Top Tent Camping near McClure, IL
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Best Tent Sites Near McClure, IL (15)
1. Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
16 Reviews•47 Photos•9 SavesTurkey Ridge is for campers who want a serene outdoor experience. It is a Class C walk-in campground that includes camp pads, picnic tables, cooking grills and showers. Drinking water and toilets are located near the parking lots.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Trash
$18 / night
2. Jackson Falls
20 Reviews•66 Photos•418 SavesJackson Falls offers many opportunities for technical climbing and is a beautiful scenic area of the Shawnee National Forest. It is in the general forest area located east of the small town of Ozark, IL. This non-developed area has a small trailhead with a vault toilet. A short trail leads from the trailhead to the top of Jackson Falls. There are high dangerous bluffs in the area, visitors should be cautious and aware of their surroundings. Camping is allowed here at no cost, since this is part of the general forest area and not a developed campground. Access: A narrow gravel road leads to the Jackson Falls Trailhead, but then the road becomes dirt and deadends past the trailhead.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Group
- Equestrian
- Standard (Tent/RV)
3. Willow Springs Campground
1 Review•4 Photos•2 SavesPrivate property sunken into the Shawnee National Forest.
- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Trash
- Firewood Available
- Showers
$20 - $125 / night
4. Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
3 Reviews•10 Photos•2 SavesBackpackers enjoying their commune with nature will appreciate the solitude of the individual campsites in the Class C Backpack campground. Located a half-mile from the Turkey Ridge primitive campground parking lot, these woodland sites have cooking grills, toilets and showers. Water and trash receptacles are available at the Turkey Ridge parking lot. You're reminded to be careful with your fires and to pack out what you pack in.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Trash
- Drinking Water
5. Dutchman Lake Camp
3 Reviews•6 Photos•44 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
6. Lake Girardeau Conservation Area
2 Reviews•11 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
7. Apple Creek Conservation Area
1 Review•1 SaveApple Creek Conservation Area is located in northeast Cape Girardeau County, three miles east of New Wells on Route CC. The Missouri Department of Conservation created Apple Creek Conservation Area in 1986 with the purchase of 2,100 acres from several landowners. Steep hills and narrow valleys characterize this area, and approximately 2.5 miles of Apple Creek stream frontage forms its northern border. The Conservation Department has created watering ponds and planted food plots and agricultural crops within the forest to provide additional food sources for wildlife.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Equestrian
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Trash
8. Fishing Pier
3 Reviews•7 Saves- Tents
- Toilets
9. Mandolin Grove
1 Review- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Tent Cabin
10. Whippoorwill Lake Campground Resort
1 Review•2 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
Showing results 1-10 of 15 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In McClure
347 Reviews of 15 McClure Campgrounds
GB N.
ScoutDD Hwy Campground
October tent camping
Tent camping back away from the RVs & we were the only people. Gorgeous river to view just a few steps away & the night sky view was fantastic. LOVED the bathroom & shower facilities!
Tabitha R.Scout
Johnson Creek
Nice!
This campground provides large spots, drinking water, vault toliets, dumpsters, picnic table, lantern hook, fire ring, and contactless check in. I also appreciate the value of these sites. It really is a reasonable rate for forest camping.
Rodarius S.
Traveler
Dispersed Campsite Shawnee National Forest
Nice spots on the highway
Love this spot! It's easily accessible by all rig types. Backs up to the open forest and you pull right back onto the highway.
- PPatricia S.Traveler
General Watkins Conservation Area
Maybe not a travel destination, but certainly a good waypoint.
We opted for this site on our way west as a stopover because it was free and not a parking lot. There are a couple of loop trails and we walked one of them. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon. The locals use the area for fishing and walking and it was somewhat busy in the afternoon. A couple of guys fished at night until about nine. There was only one other couple camping. Very quiet and peaceful. There was a portable toilet but we didn't investigate.
The cool thing was that the loop trail was forested by hundreds of paw paw trees. It must have been just past the season and we saw only a couple of decaying ones, but the entire trail smelled of apple cider vinegar and was quite pleasant.
If you consider this waypoint, two things:
1. The last mile is good, but very dusty, gravel road.
2. No cell coverage in the parking lot for T-Mobile, some coverage on loop trail.
Jonathan H.Scout
Dutchman Lake Camp
Weeke d at the lake
Great little spot right off the interstate. Lots of nice scenery and decent fishing.
CeciliaScoutPine Hills
Very nice
Very quiet and secluded. Campsites are roomy and some firewood is supplied.
- JJohn R.
Legend
Trail Of Tears State Park
Train Lovers.
Large park with not many large RV sites. Lots of tent and dispersed camping. Disappointing store. Equestrian area. Beach and boat launch.
Twan M.
Ranger
Oak Point - Lake Glendale
Stellar Illinois
This is a little gem of a refuge within the Shawnee NF - about 30min from Marion, down a beautiful country road before nestling among the trees around the lake. The drive is paved/gravel the whole way, so very easily drivable for anyone in anything. Plenty of camp sites, both with electric and non-electric, double and single. Bring bug spray - horseflies and ticks. Beautiful lake, beautiful biking trails, etc. Firepits w/ grates are spacious and nice, fees are online. 1 bar verizon at camp, can get up to 3 bars within the area.
Scott B.Ranger
Hilltop Campground
Nice stop
Stopped here for the night driving through the area. Nice campground, clean, safe, and right off the interstate.
- EEric W.Scout
Shawnee Forest Campground
Great place to camp!
We stayed 4 days and had a great time. The camp was clean and well maintained. The staff are very friendly and helpful and was more than happy to offer places to visit in the area, places to eat and provide assistance as needed. The trails are paved so we had a nice area to walk (twice around the lake from our site was 3 miles). :) We plan to visit again!
Matthew Z.TravelerDutchman Lake Camp
Road trip break
Beautiful spot with easy access and not far off the highway
Brian F.ScoutShawnee Forest Campground
Great and clean!
Great little stop, everything is clean and a fresh shower was refreshing.
Dante V.
GuideOak Point - Lake Glendale
Solar Eclipse Crossroads
We camped here during the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse and it was also the overflow site which at that time was the side of the camp entrance road. Fast forward to April 7,8 & 9 2024 We are again on overflow campground where this time was their group camping site which was much better than the side of the road. The overflow site has 4 unisex bathrooms but no showers (showers are at the main campground) there is dining (open) pavilion with a fireplace and a filtered well water system. We had a blast watching the Total Solar Eclipse.
Jon H.Scout
Oak Point Campground
Nice national park campground
Location is everything and this is well in the middle of a great area in Shawnee National Forest. Garden of the gods, Bell Smith springs, Ferne State park, and on and on. You can spend a week here and not see everything.
There are primitive and electric (with water) sites. There are no sites with sewer hookup. There is a dump station at the entrance.Sites are generally level and well kept. Very large rigs (35+) will be challenging, but I've seen them - more towards the front. There are some lake front spots that can be had. Sites are first come and there are no reservations taken. During the week, no problem. Weekends would be iffy.
Large lake with swimming, fishing, kayaking. Also has a bike trail around it - maybe 2 miles.
Shower houses are kept clean, but as of this posting, they need some maintenance work.
All in all, this is a must stop if you want to enjoy what the area has to offer.
Steve G.Legend
Crab Orchard Lake Campground
Excellent Lakeside Campgrouind
Getting there: Easy access off Illinois 13 East of Carbondale
Check in and staff: Campground is now under the egis of recreation.gov& reservations through them are a must. This is new& when planning the trip the website said“first come first serve” so we arrived on a Friday evening(4pm) with no reservation. The sign said RV sites all taken. The host was wonderful! He has been here 9 years and steered us to a nice site for the one night we will be here. The online experience with recreation.gov was not pleasant, impossible in fact. So I had to call. This took quite awhile. Once I got a real live person it was great, and we got our site with no problems.
Amenities: Bathrooms: clean, paper towels& air dryers.
Site: A-35. In the middle of the A loop and therefore not on the water. Still, very nice. After all, beggars can’t be choosers! Sites are somewhat spacious, but not terribly private.
Bonnie M.Guide
Castor River Campground
Sketchy crowd of long term residents
Way to crowded tiny sites
Michelle K.Scout
Sharp Rock Falls Recreation
Longbranch Shooting House And Saloon
You're welcome to at longbranch! Please make your reservations.
Only 16 spots left!Ava Illinois +1 618-318-6734 Text your name and number of people on your campsite to reserve your spot.
The Solar Eclipse Event "PARK @ THE MOON"
Extended or early arrivals welcome. Just simply request more information in the text. We will get ahold of asap with a more information and a confirmation number.
#ShareThisPost #solareclipse2024
- MMARY K.Ranger
Fern Lake Campground and RV Park
Friendly, well kept, just off I24
This is a convenient and pleasant campground, just off exit 3 on I24 in Paducah. The staff was friendly and walked us to our site and showed us the hookups. He gave us a lovely spot in the shade by the little lake. Have not used the showers yet so can't comment on that. We stayed on a Sunday night. The park was about half full. Seems to be a nice quiet family place.
They are across the street from a Mexican restaurant. There is a liquor store next door. Other businesses nearby.
Noise from the nearby traffic may bother some, but we didn't mind it and it was not loud enough to hear inside our RV.
It is a good place for us to stop on our way from MN to visit friends in FL. Also convenient for visiting the National Quilting Museum. We will stop here again.
- JJ A.Guide
Dutchman Lake Camp
Beautiful Verizon works well
Beautiful little spots as you come in. Quiet and easy to get too.
Tonya B.GuideShawnee Forest Campground
Great Place!
Stayed here on the way to and from Florida (home in Minnesota). Very nice campground. Well maintained, big sites for our 40ft fifth wheel, great sunrise/sunset views, and the bathrooms are very clean and well lite. The gentleman/host that greeted us at the office upon arrival was polite and helpful. Will definitely stay again!
Jake C.Legend
Willow Springs Campground
New to the Dyrt!
Jake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!
Logan W.Guide
Giant City State Park
Great trails and well kept campsites
We stayed at Giant City in February on a very cold weekend. It was still a fantastic trip! The campsites, fire pits and pit toilets were well maintained. The shorter trails in the park were beautiful even in the winter. The Lodge also had excellent food and a very cozy feel. Definitely visit the Lodge!!
- Logan W.Guide
Pyramid State Park
Nice campsites and lots of lakes
We stayed at the campground on the north end of Pyramid. The campsites were close together but we visited in February so we were the only campers. The fire pits were a little run down but the sites were nice and level with a table. No lantern posts. Pit toilets that were decent. The park office is a pretty long drive from the north end campground. The hiking is limited but the campground was peaceful and close to the lakes. Probably covered in bugs in the summer. Overall pretty nice stay
David F.Guide
Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
Southern Illinois getaway
Great campground away from roads and noise. Goreville is small local town with grocery store and service station for supplies. South LOOP sites 1-23 are first come sites. NORTH LOOP SITES 24 - 59 Reservable at https://camp.exploremoreil.com/ Some 50 amp sites (4, 6, 18, 32, 36, 38, 47, 48) rest have 30 amp. See map in photos. WATER potable at Dump Station also 5 hydrants scattered amongst camp sites. TENT and Equestrian camps take road to the south west of lake.
Jennifer N.GuideFern Lake Campground and RV Park
Easy booking, pretty lake front
Fern Lake was super easy to book and very inexpensive. The host was easy to access and was happy to show us to our site since it was dark when we arrived. We stayed on site 51 which had a fire pit (we brought our own wood) and very pretty view of the lake. The bathhouse was very close to walk to and the showers and bathrooms were fine. Like most small campgrounds, it was pretty outdated but had the basics. One bummer was that the electrical outlets were not functioning in the bathrooms so I had to leave them with a wet head assuming I could dry my hair in the van, but unfortunately the electric pedestal was not compatible with our 30amp plug. Our inverter doesn’t like the heavy power suck of a blow dryer so I was counting on plugging in. :( Being in the 30’s I was looking forward to dry hair. Oh well.
Stuart O.GuideTurkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
Quiet in November
We do most of our RV travel in the early spring and late fall. Ferne Clyffe does not take reservations after November 1, so its first come first served. Payment is deposited in a kiosk near the black water dump site. This was not well explained on the signage or websites, but, at least in mid-November, there were enough experienced campers around to explain things.
Otherwise, Ferne Clyffe is gorgeous. Great for star-gazing. Lots of mature oak and sycamore trees that I'm sure provide nice shade in summer. In mid-November, there's lots of deer hunters, which means it gets quiet early in the evening. Spaces are of moderate size on the interior, and are more spread out on the perimteter.
- TTori P.Scout
Shawnee Forest Campground
Suburb Camping
Came to this campsite with my boyfriend and I as well as our two dogs. We were in spot 51, we have a large 8 person tent and need water & electricity so we rent out RV spots instead of the typical tent spots. When we arrived after our 15 hour drive, someone decided to park in our site. Once they moved we were able to start putting up our tent which was on a hill so we were slanted throughout the night. A family rented out the entire rest of the cul-de-sac, which isn’t the parks fault, but they claimed the pavilion and surrounding area. I would call this more of “suburb camping” because there are hardly any trees for privacy, large open fields of grass, and you are 2 minutes from the highway, food, and gas stations. It is only a single bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower instead of any stalls. They provide WiFi that did not work for us, we had better connection with our cellular data. No garbages anywhere in the campsite, thankfully we had our own garbage bags and tossed it in the dumpster before we left. It was fine to crash for one night, but I wouldn’t want to stay here for an extended period of time.
Guide to McClure
Camping near McClure, Illinois, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From beautiful lakes to well-maintained campgrounds, there’s something for everyone in this scenic area.
What to do:
- Hiking and Exploring: There are numerous trails nearby, especially at Giant City State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, “The hiking trails are beautiful, and not too crowded,” making it a great spot for nature lovers.
- Fishing: If you enjoy fishing, Crab Orchard Lake Campground is a fantastic choice. A reviewer noted, “The views of the river are great and my boys loved the trains going right by the camper,” highlighting the fun of fishing while enjoying the scenery.
- Boating: At Little Grassy Lake Campground, you can rent boats and kayaks. One camper shared, “We loved the clean beach area. Perfect spot for kayaking.”
What campers like:
- Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the campgrounds. A visitor at Shawnee Forest Campground said, “The camp was clean and well maintained,” which is a common sentiment among many campers.
- Friendly Staff: Many reviews mention the helpfulness of the staff. One camper at Giant City State Park Campground remarked, “The camp hosts were very friendly and helpful,” making the experience even better.
- Spacious Sites: Campers enjoy the roomy sites available at places like Turkey Ridge Campground. A reviewer noted, “#35 is a nice location. Large yard and not super close to other campers.”
What you should know:
- First-Come, First-Serve: Many campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-serve basis. A visitor at Crab Orchard Lake Crab Orchard NWR mentioned, “Most you can spend here is 14 days, which lots of locals do,” so plan accordingly.
- Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Turkey Bayou Campground, have minimal facilities. A camper noted, “No services except a porta potty,” so be prepared for a more rustic experience.
- Wildlife: Expect to see wildlife, especially at Trail of Tears State Park Campground. One camper shared, “The campground was great and had lots of woods for exploring,” which adds to the adventure.
Tips for camping with families:
- Choose Campgrounds with Activities: Look for campgrounds that offer activities for kids. At Little Grassy Lake Campground, a family enjoyed, “The playground was good,” making it a hit for younger campers.
- Plan for Privacy: Some sites can be close together. A camper at Turkey Ridge Campground mentioned, “The sites were on top of each other,” so consider this when booking.
- Pack Snacks and Drinks: Having snacks on hand is a must. A visitor at Hinton RV Park said, “The park also has cable tv,” which can be a nice treat for family movie nights.
Tips from RVers:
- Check Site Sizes: Make sure to check the size of the sites before booking. A reviewer at Crab Orchard Lake Campground noted, “Some sites are tight along the river,” which can be a concern for larger RVs.
- Look for Full Hookups: Many RVers prefer sites with full hookups. At Hinton RV Park, a camper mentioned, “Clean campground with full hookups,” which is a big plus.
- Be Mindful of Noise: Some campgrounds can be noisy. A visitor at Trail of Tears State Park Campground shared, “Lots of trains, day and night,” so consider this if you’re sensitive to sound.
Camping near McClure, Illinois, has its perks and quirks. With a little planning, you can enjoy a great outdoor experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near McClure, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near McClure, IL is Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 16 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near McClure, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near McClure, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.