Best Tent Camping near Marshall, IL

Tent camping options near Marshall, Illinois include several established campgrounds in the surrounding region. Lake Waveland Park in Waveland, Indiana offers tent sites with varying levels of amenities across its extensive grounds. The primitive tent sites are first-come, first-served and tend to be more secluded than the electric sites. Rattlesnake Campground in Owen-Putnam State Forest provides basic tent camping with minimal facilities. Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort in Shelbyville, Illinois is another option for tent campers visiting the area.

Most tent sites at Lake Waveland Park include picnic tables and fire rings, though fire rings are not always present at primitive sites. The campground provides drinking water and some sites offer electrical hookups, but primitive areas lack these amenities. A visitor commented that "the primitive sites are very secluded and quiet but get there fast because spots are first come first serve." Rattlesnake Campground offers truly primitive camping with no drinking water available at the campsite, making it suitable only for self-sufficient campers prepared to bring their own supplies. Sullivan Marina maintains clean facilities but operates with strict hours, requiring campers to call for entry after 10 PM.

The tent camping experience near Marshall varies significantly between developed and primitive sites. Lake Waveland's grounds are well-maintained with extensive green space and shaded campsites, particularly in the electric area. A camper noted that "Lake Waveland's grounds crew does a very good job keeping the property in order... and that's no small task." The campground's location provides convenient access to nearby natural attractions, including Turkey Run and Shades State Park. Primitive tent sites throughout the region generally offer more seclusion than developed campgrounds but require additional preparation. Summer weekends tend to fill quickly at Lake Waveland Park, especially for the primitive tent sites, so arriving early is recommended for those seeking the best spots.

Best Tent Sites Near Marshall, Illinois (4)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Marshall, IL

2 Photos of 4 Marshall Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Marshall, IL

331 Reviews of 4 Marshall Campgrounds


  • E
    Jul. 14, 2022

    Lieber State Recreation Area Campground

    Great pool; rough sites and campers

    Pros: Very nice large-size pool with slide, attached playground, green space, and sand-filled soccer pitch all included on the pool grounds. These amenities are great as the pool takes a 15 minute clear-out break about once per hour. There is a concession stand with limited selection, but the benefit is that it takes credit card (and cash). 

    The camp store is not the best we've visited. Very limited supply, but they did keep a stock of bacon in their refrigerator and that made my wife happy. 

    Cons: Typical Indiana State campground. We visited for a weekend and landed in a terrible spot. The grade was severe and despite using all the travel trailer tricks to level my site, I could not get level. We dealt with it, but I noticed 4 or 5 quality spots that sat vacant through the weekend, however, were allegedly reserved. I had terrible anxiety for the entire weekend that we would roll backward into a ravine. 

    We were on an electric side of the park, and the pull-through site across from us was occupied by a tent with a minivan. No judgment here, but they were watching highly taboo movies on a wide screen projector with loud speakers around midnight, well after quiet hours had expired. 

    Verizon and AT&T cell phone service were nil, even with a booster and WiFi pack. Our site was littered with cellophane wrappers and cigarette butts. Clearly the previous campers did not adhere to the "leave no trace" doctrine. 

    DNR was very, very present at the campground, but at many sightings it seemed like they were watching for rule infractions as opposed to upholding the integrity of the park. I know that seems conflicting, but if you visit this park you will understand. 

    Bathrooms were mostly clean. Vault toilets were disgusting, but that's expected for concrete topped port-a-potties.

  • Jennifer T.
    Jul. 31, 2018

    Fowler County Park

    Wonderful Family Campgrounds

    Shaded campground sites at lake's edge on east side of park, 53 electrical hookups including 1 pull-thru, 14 primitive/tent sites. Fire ring and picnic table at each site. Water hydrants nearby. Modern shower houses with rest rooms. Handicapped accessible. Dump station. Pets are welcome but must be kept on leash. Must provide own firewood. Firewood must be purchased from within state. Fishing from campsite. In park, swimming beach (Memorial Day-weekend before school opens in fall), boat ramp, trails, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, pioneer village.

    Campground open May 1 - October 15. Park open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. No reservations. Must check-in between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Night guard on duty. Electrical sites - $20 a night, weekly rate - $120, 2 weeks rate - $200. Primitive sites - $12 a night, weekly rate - $60, 2 weeks rate - $100. Price includes Indiana Sales Tax.

    From I-70, go south on U.S. 41 for 7.2 miles. Turn left onto Oregon Church Road and go .8 mile east to park entrance on left. After entering park, turn right to go to campground.

    Personal Thoughts and Experience: We had a wonderful time. We absolutely loved the pioneer village. it is a must go especially when they are having pioneer days in the fall. There is a mountain bike park close to the campground that is a premier facility. Beginner to advance trails with a practice course. Amazing! My husband competes in the Dyno series and loves to train at the facility then camp at Fowler Park!

  • Randy M.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 13, 2023

    Happy Campers Campground

    Off the beaten path by a lake

    See all 3

    Approx $35 / day

    Happy Campers Campground

    5.0 (1 reviews)

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    Roam with care

    Remember to enjoy these campgrounds in a sustainable, respectful way. Clean up after yourself, be friendly with others, and don't overstay your welcome :)

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    Got it

    Details

    Call 812-239-6263 for reservation. Plan to arrive before dark.

    5 full hook-up sites, 1 primitive site, and one primitive cabin. On a lake stocked with fish. Port-a-potty and shower house available.

    Location

    Contact

    39.4931, -87.0188

    https://happycamperscampgroundinc.com

    Cell signal

    Verizon LTE

    AT&T LTE

    T-Mobile LTE

    Sprint LTE

    Weather

    Averages

    Forecast

    Jan

    2.57"

    34.6°

    16.8°

    Feb

    2.48"

    39.6°

    20°

    Mar

    3.39"

    50.5°

    28.6°

    Apr

    3.99"

    62.9°

    39.4°

    May

    5.41"

    72.4°

    49.3°

    Jun

    4.67"

    81.1°

    58.7°

    Jul

    5.19"

    84.2°

    61.7°

    Aug

    3.37"

    83.2°

    60.2°

    Sep

    3.73"

    77.3°

    52.3°

    Oct

    3.49"

    65°

    41.2°

    Nov

    3.98"

    52°

    31.8°

    Dec

    3.26"

    38.3°

    20.7°

    Seasonal scales

    Spring

    Summer

    Fall

    Winter

    Crowdedness

    Others between 10 and 50 feet away

    Fullness

    Almost full

    Noise

    Occasional man-made noise (trains, cars, etc...)

    Shade

    Mostly shaded, but still some spots with sunlight

    Cleanliness

    Pristine, no trash at all

    Safety

    Very safe

    Road difficulty

    No problems with any vehicle

    Features and amenities

    Water hookup

    Sewer hookup

    50A Electric

    Showers

    Picnic tables

    Toilets

    Pets allowed

    Wifi

    Fire pits

    randyorsusan

    Great place to stop overnight or for a few days. Can hear the highway; but it's not very loud or intrusive. Camp host/owner is very friendly. Plenty of room for kids or pets to roam and play. Very clean and safe.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2017

    Lieber State Recreation Area Campground

    In the woods

    Lieber State Recreation Area, Cloverdale, IN is west down I70 from Indianapolis, 2 miles down RT243. Cagles Mill Lake borders the southwestern side of the area.

    We arrived to a very quiet campground with few campers. Our site was next to the showerhouse, in the trees and had an attached grass trail out the back. All of the campsites boasted two picnic tables and some were very spacious. The sites were electric only and there were water sites positioned strategically throughout the campground.

    The showerhouse was older but maintained. There were also pit toilets throughout the campground( not much to say about typical pit toilets....)

    There were primitive sites in the adjacent campground that did not have much tree cover but appeared to be good size sites to set up in.

  • Mike V.
    Jul. 23, 2016

    Lake Waveland Park

    Waveland Lake and Park, near Waveland, Indiana

    Nice clean park in west-central Indiana that has a lake and a large number of camping sites along with restrooms and showers. The primitive tent camping sites don't require reservations, and each have a picnic table. There are modern campsites that have water and electrical hook-ups, and there are some small cabins that can be rented. The bath house was clean, and the grounds crew does a great job keeping the grass cut. Camp sites seem more spread out here compared to most state parks. Location is fairly close to Sugar Creek and other parks such as Turkey Run and Shades State Park. The lake is popular for fishing.

  • Sarah S.
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Lieber State Recreation Area Campground

    Large tent sites - no cell service

    Nice big campsite for our tents. Flush toilets; bathrooms could use some repairs. Fishing dock and area were clean with portable toilets. Walking trail. Safe area, well lit, and patrolled often. Pool & beach. We rented a pontoon boat which was very nice. Camp store for basic supplies. No cell service at all in camp area. Just a short driving distance to Cataract Falls - which is beautiful with a nice walking trail and covered bridge.

  • Terri D.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 10, 2017

    Turkey Run State Park Campground

    Nice Big Sites

    I have to say it is always nice to stay at a state park in the off season. There are a couple hundred sites in this park and we were one of about 12 occupants. Even if this park had been full, the sites offer nice space. Sites vary from full shade to wide open out in the sun. Bathrooms are clean, but they are pretty spread out. Most sites offer electricity, but no water or sewer hook-up for RV. Water spigots are pretty spread out too. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. I didn't see any camp hosts that sold firewood when office is closed. Park is located right across the street from the local high school, I thought this was sort of odd.

    We were just passing through for a nights stay, but it looked like there were some nice trails for hiking. The children playgrounds looked nice as well.

  • Janet B.
    May. 9, 2023

    Vermilion County Park Forest Glen Preserve

    East Camp (backpacking site)

    First backpacking trip in the Midwest and this was a surprisingly scenic place with a great backpacking sites! We did forest glen river ridge trail; started from the staff parking lot and walked about 8 miles to the east camp. We had a big group and took sites 3 and 5 because they were on a flatter ground. All sites were well shaded and there was even an OUTHOUSE!!! The rangers told us the water from the Vermilion River was safe to drink with filtration but note that you do have to walk down to the river and up to the campsites. Both sites came with a picnic table and a fire ring. Had a lovely time even with the thunderstorm.

  • M
    Jul. 19, 2020

    Turkey Run State Park Campground

    Terrific campground and state park

    We stayed here this weekend and had a terrific time. The weather was very hot but there is a river to tube and canoe in to keep you cool. We stayed at site #35. It is in a very quiet, off the main road, in a circle, in full shade. It’s is very close to the restroom but a distance from the camp store and dumpster. The site was clean and well equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. The site is very uneven. It definitely sloops to the back corner. It’s was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end. The site was huge but given the unevenness it would be difficult for tents. The campground is family friendly and was quiet at night. There is a lot to do at this state park. We hiked the #3 and #5 trails and it took us about 2 hours. It was very busy but everyone was very polite. It was a great stay all around.


Guide to Marshall

Tent camping near Marshall, Illinois offers diverse options across state forests, lakeside parks, and private campgrounds. Most sites are within a 30-40 mile radius of Marshall, accessible via Routes 1 and 40. The camping season typically runs from April through October, with primitive sites generally available year-round at some locations, though amenities may be limited during winter months.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Lake Waveland Park features a sizable lake popular among anglers. "Small but peaceful campground. Well worth the time spent here," notes Douglas W., who visited the Lake Waveland Park.

Birdwatching excursions: Primitive camping areas offer excellent wildlife observation opportunities. According to William David S., Lake Waveland Park is "a lovely space with lots of birds to observe. Not fancy, some updating of infrastructure is due."

State park access: Several campgrounds provide convenient bases for exploring nearby natural areas. Lake Waveland's location puts campers within driving distance of multiple state parks for day trips. "The campground is located within close proximity of both Turkey Run and Shades State Park," according to one visitor.

What campers like

Spacious grounds: The extensive green areas at Lake Waveland provide ample room between sites. "Lake Waveland's grounds crew does a very good job keeping the property in order... and that's no small task, there are a TON of green space on this property," explains Randy A.

Family events: Seasonal activities make certain campgrounds particularly appealing for family outings. Nicole B. at Covered Bridge State Forest Retreat notes that some parks offer "Fireworks in July and Halloween for the whole family in October."

Clean facilities: Campground maintenance contributes significantly to visitor satisfaction. "Very clean and spacious," reports Randy A. about Lake Waveland, while ShayLin E. confirms that Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort offers "a great campground with clean facilities."

What you should know

Site selection process: Reservation systems vary significantly between campgrounds. Kevin T. advises about Lake Waveland: "I came here for one night and it was o.k. The sites are kind of too close together. The campsite do have fire rings and picnic tables. The site fills up pretty fast so come early. No need to pay because it is first come first serve."

Operating hours: Some facilities maintain strict access policies. ShayLin E. notes about Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort: "They have very strict hours, and after 10 PM you have to call to get in the gates. They're very nice about it, though! Just try to arrive early."

Unmarked sites: Some primitive camping areas lack clear boundaries or markings. William David S. reports that at Lake Waveland Park, "The sites aren't marked, but are indicated by picnic table and fire ring, though fire rings are not always present. Huge area is reasonably well mowed."

Tips for camping with families

Activity options: Campgrounds offering recreational facilities provide added value for families. Nicole B. mentions that at Lake Waveland, "If you enjoy fishing or boating that a plus. No hiking trails. They do have a beach."

Child-friendly environments: Some campgrounds specifically cater to families with children. Tracy T. recommends Rattlesnake Campground, noting it's "Family friendly!!! Love this place!!!!"

Site spacing considerations: The layout of campgrounds affects privacy and noise levels. Mike V. observes that at Lake Waveland, "Camp sites seem more spread out here compared to most state parks," making it potentially more suitable for families needing space.

Tips from RVers

Electric hookup availability: Campground infrastructure varies widely. Nicole B. points out that at Lake Waveland Park, "as for the modern the best part is sites include water and electric. they need more spots for those long campers. lots of pop up size sites."

Site size limitations: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger vehicles. Katie R. found Lake Waveland to be "Really well maintained grounds," but RVers should note Nicole B.'s caution about the limited number of sites for larger campers.

Water access points: Utility hookups are an important consideration for RV campers. Mike V. mentions that Lake Waveland has "modern campsites that have water and electrical hook-ups," which saves RVers from relying solely on onboard tanks.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Marshall, IL is Lake Waveland Park with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.

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

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