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Best Tent Camping near Oakland, IL

384 Reviews
CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Tent campgrounds in the Oakland, Illinois area include Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort and Spillway Campground. Additional options within driving distance include Spitler Woods State Natural Area and Shady Grove Campground in Hidden Springs State Forest. These established campgrounds offer a range of tent-specific facilities, though amenities vary significantly between locations.

Tent camping facilities near Oakland feature varying levels of development and access. Spillway Campground provides drive-in and walk-in tent sites with electric hookups, drinking water, and established amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, showers, and toilets. In contrast, Shady Grove Campground in Hidden Springs State Forest offers more primitive tent camping with basic toilets, trash service, and drinking water, but without showers or electric hookups. Most tent sites in the region permit pets and campfires where designated fire rings are provided. Some campgrounds have strict operating hours, as one camper noted at Sullivan Marina, where "after 10 PM you have to call to get in the gates."

The tent camping experience in this part of Illinois provides good access to water recreation, particularly at Spillway Campground, which sits on the Kaskaskia River below Lake Shelbyville Dam. Many sites offer fishing opportunities, with Spillway providing boat ramps and canoe rentals for water access. The terrain is typically flat with varying levels of tree cover across campgrounds. Sites at Spillway can accommodate overnight primitive camping for approximately $10 per night. The campground's location provides relative seclusion despite proximity to town. According to one visitor, "Even though you are close to town it is peaceful. This is not a well known place to go but you can have fun here with the canoes and river fishing."

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Best Tent Sites Near Oakland, Illinois (6)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Oakland, IL

384 Reviews of 6 Oakland Campgrounds

  • Aaron B.
    Jun. 16, 2019

    Eagle Creek State Park Campground

    Wooded Solitude / Family Friendly

    Review of Drive In Tent Camping Site 2. Showed up on a Thursday night and had our pick of all the drive in and walk in sites. We decided on site 2 in the drive in area. Previous reviews and a book by John Schirle on Tent Camping in Illinois helped us with this decision as well. Decent maintained sites with some older picnic tables and fire rings, but let's be honest this stuff sits outside 24/7. Site 2 seemed to sit back the farthest with site 1 a close second. Both wooded sites that made for great shade and helped some when it was raining. Any two families looking for two sites could certainly set up and share the experience. Nice little cove behind them to try fishing. Just watch the hike down the path or ravine. Dog friendly, fresh water supply (hint put the handle all the way up and wait a few seconds), ability to store stuff in the car close by, outhouse toilets visible at the walk in parking lot, and helpful host for easy check in who even sells fire wood made for a great few days ($5 a bundle). Rated B/S site at a cost of $10 a night.

  • 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!

  • Michael M.
    Oct. 2, 2017

    Eagle Creek State Park Campground

    Great Lakeside Camping

    I have camped here in the past and enjoy primitive tent camping so I stayed Friday September 29th and Saturday September 30th in the tent camping drive up site #2. There is also a tent camping walk in area with 2 lake front sites that are about 150 yards from the parking area and about eight other sites in between. There is a building with men's and women's flush toilets here for both primitive campgrounds. These are cheaper campsites than in the RV area where you have the shower house, nicer bathrooms and electric hookups. There are lots of nice shaded sites in these campgrounds and all have fire ring grates, lantern posts, picnic tables and some have pole mounted campstove tables as well. The camp hosts do a great job keeping this place clean, maintaining a quiet campground and supplying firewood for the campers. The park has a boat ramp, playground areas, the Chief Illini trail plus a couple short trails. There is a golf course and a run down lodge / hotel that has been closed for several years. There is tons of deer and other animals to watch and watch out that they don't steal your food while you are sleeping. The wild life is great for photography and makes for some good fireside stories.

    This is my second favorite place to camp on the lake, although not as peaceful as Lone Point it does have the Chief Illini trailhead here and makes for nice round trip hiking camping adventures.

    This park is open year round so the fantastic camping in spring and fall are available. You should watch out for hunters in the area when bow season starts October 1st.

  • Michael M.
    Oct. 20, 2017

    Coon Creek (IL)

    Big Campground with great lake access

    I have camped here in a motorhome with full hookups and tent camped as well.

    The camp sites are divided into many loops and have side pullin sites and backin sites. The RV and tent sites are grouped in the same loops and there are many that have trails from the site right to the lake and people leave the boat near the campsite but still on the water. The restrooms and shower houses are clean as all the Lake Shelbyville campgrounds are maintained by the Corps of Engineers. This campground is very busy in the prime camping season, but if you are camping with a group and have a boat this is the place to go. There are several buddy sites here that are set up very well for groups of RV's and tents camping together. There are a few isolated sites on corners of loops, but most are fairly close together. There is a swimming beach here and lots of boat traffic, but quiet hours are observed, so you can get a good night's sleep before an action packed day on the lake. The fishing is good if you have a boat, but there is very little bank fishing areas available. Part of the campground is open after Labor Day, but the main season is Memorial day to Labor day.

  • Michael M.
    Oct. 16, 2017

    Bo Wood

    Campground with all the comforts

    The Forest Bo Wood Recreation area has grown each year since I first camped there in 1979.

    In 2017 it has 150 camping sites, a boat ramp, fish cleaning station, several picnic areas and a bait shop at the entrance on Illinois Route 32 4 miles South of Sullivan. The camp sites all have parking space for a big rig and one vehicle. There are some tent only sites but most have been converted to at least 30 amp electric sites with water hookups near the site. Many lake side sites are available, some years back there was a problem with the bank, but that has been dealt with.

    Bath rooms and shower houses are very clean and there is good bank fishing near the pavilion at the turn around at the west end of the area. There is a marina just 1 mile South and across the bridge another ½ mile is the Sullivan beach. Just 1 more mile South is a Rosatti's pizza located in a gas station with a liquor store. Rossati's delivers pizza's to the 2 campgrounds that are this close to the business. People that love the comforts of home while camping love this campground, so it fills up in the spring and summer months.

    All sites are spacious and include a picnic table, lantern stand, fire pit with grill grate and some have added camp stove stands. I find that October camping at Bo Woods most agreeable with less people tent camping and less boat traffic on the lake. The fishing this time of year is also very good.

  • S
    Oct. 2, 2020

    Wolf Creek State Park Campground

    Beautiful/Quiet during week!

    We stopped in to Wolf Creek State Park later in the day on a Wednesday after trying to stop at a different campground that was closed. We were worried about finding a spot as the sun was going down so we called even though no one usually answers phones at state parks (esp during COVID). The woman that answered was SO nice and I was so happy to hear a voice on the other end. So that’s a huge plus. You can reserve spots online in advance but clearly we did not because we didn’t know we’d be headed there. Same day is first come first serve. We are tent people and love primitive camping in spots where we can really be away from everyone and at least pretend like we’re alone. Rolling in in the dark, we weren’t motivated to checkout the walk-in campsites. And it wasn’t necessary because the area - which if full would’ve been pretty cramped for our taste- was absolutely empty. So we were happy. Many many spots for RVs all next to one another but there was tree cover for some and the possibility of a little bit of privacy but not much in that area.

    We had an almost full moon, but otherwise I think the stars would’ve been pretty awesome. The next morning we woke up and took a little hike down to Shelby Resevoir to see what was around. We were at campsite 18 and it was about 10 min hike down over there. Beautiful and big! Maybe good swimming I would assume? Too late in the year for us.

    We will definitely be back to checkout more of the primitive/walk-in/hike in sites! Hiking trails look interesting and fun and Eagle Creek State Park is just across the water (that’s the bigger one). The 4 stars was because the sites are pretty close together which- even with RVs- I think people mind- but maybe not? We love to be back in the woods ans I do think there is an option for that. We just didn’t have time to check it out. Will update!

  • 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.

  • Michael M.
    Aug. 30, 2017

    Lone Point

    Lakeside wonder

    I tent camped in a large tent, car camping, Friday and Saturday night.

    I have camped here as well as all the Lake Shelbyville campgrounds many times before. Lone Point campground is actually 14 miles from my rural home in Shelbyville, IL. and is my favorite Lake Shelbyville campground.

    There are many nice sites here along the lake and in the wooded areas around the lake. The sites have electricity and water near by. Fire rings with grates, lantern posts, picnic tables and level parking areas. Some sites have limited level areas for tents, but there are lots of sites to choose from. I like camping here because it is the least visited campground on the lake, so it can be quiet and you can get a site with a view. The bathrooms are clean and there is a shower house. There is a 12 mile trail from Lone Point to Eagle creek along the lake shore line, this trail is moderate to difficult hiking. I recommend this campground over all the others on Lake Shelbyville. The campgrounds and park are maintained by the US Army corps of engineers and reservations can be made online through recreation.gov.

    The main campground closes on Labor Day however there is a small section near the boat ramp open year round and this has nice sites in it with camp stove stands as well as grills and awesome fire pits. The trail Chief Illini trailhead is located in the parking area and the trail is fairly well maintained during the regular campground open season. The trail is open year round and can be hiked from one end to the other spending a night at either campground for return trip the next day.

    GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):

    39.45222, -88.74028

    39°27'8"N, 88°44'25"W

  • Michael M.
    Oct. 16, 2017

    Lithia Springs

    Great place for outdoors activities

    The Lithia Springs recreation area near Shelbyville, IL. On Lake Shelbyville has so many things to offer. This is one of my favorite places on the lake for boating, swimming and group camping. There are 105 campsites and they fill up with reservations in the spring and summer months, I would recommend reserving a site on line at: https://www.recreation.gov .

    The campground is run by the Corps of engineers, it is well cared for with clean shower houses and restrooms. There is a boat ramp, picnic areas, a small swimming beach and very nice lakeside campsites. Half the campsites have electric hookups and water near the sites, the other half now have full hookups and 50 amp service. It is recommended to fill your tanks as you enter so you won’t need to get water during your stay for the sites on the point, those do not have full hookups. I tent camp when I stay here now, but have camped here with a motorhome and filled up when I entered and dumped when I left for a long weekend.

    All sites have picnic tables, fire rings with grates and most also have a lantern stand. Most sites have a decent amount of room between them and there are some buddy sites where you share a large table cooking area and park facing each other. There are flat areas for tents and you can have two tents as well as an RV on each site.

    The marina here is great with boat gas, fishing equipment, bait, snacks and other items you might need in a pinch. They also rent fishing boats and pontoon boats so you can go on a boating excursion while camping here for a price.

    There are also cabins and motel rooms with a kitchen near the park entrance if you have a desire for that kind of lodging. See the links below for that.

    http://gregorysresortmotel.com/

    http://www.lithiaresort.com/

Guide to Oakland

Tent camping options near Oakland, Illinois range from river settings to forested state lands. The area features a humid continental climate with seasonal variations affecting camping conditions. Summer temperatures average 70-85°F, while spring and fall bring mild 50-70°F conditions ideal for outdoor recreation.

What to do

River recreation access: At Spillway Campground, campers can enjoy direct access to the Kaskaskia River with boat ramps, canoe rentals, and tubing opportunities. "Small campground next to water to fish and bike trails. Great all year," notes Jan G., highlighting the year-round recreational options.

Forest exploration: Tent campers at Shady Grove Campground in Hidden Springs State Forest can access hiking trails through native Illinois woodlands. The campground serves as a base for exploring the 1,100-acre forest with its mixed hardwood stands and wildlife viewing opportunities.

State park activities: Spitler Woods State Natural Area provides tent sites near hiking trails through old-growth forest. Thomas F. mentions, "Great sites. Plenty to do. Favorite place to camp in Illinois," referring to the park's recreational opportunities.

What campers like

Kaskaskia River fishing: Tent campers appreciate the fishing opportunities at Kaskaskia River Camp, which provides riverbank access for anglers. The campground features basic amenities including picnic tables, showers, and toilets, making it suitable for tent campers focused on fishing.

Quiet camping experience: Many tent campers near Oakland value the relatively uncrowded campgrounds in the region. The less developed sites offer a more natural camping experience with fewer visitors than larger recreational areas.

Seasonal flexibility: Most tent campgrounds near Oakland, Illinois operate from April through October, with some offering year-round access. Weather patterns make late spring and early fall particularly comfortable for tent camping in the region.

What you should know

Operating hours restrictions: When planning tent camping near Oakland, note that some campgrounds have strict entry policies. At Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort, ShayLin E. reports, "This was a great campground with clean facilities. But 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."

Seasonal considerations: Many tent campgrounds in the Oakland area operate seasonally, with limited or no winter operations. Fall camping requires preparation for potentially cold overnight temperatures dropping into the 30s-40s°F.

Amenity variations: Tent campgrounds near Oakland vary significantly in available facilities. Some offer basic amenities only (vault toilets, drinking water), while others provide more developed facilities. Research before arrival to match expectations with available services.

Tips for camping with families

River safety awareness: When tent camping with children at waterfront sites near Oakland, maintain constant supervision. The Kaskaskia River has variable conditions based on dam releases and rainfall.

Wildlife education opportunities: The woodland camping areas around Oakland provide opportunities for children to learn about local ecosystems. Bring field guides to identify plants and animals native to central Illinois forests.

Off-season benefits: For families tent camping near Oakland with school-age children, consider scheduling trips during May or September. Covered Bridge State Forest Retreat tends to be less crowded during these shoulder seasons while still offering comfortable camping weather.

Tips from RVers

Limited hookups: Many tent-focused campgrounds near Oakland offer minimal or no RV hookups. For tent campers, this means less noise and light pollution from larger vehicles.

Shared amenities: At campgrounds serving both tent and RV campers, facilities are often shared. During peak summer weekends, shower and restroom access may require timing to avoid crowds.

Site selection priority: Tent campers should request sites away from RV areas when possible for a more traditional camping experience with fewer neighboring vehicles and generators.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Oakland, IL is Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Oakland, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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