Best Tent Camping near Custer Park, IL

Several tent camping options surround Custer Park, Illinois, with Frederick's Grove at McKinley Woods offering tent-only sites accessible by hiking or walking in. The campground sits along the Illinois and Michigan Canal, providing riverside tent camping opportunities. Channahon State Park Campground offers year-round tent sites with walk-in access, while Davis Creek Campground at Kankakee River State Park provides walk-in tent camping opportunities along the river.

Most tent sites in this area require campers to carry gear short distances from parking areas to designated camping spots. Frederick's Grove features four tent sites, with two having concrete pads for ADA accessibility. Potable water is available at several campgrounds, though the water at Frederick's Grove was described as "drinkable, but cloudy" in visitor feedback. Vault toilets or portable restrooms serve most locations, with no shower facilities at the primitive tent sites. Picnic tables and fire rings are standard at established sites, though fire restrictions may apply seasonally. Many campgrounds have gates that close early, sometimes at 8 PM during summer months.

The tent camping experience varies across locations in the region. A visitor noted, "The sites are far apart, with #1 being the shadiest and most secluded but uneven." Many of the tent sites provide direct access to the I&M Canal towpath, making them excellent basecamp options for hikers and cyclists. Riverside locations offer fishing opportunities, with one camper reporting catching numerous stripers. Morning noise from motorboats can be heard at waterfront sites. The tent-only areas typically receive less traffic than nearby RV campgrounds, offering more seclusion for tent campers. Wildlife viewing opportunities include owls and various birds, with nighttime sounds typically limited to distant trains and natural noises at most primitive tent sites.

Best Tent Sites Near Custer Park, Illinois (13)

    1. Kayak Morris

    11 Reviews
    Morris, IL
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (630) 567-4653

    $29 / night

    "We stayed when there were not many people there so we had plenty of space but could see it getting crowded when it’s full."

    "It was quiet, relaxing, and very well maintained. 1 trash area, 4 porta Potties for use for the campground. You can rent kayaks for the day, fish, wade in the river (no swimming)."

    2. Davis Creek Campground — Kankakee River State Park

    2 Reviews
    Bourbonnais, IL
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 933-1383

    "the map that shows the Peoria area is wrong. this campground is near Bradley-Bourbonnais Illinois."

    "This campground is open, there are a lot of amenities, it's very well kept, and there is good access to water."

    3. McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove

    3 Reviews
    Channahon, IL
    11 miles
    Website

    $15 - $30 / night

    4. Channahon State Park Campground

    1 Review
    Channahon, IL
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 467-4271

    "It is a bit away from businesses. However if you arrive by car you drive through the quaint town.  Arriving by bicycle is even better. The Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail passes right by camp."

    5. Mac Finn's Landing

    1 Review
    Aroma Park, IL
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 260-2862

    $35 - $50 / night

    "Lots of access to great fishing holes up the Kankakee and Iroqouis Rivers. Kayak launch friendly!"

    6. Illinois and Michigan Canal

    Be the first to review!
    Joliet, IL
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 942-0796

    $6 / night

    7. Hammel Woods

    Be the first to review!
    Joliet, IL
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 727-8700

    $20 - $40 / night

    8. Kayak Starved Rock Campground

    8 Reviews
    North Utica, IL
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (630) 567-4653

    $29 / night

    "Before we begin, let me share 3 things with you: (1) I love camping, preferably primitive camping where I get to pitch my tent, leaving the comforts of modern civilization behind in the hopes of returning"

    "One such place, an oasis of tranquility and beauty nestled in the Illinois wilderness, is the Kayak Starved Rock Campground."

    9. Buffalo Rock State Park Campground

    4 Reviews
    Ottawa, IL
    41 miles
    Website

    $6 / night

    "You have to walk a bit to get there but the sites are great. If you’re looking for privacy this is it. There aren’t toilets tho or running water.."

    "A number of trails around effigy mounds make for a nice walk."

    10. Camp Shabbona Woods

    2 Reviews
    Calumet City, IL
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (312) 636-0018

    $30 - $80 / night

    "camp suite is set up very well for first time campers or new people interested in trying out camping. The campgrounds do not have a lot of shade as new saplings are still growing."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Custer Park, IL

432 Reviews of 13 Custer Park Campgrounds


  • 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.

  • Kim L.
    Sep. 2, 2019

    Starved Rock Campground — Starved Rock State Park

    Convenient campground for nearby hiking

    The campground is pretty basic. For $25-35 per night, you can get a site with electrical hookup. The east loop has better tree coverage and more privacy. The west loop has more site in a large open space, maybe better for groups. I give 3 stars because there is not much to do at the campground itself. You have to get in your car and drive to any hiking at Starved Rock State park, just 10 min away, and battle the crowds for parking. The campground has just 2 real bathrooms, one for each loop. Each has 2 flush toilets and 2 showers. Showers were pretty rough, no temp control and spraying everywhere but your body. Some portapotties are scattered around, but pretty ripe by the end of August. Use the woods. There are 2 small playgrounds, but one is just a swing set. So if you have kiddos, there is not much for them to entertain themselves with at the campground- no hiking trails, no pond or fishing or swimming, no DNR programs, etc. Park has posted signed that there is ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL allowed, so keep it private and quiet. that being said, the hiking in the general area is awesome!!! Lots of canyons, bluffs, and overlooks. Just be prepared to drive. A very basic “store” open after 3pm, just had fire starters, marshmallows, bug spray, ice cream, and pop. Some little souvenirs. No milk or eggs. For a 30 ft travel trailer, our campsite has just enough room for our slide out and awning. The fire pit was well placed and had a grate for cooking. Electrical was confusing- our site was listed at 50A only. It really was 50/30/20A(see pictures). Easy to back in to, mostly level site for quick set up. Our campsite, 85, had nice shade and lots of trees. You can see and hear your neighbors but there is decent separation. We had space to hang a hammock and have a fire, with a full picnic table as well. There are a few sites for fresh water fill, and a dump station. Took about 45 min for us to dump being 5th in line at 10:30am. Book early- reservations open online 6 months in advance and book up quickly. Most summer weekends are completely full. Spring and fall camping is great here- waterfalls are rain fed and often dry in summer. Sites 96 and 97 would be my picks if I could choose: both are private and have large camping pad areas. Avoid the sites by water spouts and roads, there is no privacy when everyone is cutting through your site! Overall, a basic campground with what you need for camping, no frills, no activities or recreation, but close to the hiking at Starved Rock State Park about 10 min away by car. Biking nearby would be an extreme sport, the roads are very narrow with extreme drop offs and no shoulder. Not for kids.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 28, 2019

    Starved Rock Campground — Starved Rock State Park

    Great Privacy in Great Park

    I set up in site 110 for the night at this nicely wooded campground. My site was very private, set back in the trees and very clean. I had large and small trees and underbrush making it impossible to see the site next to me in one direction, and no one occupying the site on the other side. With the car in the drive blocking the road, I had complete privacy. There was a short walk to porta potties and a nice walk to the modern, clean bath house. The site had the usual picnic table and fire pit and plenty of space to put my tent. There were some sites that sat in a meadow that completely lacked privacy, but with tons of space for kids to play. There is a camp store near the entrance to the campground, but I didn’t go in so I’m not sure what it’s stocked with (besides the ice in the cooler outside). Campers who like to imbibe beware: NO alcohol is permitted at this campground. There are some GREAT trails for hiking in the park, but be prepared for lots of stairs on the boardwalks that take you in and out of the canyons/ravines. I didn’t hike up to the actual “Starved Rock”, but you can observe it from the river bank.

  • H
    May. 22, 2025

    Whitetail Campground — Illini State Park

    Place felt abandoned, needed weed-whacker

    I camped there the week before Memorial day weekend--not exactly peak season, but not exactly off-season either.  I arrived at about a quarter to five on a Sunday, and surprisingly the office was closed.  So was the camp store, where I'd hoped to buy local firewood.

    I was left to find my campsite on my own, which was easier said than done. One sign pointed the way to Whitetail Campground--but below it said "Closed for the Season." This made no sense as I'd made the reservation via the Illinois DNR website. The signage in other parts of the park was so minimal that I spent about 20 minutes wandering the grounds until I finally found my site.  A couple of signs were missing letters, and some of the site number signs were angled in such a way that they couldn't be read from the road..

    At one point I tried calling the number listed for Illini State Park on the DNR website. I didn't even hear ringing--I just heard a strange tone, even though the name "Illini State Park" appeared on my phone confirming I had the right number.

    I'd reserved a site with electrical hookups, but the hookups were actually on the site net door, which, luckily, wasn't occupied.  But my 25 foot power cord was insufficient to reach the hookups.  I had to drive an hour round-trip to the Menard's in Morris to pick up a 50 foot cord.

    The site was so overgrown with weeds that I couldn't find a place to put up my tent that was also a safe distance from the firepit.  The neighboring firepit was just about 10-15 feet from our picnic bench--had the next site been occupied, our privacy would have been a joke even in this wooded area. So perhaps it was just as well that I couldn't find firewood.

    The potable water pump about 150 feet from the site didn't seem to work--I tried pumping it, opening and closing the handle, but no water. So I had to rely on the ginger ale packed in my cooler for liquid refreshment--it was either that, or go back to town again.

    I was hearing reports that there might be as much as three inches of rain in the area falling in the next 24 hours so I went to the office at about 11 am the next morning. This time the office was actually open.  I told them about the water pump and they were a bit confused because they heard reports that the other water pump at Whitetail was broken too.  I asked them what the likelihood was that my site could turn into a lake of mud with such rain and they said it was possible so I decided to depart early. As I drove back to my site, I noticed that the staff person managed to get the water pump going--he explained to me that after pulling the handle back, it needed to be pulled back an extra notch further.  It would have been nice for there to have been a sign telling people that, as I had not intended to finish a six-pack of ginger ale in one night.

    There's a difference between a "primitive" site (which, as I paid extra for electrical hookups, this was not) and one that just simply isn't maintained. I wonder if there's even any security at the park at night.  The campground has rules, such as no alcohol, which is valid given the way people act when they have a few drinks within them. But I wondered who would be there to enforce the rules.

  • J
    Sep. 18, 2019

    Great Falls Campground — Illini State Park

    Woods near the river

    Went tent camping here and reserved our spot in advance. We bought fire wood from a locals front lawn at the entrance to the state park. Put 5$ in the bin and take a bundle. Its 30 mins away from Starved Rock and Matthiesson State Park. Good hiking. The river spots are all booked by large RVs and the tent spots have grills over the fire pits and picnic tables. lots of tree cover which came in handy when it rained in the morning. Otherwise great weather and not buggy. Dogs allowed.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 27, 2021

    Starved Rock Campground — Starved Rock State Park

    Beautiful Popular Park

    This park is popular, has plenty of space, though can use updates and better Leave No Trace practices (litter). During our time, park and cg was busy, full at times. Hiking was great with geological aspects. Has Lodge, CG store, lots of history.

  • Hatie P.
    Jan. 8, 2018

    Starved Rock Campground — Starved Rock State Park

    Beautiful but busy!

    I've been to this lovely campsite three times - once in the fall and twice during different summers. The campground and park are packed during the late fall as everyone around comes to see the colors. Find a campsite that's a little ways away from others if you want a more private experience - they're very close together but you can find ones with better tree cover.

    Starved Rock is great because you can walk a mile or two in a loop or do the full "mega hike" which is 13.4 miles through 18 canyons. The park features lots of elevation with many sets of stairs so make sure you bring water, sunscreen and snacks.

  • Kristen B.
    Nov. 20, 2021

    Starved Rock Campground — Starved Rock State Park

    Nice inner loop site

    Due to limited availability, I was forced to pick an inner loop site and was worried it would be small. This site was plenty big enough for our 8 person tent and a pop up screen house. Ample tree cover and privacy. One day had very heavy rains and the fire ring area did have some minor flooding but the tent pad section stayed drier. This campground is always quiet, well maintained, and never disappoints.

  • Emma H.
    Sep. 24, 2025

    Potowatomi Campground — Kankakee River State Park

    Great for our 2 person campout!

    My fiancé and I stayed in the Hickory Loop spot 3. We are very new campers, so we just have a very basic tent setup. When we checked in with the host, there were bundles of firewood for $8 (either cash or cash app). The spots are not huge, and not super private (you have next door and across the street neighbors), but we didn’t mind that! There were two outlets available, and a small rectangular fire pit with a grate on top. There are a few water pumps and vault toilets within walking distance, but we were pretty close to the shower house, which had stalls for toilets and showers. The showers were pretty great for a camp ground!

    It rained a ton during our trip so we didn’t explore much, but would definitely recommend for a simple camping trip where you want flushable toilets, showers, and some electricity.


Guide to Custer Park

Tent camping near Custer Park, Illinois offers riverfront options along the Kankakee and Illinois Rivers with sites that often remain open year-round despite northern Illinois' seasonal climate shifts. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall camping provides more comfortable conditions with temperatures between 50-70°F. Water access is a central feature of camping in this area, with several sites offering direct water access.

What to do

Kayak on calm waters: At Kayak Morris, campers can launch directly from their riverfront sites. "If you want a nice riverfront camp site this place is perfect. they also have kayak rentals available," notes Eric R. The river conditions are typically gentle, making it suitable for beginners and families.

Fishing expeditions: The confluence of rivers creates prime fishing spots throughout the region. "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!" reports Sam Murphy M. about his experience at Kayak Morris. Several campgrounds provide direct access to popular fishing areas.

Hike the I&M Canal Towpath: The historic towpath connects multiple camping areas and provides a flat, maintained trail surface for day hikes. Buffalo Rock State Park Campground connects directly to this path, with a reviewer noting "The park has a playground, restroom (with running water), and drinking fountains with spouts. The water tasted funny but it was nice having a source to refill my bottles."

Wildlife observation: Many campgrounds in the area offer opportunities to see local wildlife. "We canoed 3 miles up to the state park before we could cross over to the DuPage (a lovely river) and then back on the Des Plaines. There are also very nice trails through the woods in the area," explains a visitor to the camping areas along the water systems near Custer Park.

What campers like

Waterfront camping: The direct river access at multiple sites ranks high with campers. "Camp sites are dotted next to the shore of the river, there's kayak rentals, and there's enough space for multiple tents on one site. If you forgot your tent they rent them out as well," shares Eric R. about Kayak Morris.

Secluded tent sites: Several campgrounds offer walk-in sites that provide more privacy. "Camp sites aren't actually in buffalo rock, they're across the street at I&M canal. You have to walk a bit to get there but the sites are great. If you're looking for privacy this is it," explains Amanda P. about Buffalo Rock State Park camping options.

Accessibility options: Some campgrounds have made efforts to accommodate campers with mobility needs. At McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove, "All sites have enormous banquet sized picnic tables with cut-out in the bench for wheelchairs. Firepits are 3' across, the steel rim is a foot above the ground, but the pit is 8" below ground level."

Trail connectivity: Campers appreciate how the sites connect to regional trail networks. "This campground is right in town... Arriving by bicycle is even better. The Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail passes right by camp. You can stop for a rest or stay the night," notes Art S. about Channahon State Park Campground.

What you should know

Gate closing times: Many campgrounds in the area have strict gate closing policies. "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.

Walking distances: Most tent sites require carrying gear from parking areas. At Channahon State Park Campground, "It should also be noted that you need to walk in to the campsites (parking is really close by)," explains Art S. Plan to pack accordingly with portable gear.

Water quality concerns: While potable water is available at several sites, quality varies. "Water is available by an old fashioned pump, and is drinkable, but cloudy," reports a camper at Frederick's Grove.

Noise factors: Be prepared for both natural and human-made sounds. "At night, you can hear owls and distant trains, but motorboats and jet-skis begin around 6:AM," notes a camper about the riverfront camping experience in the area.

Flooding potential: Some campgrounds may experience water issues during heavy rains. "Nothing was mentioned about this site being a flood zone. 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," warns Rita S. about her experience at Frederick's Grove.

Tips for camping with families

Site selection strategy: Choose sites based on shade and terrain. At McKinley Woods, "The sites are far apart, with #1 being the shadiest and most secluded but uneven." Sites #3 and #4 offer paved surfaces that work better for setting up family-sized tents.

Morning activities: Plan for early risers due to natural lighting and boat noise. "We had an enjoyable weekend here relaxing and getting away from the city," shares Paul R. about his experience at Kayak Starved Rock Campground. The campground provides river views and access to nearby state parks.

Bathroom considerations: Most tent-focused campgrounds offer basic facilities. "The Porta potties were shockingly clean! The potties also have motion sensor lights in them for at night visits. They also have wipes, spray underarm deodorant, hand sanitizer and automatic air freshener," reports Paul R. about the facilities at Kayak Starved Rock Campground.

Biking opportunities: The flat towpaths make for excellent family cycling. "The Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail passes right by camp. You can stop for a rest or stay the night. It's a nice stopping distance if you are riding from Chicago to Starved Rock. The trail is crushed gravel and is a beautiful ride," notes a reviewer about the regional trail system.

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options: Most primitive camping areas near Custer Park don't accommodate large RVs. At Mac Finn's Landing, the focus is on fishing access rather than RV amenities. "One of the best no wake zones and fishing banks on the Kankakee River imo! Lots of access to great fishing holes up the Kankakee and Iroqouis Rivers," says Raven Rock S.

Consider nearby alternatives: For those traveling with RVs, camping options expand further from Custer Park. Kayak Starved Rock Campground offers an experience where "The campgrounds is a perfect blend of comfort and adventure. The campsites are impeccably clean and well-maintained, spacious enough for both privacy and a sense of community."

Supply planning: With limited facilities, RVers should prepare accordingly. "Provisions are never far away, with the campground store well-stocked with camping essentials, snacks, firewood, and bottled water," notes Tracy E. about Kayak Starved Rock Campground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Custer Park, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Custer Park, IL is Kayak Morris with a 4.9-star rating from 11 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Custer Park, IL?

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