Best Tent Camping near Marseilles, IL

Tent campsites along the Illinois River near Marseilles provide access to scenic waterways and wooded areas within an hour's drive of Chicago. Buffalo Rock State Park Campground offers primitive tent sites accessible by boat-in, hike-in, or walk-in methods, while Channahon State Park features walk-in tent camping available year-round. Kayak Morris and Kayak Starved Rock Campground provide riverfront tent camping with the option to launch watercraft directly from campsites, making them popular destinations for paddlers seeking riverside accommodations.

Most tent campgrounds in the Marseilles region are rustic with limited amenities. Buffalo Rock and McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove provide drinking water, picnic tables, and vault toilets but no showers or electricity. Fire rings are standard at most locations, though Davis Creek Campground in Kankakee River State Park prohibits fires. The Hennepin Canal camping areas charge $8 per night on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations accepted. Several locations operate seasonally, with McKinley Woods open April through October, while others like Channahon State Park remain accessible year-round.

Tent sites along the I&M Canal Trail offer unique opportunities for hikers and cyclists to camp along historical waterways. The campsites at McKinley Woods are well-spaced with some featuring ADA-accessible concrete pads. At Kayak Starved Rock Campground, tent campers enjoy riverside locations with views of the dramatic cliffs across the water. "This campground is right in town. 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," reported one visitor about Channahon State Park. Clark's Run Campground provides a more secluded option near Starved Rock, though campers note the proximity to road traffic can create noise issues throughout the night.

Best Tent Sites Near Marseilles, Illinois (17)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Marseilles, IL

528 Reviews of 17 Marseilles 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 Marseilles

Tent campsites near Marseilles, Illinois offer primitive outdoor experiences alongside the Illinois River's convergence with smaller tributaries. Camping elevation ranges between 450-550 feet above sea level, with sites experiencing typical Midwest seasonal weather patterns including summer humidity and occasional overnight thunderstorms. Most campgrounds prohibit alcohol consumption and require campers to pack out their trash completely.

What to do

Kayaking with rentals: Kayak Morris provides kayak rentals directly at their riverside campsites. "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 camper Sam Murphy M., highlighting the fishing opportunities available while paddling.

Venetian night tours: During summer weekends, specialized evening kayak tours offer unique river experiences. "Had my first experience of a lit up kayak tour for fireworks," shared Eric R. about his experience at Kayak Morris, where guided nighttime paddle tours coincide with local firework displays.

Hiking to waterfalls: The trails near Starved Rock State Park - Youth Campground connect to over 13 miles of paths through nearly 20 canyons. "All of this in arguably the absolute best state park in the whole of Illinois. Plus, as a bonus, Matthiessen SP is just a stone's throw away, offering up even more additional trails to hike, streams to kayak and face cliffs to rappel," notes Stuart K.

What campers like

River camping access: Sites at Kayak Starved Rock Campground provide direct water views. "Our campsite was wonderful and was on a point on the river that has a 180 degree view of the river. There is a picnic table and fire pit at the site and although the site was narrow the site was pretty deep so we could've put up multiple tents easily," explains Paul R.

Clean portable facilities: Despite rustic settings, some campgrounds maintain surprisingly clean 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," notes a visitor to Kayak Starved Rock Campground.

Proximity to state parks: Most tent camping areas provide quick access to multiple state parks. "This little gem is across the river from Starved Rock State Park. So, you can appreciate the bluff overlooks of the river without dealing with the crowds. Real live Buffalo are a treat for kids and animal lovers," shares Bill M. about his stay at Buffalo Rock State Park Campground.

What you should know

Seasonal flooding concerns: Low-lying sites can experience sudden water accumulation after 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. We had three inches up the the fire pit," warns Rita S. about her experience at McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove.

Road noise issues: Some campgrounds experience significant traffic sounds throughout the night. "This CG sits on the bend on 178 and while not putting anyone in danger of being hit by passing traffic, there is non-stop traffic here," notes Stuart K. about Clark's Run Campground.

Early park closures: Check operating hours carefully as some areas have restricted evening access. "Secondly, the park closes early, 8PM in summer, and earlier still off season. Check the fine print on your reservation! Water is available by an old fashioned pump, and is drinkable, but cloudy," advises Brian O. about camping at McKinley Woods.

Tips for camping with families

Buffalo viewing opportunities: Children enjoy seeing live buffalo at Buffalo Rock State Park. "Real live Buffalo are a treat for kids and animal lovers. A number of trails around effigy mounds make for a nice walk," shares Bill M., noting the unique wildlife viewing opportunity not found at other area campgrounds.

Accessible concrete pads: Some campsites offer ADA-compliant features for those with mobility needs. "In McKinley Woods proper there is a large camping area and two of the sites have concrete pads for ADA accessibility," explains Scott N., making these sites suitable for families with accessibility requirements.

Playgrounds and amenities: Hickory Hill Campground offers numerous family-friendly facilities. "This seems to be more of a full time camping location. Lots of buildings and I was offered a lot for sale. Golf carts seem to be the most common mode of travel as there are plentiful. Lots of kids and activities for them. Nice pool," reports Bill P., highlighting the structured recreational options available.

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options: Most riverside camping areas near Marseilles cater primarily to tent campers with few amenities for larger vehicles. "If you're a tent camper, you will be hard-pressed at this location to find a suitable spot to set up for the night as Hickory Hills is definitely designed for the RV and 5th Wheeler crowd in mind," explains Stuart K. about Hickory Hill Campground.

Pull-through availability: For those needing easy access sites, some campgrounds offer convenient options. "We called in the afternoon and got a full hook up, pull through spot. Lots of nice amenities for families," shares camper deb B. about her experience at Hickory Hill.

Tight spacing concerns: RV sites at some locations provide minimal separation between campers. "The sites are kind of tight. Gravel sites but mostly level," notes Bill P., something to consider for those preferring more privacy while camping near Marseilles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Marseilles, IL?

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

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

TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near Marseilles, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.