Best Tent Camping near Gorham, IL
Tent campgrounds surrounding Gorham, Illinois offer a mix of primitive and established tent sites within the Shawnee National Forest region. Notable options include Backpack Campground at Ferne Clyffe State Park, providing secluded, wooded tent camping areas, and Dutchman Lake Camp which offers dispersed tent camping with minimal amenities. Turkey Ridge Campground, located near Goreville, provides additional established tent sites within the state park system.
Most tent camping areas near Gorham feature basic amenities for tent campers. Ferne Clyffe State Park offers both established and primitive tent sites with pit toilets and water sources nearby. Sites typically include picnic tables and fire rings, though firewood can be difficult to find locally. Dutchman Lake Camp provides more primitive conditions with no toilets or trash service, requiring campers to pack out all waste. During peak seasons, particularly summer and fall weekends, the more established campgrounds can fill quickly, while dispersed options typically remain available.
The tent camping experience in this region is enhanced by access to extensive trail networks. Ferne Clyffe State Park features limestone bluffs, naturally forested woodlands, cliff caves, and several small waterfalls accessible from tent camping areas. Sites are generally well-separated by shady trees, providing privacy for tent campers. The primitive backpacking sites offer greater seclusion than the more developed areas. A reviewer described the backpack campground at Ferne Clyffe as having "secluded, wooded sites within access to a pit toilet and water source." Another camper noted that "the sites are large and include a cooking grate, with easy access to firewood without having to go very far."
