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The Mississippi River region surrounding Moline, Illinois provides multiple established campgrounds that accommodate various camping styles. Campgrounds like Illiniwek and Fishermans Corner offer riverside locations with tent and RV sites within 15 miles of downtown Moline. Camelot Campground Quad Cities USA (formerly Rock Island KOA) features cabins and glamping options alongside traditional camping, while Buffalo Shores County Park provides year-round access. The area primarily consists of developed campgrounds rather than dispersed camping, with most sites having electric hookups and basic amenities.
Most campgrounds in the Moline area operate seasonally, typically from April through October, though some remain open year-round. Water access represents a common feature, with many sites situated along the Mississippi River offering opportunities for boating access. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer months when riverside campsites fill quickly. Facilities vary significantly between locations—some providing full hookups with sewer connections while others offer more primitive experiences with vault toilets. Interstate RV Park and Camelot Campground provide convenient access to highways for travelers passing through the region. "Bathrooms and showers were clean. Perfect camping site," noted one visitor about their tent camping experience at Camelot Campground.
The Quad Cities area campgrounds generally receive ratings between 3-4.5 stars, with water proximity being a standout feature. Several visitors mentioned the quality of shower facilities as a key consideration when evaluating campgrounds in this region. Buffalo Shores and Clarks Ferry provide direct Mississippi River access for campers interested in water activities. Park Terrace Campground at West Lake Park delivers lake views away from the main river channel. Most developed campgrounds feature picnic tables, fire rings, and drinking water. A camper at Illiniwek noted it's a "nice spot on the Mississippi" with "decent spacing" between sites, adding that "bathrooms with showers" are available. Seasonal considerations impact camping experiences, with spring potentially bringing flooding concerns along riverfront properties and summer humidity affecting comfort at exposed campsites.
"As with all the campgrounds along the Northern Illinois Great River Trail, it is along side Rt. 84, and railroad tracks."
"Bugs were not too bad when we were there (October) which was surprising as it was so close to the river and still warm. The after-hours check-in procedure was a little confusing."
from $14 - $26 / night
Check Availability"Close to stores, and resturants. A casino close by."
"I had fun nice little get away from every one nature is everywhere compared to city I love it"
"There is a section of the campground where you can camp right on the edge of the Mississippi River which is nice, but you must deal with people fishing the entire time."
"The campground is also right next to a biking trail. There was public and private bathrooms. The private ones were only accessible to campers that received a key from the park office."
"There are 13 non-electric tent sites that are in a grassy area towards the back of the campground with two pit toilets located nearby."
"The host is on site plus a park ranger was frequently driving around to check on things. We were there on Labor Day weekend and everyone quieted down in the evening."
from $27 / night
Check Availability"Enjoyed almost 2 weeks at West Lake Park, part of the Scott County, IA park system. Helpful staff, park rangers make daily patrols, nice spots, many with shade trees & decent room."
"Although theres a small "lake" here, Ive never had great luck catching much. Pool is nice and updated. Park rangers are always frequently present and patrolling."
from $17 - $36 / night
Check Availability"CG has new septic lines and walking paths! Sites have upgraded lanes, pads."
"Sites offer: tables, fire rings, hard drive through pads, electric, water, showers/RR, play areas, horse shoes, trails, and 2 cabins adjacent to CG. Overflow/visitor parking."
from $17 - $36 / night
Check Availability"will be surrounded by."
"The tent sites are nicely tucked away from the RVs, with a row of bushes to separate you from your neighbor. Nice shade."
from $40 - $95 / night
Check Availability"Nice beach walk and next to a small town. Came in December to find they close the campground for the season but there’s lots of small lots to park overnight."
"Short walk to the beach. All sites are 50 and 30 you just show up pick a spot and go to the office. Camp host stays on site. Nice sized playground for kids. Plenty of room around campers."
from $22 - $25 / night
Check Availability"Easy on off from highway, cute little place but still fit a big rig towing a trailer. DoorDash in area is convenient. 50 ⚡️💩👍💧👍"
"It’s a bit noisy due to the nearness to the interstate."
"We could see multiple fire works shows if we walked around the campground with the neighbors across the street putting on a pretty great "amateur" show. "
"Still a two hundred foot walk and I am there.
Very clean. I was next to a vault toilet did did use it for a quick #1. Clean and did not have any foul smell.Level cement pads."
from $14 - $26 / night
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TravelerDrove in late at night and was able to self register and pay at the gate. Has electric hook ups, tent camping sites and a great shower building. Showers were free, clean and comfortable. Not always the case with public campgrounds
ScoutCampground is clean and well maintained. The bathrooms are very clean and don’t smell like a typical campground bathroom the campground managers are easy to deal with and are very kind. If you like dad jokes the campground manager has plenty lol. Overall great experience.
LegendThere’s something wonderfully mesmerizing about camping beside the Mississippi River, where you can sit together and watch everything from great blue herons to enormous towboats slowly make their way past your campsite, and tiny Fairport State Recreation Area gives families a front-row seat to it all. Located about seven miles east of Muscatine and roughly 20 miles from Davenport, this intimate 42-site campground is decidedly more about the river than resort-style recreation, with every back-in campsite offering 20/30/50-amp electric service and many providing beautiful views across the water. Families will find modern restrooms and showers, accessible water, a dump station and small playground, while two boat ramps with docks make getting onto the Mississippi wonderfully EZ for an afternoon of boating or fishing for walleye and catfish. One of my favorite little pleasures here is simply pointing the chairs toward the river as evening arrives and watching the barges glide silently past while everyone tries to spot one more bird before darkness settles over the water. At Fairport, the Mississippi isn’t something you drive somewhere to see - it becomes part of your campsite. From what we saw, the best campsites are 37–42, where the western row puts you closest to the Mississippi and provides some of the campground’s prettiest river views. We would definitely recommend Fairport for families who love boating, fishing and life along the water because it’s small, wonderfully convenient and beautifully positioned on the Mississippi - just know that the nearby railroad provides last minute surprising loud sirens, including during the night, so light sleepers might want to pack earplugs along with the marshmallows.
ScoutLovely spot right on Mississippi. Pleasant hosts and grounds are well maintained. Lots of mature trees with great shade. Had a major storm early this AM. 60 mph winds and lots of branches down but no trees fell. Within 30 min of storm passing host were driving through the camp and came to check on us and make sure we wer okay. Incrediblely prompt and kind response.
LegendIf sleeping on the ground has begun losing some of its charm, Summit Cabin 2 at West Lake Park offers a pretty compelling alternative. Perched atop a rolling prairie hillside overlooking Railroad Lake, this modern 1.2K sq ft cabin combines the serenity of camping with enough creature comforts that you might briefly forget you're supposed to be 'roughing it'. Managed by the Scott County Conservation Board, the cabin is ADA-accessible, sleeps up to eight and sits within a 620-acre county park encompassing 4 lakes, giving you plenty of nature outside the door without surrendering air conditioning, indoor plumbing or a proper mattress at the end of the day.
Inside, this place is impressively equipped with two bedrooms - one with a queen bed plus twin bunks and a second room with a queen - a queen sleeper sofa, full kitchen with stove/oven, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher, dining table for eight, modern bathroom with shower, Wi-Fi, gas fireplace, heat and air conditioning. Outside you'll find a covered porch overlooking the lake, picnic table, fire ring and gas grill, with parking for 2 vehicles. The kitchen even includes dishes, cookware and utensils, although you'll need to bring your own bedding, pillows, bath towels and toiletries. Pets aren't permitted, which is worth remembering before Fido hops into the truck expecting a weekend at the lake.
The real advantage, though, is everything waiting beyond the front porch. West Lake Park offers four lakes for fishing and recreation, a seasonal swimming beach, boat dock, accessible fishing dock, paddleboat rentals, playgrounds, trails, disc golf and seasonal concessions. For forgotten groceries or something worthy of tossing onto that gas grill, nearby Hy-Vee Grocery Store on West Locust Street is a convenient Davenport resupply option; you're also close enough to the Quad Cities that civilization never feels particularly far away.
Insider's tips? Here's a handful: (1) Bring a couple of lawn chairs because that covered porch overlooking Railroad Lake begs for morning coffee and an evening sundowner, but it's in the shade - if you want to grab some proper dawn or dusk light, you'll need to bring your own seat; (2) pack all bedding and bath linens, because those aren't provided; (3) bring fishing rods and take advantage of the park's four lakes, or make a day of the swimming beach and paddling opportunities during warmer months; (4) Firewood is available for purchase inside the park, saving you from hauling your own; (5) Remember that only two vehicles may park at the cabin, although overflow parking is nearby (like literally 20 yards from the VIP parking you'll find here at the cabin); and (5) Don't arrive expecting to pitch an extra tent beside the cabin as tents and campers aren't permitted within the cabin area.
Happy Camping!
TravelerStayed one night as passing thru, has lots of pull thru sites, FHU, and 30/50 amp. Great bathrooms, some shaded sites. Kinda crazy, pulled into gate 5 to check if had available site, was told, had to go into gate 1, pick an open site, and then go back to gate 5 to pay!!! Thankful the ranger, who we followed into campground, set up, and were able to pay ranger, thus did not need to disconnect our tow car! Can book in advance online which would be easier, but we were winging the one night stay.
ScoutWe had the place virtually to ourselves. Camped Monday through Wednesday. Great bike riding throughout the park. There are a lot of hiking trails to choose from. Our site wasn’t very shaded but it had a great view of the sky for our Skylink. There are great shaded sites throughout the park.
GuideNice level concrete pads with electric. Water scattered around the sites. Clean bathhouse. Pavilion on the water with fire ring.
Traveler30 for full hook up. Need a a longer water house as double spigots are every few sites. Firewood at the office. Good location convenient.
Campsites near Moline, Illinois offer direct access to the Mississippi River with multiple established camping locations within 15 miles of downtown. The elevation remains fairly consistent at approximately 590 feet above sea level throughout the area's river valley terrain. Train tracks run parallel to many camping locations, creating regular noise that affects the camping experience during both day and night hours.
Fishing spots with river views: At Buffalo Shores County Park, you can set up directly on the shoreline. "There are good shoreline sites for boats. New septic system installed. Town of Buffalo nearby for supplies," notes a visitor. The park provides dedicated fishing areas with easy river access.
Biking the Great River Trail: Fishermans Corner serves as an excellent starting point for cycling. "From this campground you can go north, as far as Savanna. Going south will take you through Hampton, East Moline, Moline, Rock Island, and you can cross over to Davenport, circle Credit Island, and pick up other paths in Iowa," explains one experienced cyclist.
Disc golf courses: Park Terrace Campground features what reviewers call a "world-class disc golf course" alongside four lakes for fishing and paddling. A camper mentions the park has "many amenities: 4 recently retired fishing and paddling lakes with seasonal swimming beach and concessions, disc golf, new hiking trails, shelters, playgrounds."
Well-maintained shower facilities: Illiniwek Campground receives consistent praise for its cleanliness. "The private ones were only accessible to campers that received a key from the park office. It was nice that they were private but they weren't kept up that well and had storms of mud-dabbers on the outsides of the building. The insides of the bathrooms were kept very clean," reports one camper who stayed for two weeks.
Mississippi River barge watching: Clarks Ferry offers excellent river views. "Beautiful clean campground right next to the Mississippi River, Lots of Maple Trees, level concrete pads. Lots of people this weekend, but very quiet," reports a visitor. Another mentions, "I like it because you can see the barge traffic on the river."
Affordable rates: County parks like Buffalo Shores and Park Terrace Campground typically charge $21-30 per night for electric sites. One visitor at Park Terrace notes the park has "good prices, well maintained" with full hookup sites available year-round.
Train noise impacts sleep: Railway tracks run alongside many river campgrounds, creating significant noise. At Clarks Ferry, a camper warns: "If it weren't for the trains going by constantly, it would be a five star place. The trains were just relentless, even during the night." Another reports, "The train comes by about every hour behind the campsite and blows its horn at the two crossings adjacent to the campsite."
Seasonal facilities: Most campgrounds close bathhouses and water hookups from late October through April. Some, like Park Terrace Campground, remain open year-round with limited services. Buffalo Shores County Park offers year-round access with seasonal limitations.
Site spacing varies significantly: Camelot Campground (formerly Rock Island KOA) has varying site sizes. "Sites are small however pull through sites are 2x as big, but they cost a little more," explains one reviewer. At Fishermans Corner, a camper noted, "My one complaint is that the sites are packed tightly together and more suited for RVs than tents."
Playgrounds at multiple campgrounds: Buffalo Shores offers "a nice sized playground for kids" according to a recent visitor. Camelot Campground features additional kid activities beyond standard playground equipment.
Rental equipment for water activities: During summer months, Park Terrace Campground provides boat rentals at their swim beach. "Park offers 4 lakes for fishing, paddling, and a seasonal beach for swimming with concessions," reports a frequent visitor.
Pioneer Village historical site: Located near Bald Eagle Campground, this attraction entertains children with historical demonstrations. A visitor recalls, "Pioneer village if you've never been was the absolute bees knees as a kid to go to, especially since you can hike to get there! I loved climbing around in the train cars, eating icecream/candy canes, and watching the blacksmith work."
Concrete pads at select sites: Fishermans Corner offers "a generous sized level concrete pad, picnic table, and fire grate" at many sites. Another camper notes, "Sites are shaded, with services, fire pits, wood available, site volunteer."
Dump station locations: Most campgrounds provide dump stations, though placement varies. At Park Terrace, sites have "upgraded lanes, pads. Sites offer standard amenities, seasonal host onsite, firewood available, play area, overflow parking."
Winter camping options: While many campgrounds close seasonally, Camelot Campground operates year-round with full hookup sites available. A winter visitor shared, "This was a great one night stay. We were in site #5 FHU. Easy and friendly check in. Nice lake in park. It was still off season so pool etc was not open."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find private camping spots around Moline?
Fishermans Corner - Mississippi River is an Army Corps of Engineers campground that offers more privacy than many public options in the area. While it is situated near Route 84 and railroad tracks, this is common for Mississippi River campgrounds and doesn't detract from the experience. For those seeking a more isolated experience, Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park Campground provides well-maintained grounds, though campers should be prepared for mosquitoes due to its canal-side location. Bald Eagle Campground and Cabins also offers more secluded sites away from major highways, providing a private camping experience while still being accessible from Moline.
Are there tent camping sites with lake access near Moline?
Yes, several campgrounds near Moline offer tent camping with water access. Prophetstown State Park Campground is ideal for tent campers, with sites along the Rock River providing easy water access, clean shower facilities, and playgrounds. Wildcat Den State Park Campground offers a rustic tent camping experience with 19 sites surrounded by trees. Each site includes a picnic table and fireplace, though amenities are basic with just one water station and toilets. For water recreation enthusiasts, Buffalo Shores County Park also provides tent sites with boat-in access options, making it convenient for paddlers and boaters looking to camp near the water.
What are the best campgrounds near Moline, Illinois?
Several excellent campgrounds surround Moline. Illiniwek Campground offers premium sites along the Mississippi River with beautiful views and convenient access. Another top choice is Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground, a hidden gem near the Iowa/Illinois border featuring secluded sites, beautiful hiking trails, and amazing river views. For water enthusiasts, Prophetstown State Park Campground along the Rock River provides clean facilities, playgrounds, and easy water access. These campgrounds offer a range of amenities and natural settings perfect for different camping styles, with most located within a 30-45 minute drive from Moline.
Are RV rentals available in Moline, Illinois?
Yes, RV rentals are available in the Moline area, though you'll typically need to arrange these through RV rental companies rather than at campgrounds directly. The Quad Cities region (which includes Moline) has several rental agencies offering various RV sizes and styles. Once you've secured a rental, multiple RV-friendly options exist nearby. Interstate RV Park near Davenport accommodates RVs with full hookups, while Camelot Campground Quad Cities USA offers big-rig friendly sites with necessary amenities. For budget-conscious travelers, overnight parking is available at several locations including Walmart stores in Geneseo and Sterling, though these offer minimal amenities.
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