Best Tent Camping near Golconda, IL
The Ohio River corridor near Golconda, Illinois offers several primitive tent camping options within Shawnee National Forest and nearby recreation areas. Tower Rock Campground provides riverside tent sites with fire rings and picnic tables, while Camp Cadiz Campground offers a small collection of rustic tent sites that serve as an eastern trailhead for the River to River Trail. Dutchman Lake Camp provides dispersed tent camping in a more remote setting.
Most tent sites in the Golconda area feature basic amenities with gravel pads and fire rings, though facilities vary significantly between locations. Camp Cadiz includes vault toilets and a water pump, while Tower Rock has vault toilets but no potable water. Access roads to these campgrounds are typically gravel and may require cautious driving, especially after rain. Several campers note that firewood can be difficult to find at some locations, so bringing your own supply is advisable. Seasonal closures affect some areas, particularly Tower Rock which may close during high water periods on the Ohio River. A camper reported, "Tower Rock Campground may be closed during flood seasons."
Tent campers seeking solitude will find the Golconda area particularly rewarding during weekdays when crowds thin out significantly. The primitive nature of these campgrounds attracts primarily tent users rather than RVs, creating a quieter backcountry experience. Areas like Dutchman Lake Camp provide no toilets or water sources, requiring true self-sufficiency for backcountry tent camping. Trail access is excellent from several campgrounds, with Camp Cadiz offering immediate access to both the long-distance River to River Trail and shorter local trails like Beaver Trail. A review described Camp Cadiz as having "only 8 campsites so it was very quiet and remote" with "potable water from a spigot and lots of kindling around to get fires going."
