Top Tent Camping near Jacksonville, IL

If you're looking for a place to pitch your tent near Jacksonville, look no further. With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Jacksonville campgrounds for you and your tent. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your Illinois camping adventure.

Best Tent Sites Near Jacksonville, IL (4)

    Camper-submitted photo from Waverly Lake City Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Waverly Lake City Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Waverly Lake City Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Waverly Lake City Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Waverly Lake City Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Waverly Lake City Park

    1. Waverly Lake City Park

    3 Reviews
    10 Photos
    5 Saves
    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • ADA Access
    • Tents
    • Group
    Camper-submitted photo from McCully Heritage Project
    Camper-submitted photo from McCully Heritage Project
    Camper-submitted photo from McCully Heritage Project
    Camper-submitted photo from McCully Heritage Project
    Camper-submitted photo from McCully Heritage Project
    Camper-submitted photo from McCully Heritage Project

    2. McCully Heritage Project

    5 Reviews
    6 Photos
    46 Saves

    Pitch your tent in one of four widely spaced sites. Each site has enough room for multiple tents and includes a fire pit and picnic table. The sites are just a short walk from our shower/restroom facility. The fishing ponds are just a quarter mile walk from the campsites, and access to the numerous trails throughout our 940-acre property is directly from the campsites. While we have four designated sites, it is rare for all to be full, and likely that you'll be the only campers here most days. We are located in a very remote/rural part of Illinois in a county nestled between the Mississippi& Illinois Rivers, but only 75 miles north of downtown St. Louis. We have been included in John Shirle's"The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois." The McCully Heritage Project is a 940- acre environmental center located one mile south of Kampsville in beautiful and remote Calhoun County. We are a private non-profit left as the legacy of Howard and Eva McCully.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    • Tents
    • Group

    $20 - $100 / night

    Camper-submitted photo from Rainey Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Rainey Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Rainey Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Rainey Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Rainey Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Hidden Ridge
    Camper-submitted photo from Hidden Ridge
    Camper-submitted photo from Hidden Ridge

    4. Hidden Ridge

    Be the first to review!
    3 Photos
    9 Saves
    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Reservable
    • Tents
    • Trash
    • Picnic Table

Recent Tent Reviews In Jacksonville

191 Reviews of 4 Jacksonville Campgrounds


  • John H.
    Camper-submitted photo from Waverly Lake City Park
    Sep. 12, 2024

    Waverly Lake City Park

    Nice little lake and camp ground

    I've stayed here a couple times now. Each time there has only been one other person. It's quiet and peaceful, however there's not much to do. As far as I know there's no running water. There are portable toilets that are kept clean. There's also a 4 consecutive day per month limit.

  • Aaron B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Hickory Point - Sangchris Lake State Park
    Sep. 6, 2024

    Hickory Point - Sangchris Lake State Park

    Lakeside Relaxation

    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.

  • David F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Jim Edgar Panther Creek - Family Campground
    Sep. 2, 2024

    Jim Edgar Panther Creek - Family Campground

    JIM Edgar Panther Creek S.P.

    Praire Lake Campground has 3 facilities on the lake. FAMILY camp for Rv, Tentand cabins. 1. 84 sites with Electric or 19 have FHU. 2. Primitive Camp has seven three-sided shelters to camp near or in for a fee of $6 per night 3. Group camp area. A separate location has the equestrian campground, Questing Hills, with 51 electric sites.

  • Jennifer H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Evening Star Camping Resort
    Jul. 26, 2024

    Evening Star Camping Resort

    Campers Are Like Family

    Love to swim in the pool, play in the bags tournaments, enjoy the fundraiser in July for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, mini golf, basketball and theme weekends. My favorite is the chili cook off and Halloween weekends are a blast!!

  • K
    Camper-submitted photo from Hillbillie Ranch
    May. 18, 2024

    Hillbillie Ranch

    Hillbillie Ranch is not there anymore

    They are no longer a campground. Bought out now private property.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Anderson Lake SFWA
    Apr. 6, 2024

    Anderson Lake SFWA

    Simple yet beautiful & peaceful.

    We have been here 3 Xs over the pas years as a stop over while traveling. They only have vault toilets, but clean. This time no water due to water break.issue. just a nice place on a beautiful lake. Nice for bird watching.

  • David F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
    Nov. 30, 2023

    Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    State Park away from busier Illinois

    https://camp.exploremoreil.com/ 84 electric RV sites all reservable except 21 First Come sites. 18 sites are full hookup. Several 50 amp sites but majority are 30 amp. Modern Shower house and 7 Vault toilet buildings. Newer Campground so Shade Trees are smaller still. Have camped here 4 times past 3 years. Like the quite agricultural Illinois environment but suggest shopping for your needs prior to leaving larger cities as most of the few small towns are limited to a Bar and Dollar store.

  • L
    Camper-submitted photo from Kamper Kompanion RV Park
    Nov. 6, 2023

    Kamper Kompanion RV Park

    Kamper Companion Family Favy

    We really enjoyed Kamper Companion! We stay there every time we pass through Litchfield. Quiet, family friendly, and great for our dogs. We love the dog yard!

  • L
    Camper-submitted photo from Siloam Springs State Park
    Oct. 30, 2023

    Siloam Springs State Park

    Hidden Gem of Illinois...

    This site was so much better than what I was expecting! My friend, Kari, her 3 Doodles, my Beagle, and I camped out the first night in the group section, because there's hardly anyone there and we got there too late in the day to actually start hiking. In the morning, we loaded up our packs, put the little packs on the dogs (they have to carry their own food and water), and headed up the Red Oak Backpacking Trail. I don't know if we started at the beginning or not, but we parked by a little wooden bridge and the hill to start off our adventure kinda kicked my ass a little bit. After we made it up the initial incline, the landscape was beautiful and varied from flat areas to valleys and some creeks (which I was very thankful for after a few hours in 90° and 25 lbs on my back). We ended up setting up camp at a spot we thought was nice just before it got dark, because we didn't know where or how much further the primitive hike-in campsites were. The next day, we figured it out, but we wouldn't have made it there before dark. Towards the end, there were stairs built into the earth that were way too difficult to manage when your legs are jelly and your pack is heavy, so it was almost easier trying to take the side of the stairs and make your own little path, so just a heads up there. We had so much fun the whole time and I can't wait to go back for some snow camping later this year (they are open year round)!!!

  • mThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Illinois State Fair Campground
    Oct. 17, 2023

    Illinois State Fair Campground

    Large campground, good location, good value

    On the state fairgrounds just off gate 10 or 11. Very large number of spaces…older bathrooms/ showers but very clean. All spaces seem to have electricity and water.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Illinois State Fair Campground
    Sep. 28, 2023

    Illinois State Fair Campground

    Clean, beautiful urban camp

    We always leave late on the first day of a trip and get stressed. This was an easy 3/4 day trip from our house and a great place to relax. Great thick grass carpet spots if you want.Great level paved pads if you want.Friendly checking , friendly security driving around all night. Lots of showers, mine was good and hot. Some traffic noise All kinds of open spots if it isn’t fair week. Don’t just show up fair week.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Deer Run Campground
    Aug. 31, 2023

    Deer Run Campground

    Beautiful, affordable and friendly

    The camp host was super friendly, the sites were large and the primitive sites at the back were incredibly beautiful! The prices were very low.

  • JASON L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Hickory Point - Sangchris Lake State Park
    Jul. 28, 2023

    Hickory Point - Sangchris Lake State Park

    Hickory Point Heaven

    There's really no way to describe this campground except for: Accommodating. Beautiful. Clean. Convenient. Peaceful. Relaxing. We have spent many weekends here and have never had a bad experience. Tony and Danielle and the rest of the entire campground host staff and crew do absolutely everything to make sure you have a great stay!!! We appreciate them and this wonderful campground. Our favorite sites are 13, 18, 23. Please visit and enjoy!

  • Ray & Terri F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Pittsfield City Lake
    Jul. 14, 2023

    Pittsfield City Lake

    Nice small CG just above the lake

    We have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and stayed in site 33 for just 1 night in late June. This is a relatively small CG, 33 sites, and there were only a handful or so of sites available when we arrived on a Friday afternoon and they do not accept reservations. The showers were clean and hot. The electric and water hookups on some sites, at least ours, was at the back and on the wrong side. Our electric cord just reached the post. AT&T coverage varied, with 1-2 Bars of LTE service and speeds between 0.4 and 3.5 MB/s. We had a clear view of the southern and northern sky, so we were able to get DISH coverage on all three western satellites at our site and Starlink had speed up to 12 MB/s.

  • T
    Camper-submitted photo from Illinois State Fair Campground
    May. 19, 2023

    Illinois State Fair Campground

    Comfortable Place to stay

    The showers were clean. Campsites are close together, but not to busy while I was there. Reasonable. Staff friendly. Security regularly drove around.

  • Mike G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Hickory Point - Sangchris Lake State Park
    Apr. 15, 2023

    Hickory Point - Sangchris Lake State Park

    Fantastic lakeside camping

    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.

  • Leo S.
    Camper-submitted photo from McCully Heritage Project
    Jan. 26, 2023

    McCully Heritage Project

    A day out with the kiddos.

    I just love the bridge across the pond. We had a picnic and the kids got to play on the playground equipment.

  • Whistle P.
    Camper-submitted photo from The Double J Campground and RV Park
    Nov. 6, 2022

    The Double J Campground and RV Park

    This place has a great location

    The bathrooms here were heated and sparkling clean. Our Starlink had zero obstructions worked lightening fast. We LOVED having a dog park to exercise our dogs daily!

    Great location, close to all the Springfield attractions and Slauterhaus Brewing in Auburn, IL (this is the best brewery nearby, better than Buzz Bomb or Obed & Issacs in town!).

  • S
    Camper-submitted photo from Springfield KOA
    Oct. 29, 2022

    Springfield KOA

    Nice relaxing campground

    Campground is quiet and in a nice wooded area but still only 5-10 minutes from nearby shopping and attractions in Springfield.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
    Oct. 23, 2022

    Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    Great Friendly, Family Park

    We certainly didn’t expect the Prairie Lake Campground to be full in late October! Both loops were full, but there was just enough space for us to squeeze in for 2 nights! (A few spaces seemed to be filled with deer hunters who were up and out quite early.) Site has electricity with water centrally located in the center of the loop. We needed a 100 ft fresh water hose to fill up. Luckily a friendly neighbor had one for us to borrow! Nice warm bath house had push button showers with locks on the stalls with a dry space to dress inside the stall. Lake has boat dock with about 6 slips. The point on the lake was a beautiful setting for a fall wedding on Saturday! Lots of families with kids riding bikes around the loop and some playing wiffle ball in the open field. Each spot had a picnic table and fire ring. Our spot, #78 sat under a tree with great shade. Bagged ice is available at 1st host site for $4 and a bundle of firewood for $6



Guide to Jacksonville

Camping near Jacksonville, Illinois, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Explore the beautiful trails at Pere Marquette State Park Campground. One reviewer mentioned, "They have wonderful campgrounds and really great trails," making it a great spot for nature lovers.
  • Fishing: Enjoy fishing at Sangchris Lake State Park Campground. A visitor shared, "The lake has boat access and some good fishing spots," perfect for those looking to cast a line.
  • Cave Tours: Visit the nearby Mark Twain Cave & Campground for an exciting cave exploration. One camper noted, "The cave tour is interesting," adding a unique twist to your camping trip.

What campers like:

  • Spacious Sites: Campers appreciate the roomy sites at Double J Campground and RV Park. A reviewer said, "The campsites are nice and wide, gravel like the roads," which allows for a comfortable stay.
  • Clean Facilities: Many visitors rave about the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. One camper at Illinois State Fair Campground mentioned, "The showers were clean," which is always a plus when camping.
  • Friendly Staff: Campers often highlight the helpfulness of the staff. A visitor at Mark Twain Cave & Campground said, "The office folks here were very nice and accommodating," making for a welcoming atmosphere.

What you should know:

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with activities for kids. At Siloam Springs State Park Campground, one parent shared, "Great hiking trails for all ages," making it a fun spot for families.
  • Bring Extra Supplies: Be prepared for anything. A family camping at Beaver Dam State Park Campground mentioned, "Walmart is about ten minutes away if you need groceries," so stock up before you head out.
  • Choose the Right Campsite: Some sites may be better suited for families. A camper at Illinois State Fair Campground noted, "Campsites are close together, but not too busy while I was there," which can be ideal for families looking for a quieter experience.

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Hookups: Make sure to check if the campground has the necessary hookups for your RV. A visitor at Double J Campground and RV Park said, "Good gravel spots with full hookups," which is essential for a comfortable stay.
  • Plan for Noise: Some campgrounds, like Mark Twain Cave & Campground, may have nearby highway noise. One camper mentioned, "The noise from the highway bordering both cornfield and campground, however, was loud and constant," so be prepared for some background sounds.
  • Use GPS for Directions: Ensure you have accurate directions. A camper at Mark Twain Cave & Campground noted, "The RV GPS wanted to take us around town," so double-check your route.

With these insights, you're all set for a great camping experience near Jacksonville, IL!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular tent campsite near Jacksonville, IL?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Jacksonville, IL is Waverly Lake City Park with a 4-star rating from 3 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find tent camping near Jacksonville, IL?

    TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Jacksonville, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.