, tent pad and picnic table.
The bathrooms were clean. Most of this campsite is for RVs but tent campsite was still nice. However there are tons of golf carts.
Traveler
we got a tent last year and the same day we hit up Hillmans Ferry. it’s been years since I’ve been camping with my parents and it was fun. so we decided to take the kids and boy was it fun it was quiet where we were located at and next to the water too. it was the end of September the weather was nice and a chance to relax. the campground was very clean cheap to tent camp no power and just a nice experience. the spaces were pretty good size and spread out.
GuideThis huge campground has the best tent sites near the water on loop B that aren't reservable, so you'll likely get a good one just showing up on a weeknight in the summer or less busy weekend. The kids had a great time at the beach/swimming area and there's a nice store and not too much traffic for riding bikes. Firewood was dry and reasonably priced. Definitely a favorite family campground at LBL!
GuideOnly stayed here for 1 night. Pit toilets were dirty even for pit toilets. Decent primitive sites, not very level though. Good for tent camping or small camper. Unfortunately some other “campers” showed up late in the evening, played music, yelled and partied until around 3am. It seems to be an ongoing problem at that campground. The only plus is the amazing rock formations, good trail system and great little swimming hole. Great place to spend the day and maybe the night if you can sleep though all the commotion.
GuideLocated on the edge of Paducah, Kentucky this is the perfect place to stay if you are going to the quilt shows or visiting the National Quilt Museum. Supplies are just walking distance away and there is a good 24 hour restaurant across the street.
There are shady pull through sites with full hook ups or tent sites. There is a small stocked lake to fish in. The bathrooms are clean, as is the entire well maintained park.
Tent camping near Cave-In-Rock, Illinois offers a blend of serene landscapes and outdoor adventures, making it a perfect getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Cave-In-Rock, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cave-In-Rock, IL is Camp Cadiz Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 6 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 22 tent camping locations near Cave-In-Rock, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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