Top Tent Camping near Port Byron, IL

Looking for tent camping near Port Byron? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Port Byron, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Port Byron, Illinois's most popular destinations.

Best Tent Sites Near Port Byron, IL (16)

Showing results 1-10 of 16 campgrounds

Recent Tent Reviews In Port Byron

456 Reviews of 16 Port Byron Campgrounds


  • Dan M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Hickory Grove Campground
    Oct. 14, 2024

    Hickory Grove Campground

    Definitely worth a stop!

    This a really nice campground with a lot of recent upgrades. Great location, excellent piece of land, and the owners are super friendly. Sites give you TONS of room and they are all FHU.

  • Coty G.
    Camper-submitted photo from Sturgeon Bay Park and Campground
    Oct. 14, 2024

    Sturgeon Bay Park and Campground

    We Camp here almost every weekend

    Great place to camp especially if you have a boat or like to fish the Mississippi river. 2 blocks from a restaurant/tavern. City of New Boston has several different community events throught the year as well.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Horseshoe Pond
    Oct. 9, 2024

    Horseshoe Pond

    Nice smaller CG in City of Maquoketa, Iowa

    CG offers gravel pads, tables, fire rings, electric, sump station, water, small pond with fishing, paddling, dog park. Close to stores for supplies, dining, fuel.

  • Brian O.
    Camper-submitted photo from Maquoketa Caves State Park
    Oct. 2, 2024

    Maquoketa Caves State Park

    Nice campground, fun caves, older established state park

    My mom remembers visiting this park in the 40's. Not a surprise since Grampa was a Geologist.
    This is a small campground for such an old park, only 34 sites, walk-ins included. All sites are along one road with a turnaround at the end. There is only one building with toilets, showers and no pit toilets. These are clean and well maintained.
    There is a playground near the entrance that is shared with the caves entrance area, a bit of a walk.
    The caves themselves are down a long hill from the campground. There are facilities there too, and a concession stand with limited hours/ days. The caves are fun to explore, but not ADA accessible. Bring flashlights and in some areas watch your head.
    The Visitor's center at the park entrance is staffed by volunteers and only open on weekends.
    Once you've done the caves, there's not much else to see within the park. But visit the Hurstville interpretive center for a nice nature center and trails.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr.
    Sep. 19, 2024

    Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr.

    Very nice County cabin near Wapsi River

    Cabin sleeps 6, has all amenities including firewood at no cost! Education center onsite with live animals, trails, open year round, Wapsipinicon River below bluff offers paddling, fishing. Menke Observatory offers sky programs.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bennett Park
    Sep. 19, 2024

    Bennett Park

    Nice small County CG with pond

    Campground is nice with a few newer amenities, including shower house and handicap campsite. Gravel pads at sites include tables, fire, pits, electric,. There’s a dump station, play area, shelters for rent, and a pond that you can actually swim and fish and paddling.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Hennepin Canal Campground
    Sep. 9, 2024

    Hennepin Canal Campground

    Easy place to camp

    5 site in all. 4 sites can be accessed by rv or trailer. 5th one has barriers up and only tents. Each site has fire rings and tables to use. 3 sites back up along the canal. Public park restrooms near by.

  • Fred S.
    Camper-submitted photo from Langwood Education Center
    Sep. 5, 2024

    Langwood Education Center

    Great place!

    Langwood Education Center looks like a great spot for a weekend camping trip, especially if you’re into outdoor education. If you’re planning to camp there with kids, it could be a fun way to blend learning and adventure. Plus, it’s close enough to larger cities, making it convenient for a quick getaway. I’ve been planning something similar but also juggling a lot of writing assignments lately. For those who need help with academic papers or essays while on the go, https://99papers.com/essay-writing/ has been a great resource. They’ve saved me a lot of time when I’ve had deadlines looming. Anyway, has anyone visited recently and can share tips on the best trails or activities for families?

  • .! E !.
    Camper-submitted photo from Rock Island-Quad Cities KOA
    Sep. 5, 2024

    Rock Island-Quad Cities KOA

    Perfect!

    Very nice, affordable and peaceful campsite. Stayed one night for tent camping, campsite was clean and accommodating with fire pit, picnic table, lights, Wi-Fi, and power plug. Bathrooms and showers were clean. Perfect camping site.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Mississippi Palisades State Park
    Sep. 4, 2024

    Mississippi Palisades State Park

    Super cheap for what you get.

    I got a primitive tent site in an area all to myself, with a shower house just down the road, in a beautiful and quiet campground for $10 cash. You really can’t beat that. Campground is separate from the park so you don’t have to pay a park entrance fee to stay here.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Sherman Co Park
    Aug. 28, 2024

    Sherman Co Park

    Scenic County park along Wapsipinicon River

    The campground offers to camp areas: one better suited for RVs, and the other area is better suited for primitive tent, camping. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings, our recites include electric. There is a campground host, shower house, shelter and playground area there too. The tent sites are prone to flooding occasionally from the gun river. There is a boat ramp with access to the river for fishing and paddling.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bald Eagle Campground and Cabins
    Aug. 28, 2024

    Bald Eagle Campground and Cabins

    Nice modern cabin in County campground

    Cabin sits at end of campground lane with covered porch, parking for 3 cars, ADA accessible. Cabin has 2 sleeping rooms, sleeping loft, and sofa. Capacity is 10, with all kitchen amenities. Has fire pit, wood available in campground, tables, and gas grill with rental. Playground nearby, park has seasonal pool, garden of course, trails, Pride Lake for fishing and paddling.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Interstate RV Park
    Aug. 22, 2024

    Interstate RV Park

    Overnight stop along I-80

    Campground has gravel lanes, roads pads, appears to have annual residence, campground office, pool is clean, planes, farm, and fleet nearby for Supplies. Sites include tables, water, electric, though need updating.

  • Jim C.
    Camper-submitted photo from Little Bear Campground
    Aug. 18, 2024

    Little Bear Campground

    Great week of camping

    This was a great campground very clean all around, very nice pool..wish I could for a month. But they don't allow monthly stays

  • Stephanie S.
    Camper-submitted photo from Allison Lake Storey
    Aug. 2, 2024

    Allison Lake Storey

    Second time was not the same

    We stayed here at the beginning of May last year. We thought it was a pretty good camp ground, but didn’t realize how different it would be the second time around a little later in the season. It was noisy and packed, tenters taking up more room than they should’ve, and no one to tell them not to. We had a camper set up close to us and taken over three sites. It was even uneven terrain than we remembered where we were set up, more dirt than grass. The bathrooms smelled heavily like urine and were not clean. When we left to dump the dump we had to switch to the other dump station because the hose threading was so bad. Even the other one wasn’t great, but we had to make it work. We will not be back, unless we try at the beginning of the season when it’s less busy and things aren’t as dirty. Even then, I don’t know if we want to battle the uneven sites.

  • Christopher B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Cabin Fever Campground
    Jul. 15, 2024

    Cabin Fever Campground

    Place is nice, manager isn't.

    The place is nice and very quiet on weekdays.  My only complaint is Rick who runs the place.  I have not had good experiences with him.  He really seems unhappy in his job.  I heard him tell a good friend of mine while I was standing just feet away  "... I hate managing the place".

  • Mary T.
    Camper-submitted photo from Galesburg East Campground
    Jul. 12, 2024

    Galesburg East Campground

    Great Campground fixing it up

    They are spending a lot on this campground. New restrooms, traveled all pads, trimmed trees, new playground equipment. It is a hidden gem. If you are on I 74 great place to stay. We will be back. A lot of events scheduled. Cabins being put in.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Wildcat Den State Park
    Jul. 10, 2024

    Wildcat Den State Park

    Lovely hidden space

    Found by hiking at the Wildcat Den State Park. Lovely little campside with 19 places, rustical without electricity, dump etc. But got one waterstation and toilets. Every space with picknicktable and fireplace, surrounded by trees. Places are gras. Sorry for my english, Camp from Germany :-)

  • Charles M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Maquoketa Caves State Park
    Jun. 13, 2024

    Maquoketa Caves State Park

    Beautiful State Park

    This park is beautiful and perfect for an adventurous hike. The caves make this a unique place to visit but the hiking is rigorous. It proved to be tons of fun for me, my son and his friends. We would definitely go back.

  • Charles M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Bellevue State Park
    Jun. 13, 2024

    Bellevue State Park

    Campsite Was Average at Best

    I took my son and one of his friends campjng to Bellvue State Park, however, we did not visit the actual park itself. The camp sites were close to one another, many had almost no privacy from the other campsites. We were at campsite 40, which had a severe incline. Also, if you prefer to hammock camp you may not be able to do so. I was able to find one tree and hook the other side up to my vehicle.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Hennepin Canal Lock 21 Campground
    May. 10, 2024

    Hennepin Canal Lock 21 Campground

    Bare Bones Primitive Camping Haven

    Located literally just a few stone’s throw due west of the tiny town of Wyanet, which is just a few miles west of better-known Princeton, you will access this little spec of undisturbed primitive camping bliss first via the major Highway 80, running east-west, and then, eventually via Route 6, which is more like a well-paved country backroad than anything else. While you will be hard pressed to find Hennepin Canal Lock 21 on your GPS, trust me, if you simply head west out of Wyanet, you will eventually find this jewel in the middle of nature.

    If you didn’t already know, the Hennepin Canal, and its series of locks & dams will eventually connect you with two of the most amazing rivers in the entirety of the US: the mighty Mississippi as well as the murky depths of the Illinois River – both of which are great for kayaking BTW. Should you choose to follow the canal in its entirety, you will be ushered through the minuscule townships of Mineral, Sheffield, Wyanet, Tiskilwa and Bureau – all of which are fairly emblematic of small Midwestern blue-collared towns that still to this day possess an equal amount of charm and hospitality, which the area is very well known for.

    Given that you can’t actually make a reservation here (or at any of the campgrounds along the Hennepin Canal for that matter) as this spot and the 5 others that make up the Hennepin Canal Lock camping options are only offered on a first-come, first-served basis, one thing is for certain: if you planned to truly ‘get away from it all’ you really can ‘have your cake and eat here too’ at Hennepin Canal Lock 21. While there is no actual check-in or check-out time, occasionally there is a park ranger that will come by to check on the location and collect those $8 nightly fares, although we never came across a ranger during our entire canal-navigating weeklong journey. You should also note that all of the campgrounds up and down the canal are class C camping, meaning that these primitive camping sites do not have showers or electricity, so either bring your own or, better yet, learn to live without these conveniences for a few days and actually embrace the opportunity to connect with nature.

    As you arrive, ultimately via Route 6 & Route 34, you will need to hang a left (coming westbound from Wyanet), where after just a short jig heading due south, you will find the first of 5 camping areas on either side of the main road you are driving down. On the right, in addition to the camping area, you will discover the first of 3 restrooms and just slightly beyond that, the boat launch. If instead of turning right to follow this first encampment, you head left, following the Hennepin Canal, you will see a small camping area on your immediate left, followed by a water spigot, after which you will come across another much larger camping area that has the second restroom facility. Opposite of these 2 camping areas on the other side of the road, there are 2 small camping areas that run right along the canal. If you go back to to the main road, from which you just came, and continued south across the little land bridge and hang another left, you will go around a small pond that will eventually present the third and final restroom facility as you go up a slight incline, where on your immediate right will be the sixth and final camping area that has been reserved for equestrian campers, of which there’s about 4-5 individual sites complete with a wooden hitching post to tie your horses down.

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Of all the camping options up and down the Hennepin Canal, while Canal Lock 21 is likely the largest and has more campsite offerings, it is still very basic and primitive, apart from the restroom, boat launch, picnic tables and fire rings that you will find. If that bothers you or you are simply looking for a spot with more space to explore, then likely the Hennepin Canal camping options aren’t for you, and instead, you may want to look just a bit further afield to another amazing place called Johnson-Sauk SP; (2) Should you grow weary of fixing ‘franks & beans’ again for dinner over your roaring fire, while there isn’t much out in these parts, if you are looking for some local fare, over in nearby Wyanet, you’ll find an abundance of just 3 options: Casey’s for well-made, fresh pizza; Harley-K’s Filipino Restaurant, which might actually just shock you!; or Ecky’s Tap, which is fairly darn amazing actually, but only serves up booze. For anything else, head on into Princeton, where there’s tons of options; (3) There is no potable drinking water anywhere at any of these locks up and down the Hennepin Canal apart from at the Visitors Center, so ensure you bring your own water or a filtration system; (4) Should you have your own kayak or canoe, the Hennepin Canal is very nice to explore, although at times difficult to navigate, especially when you come to each of the sets of locks and dams. If that is bothersome and you simply want to get some oaring in without having to take your watercraft in and out of the water every 30 minutes or so, then head on over to Goose Lake just southwest of Hennepin, which is a fantastic lake to explore and has some decent fishing as well; and (5) If you are on the look-out for simply amazingly fresh meats to ‘slap on the Barby’ then head on over to Wyanet Meat Locker, which has fresh venison, pheasant and of course, all of the typical Midwestern carnivore fare like brats, Ribeyes, burgers and pork chops, which all would be DELISH on that flip-open BBQ grill you have back at Canal Lock 21.

    Happy Camping!

  • E
    Camper-submitted photo from Clarks Ferry
    May. 9, 2024

    Clarks Ferry

    Great campground

    This campground sits between the Mississippi River with barge traffic and busy rail road tracks. I knew this up front because you can see it on the map. To me this just means people are working which is great. I know the horns blow all night and day long but i choose to ignore it. The campsites are great. The hosts are warm and welcoming also very helpful. I missed a great photo opportunity last night. Birds were migrating to the north and flying very close to the river. It was awesome to watch. We love this campground!



Guide to Port Byron

Camping near Port Byron, Illinois, offers a variety of beautiful spots for outdoor enthusiasts. From scenic views along the Mississippi River to well-maintained campgrounds, there’s something for everyone.

What to do:

  • Explore the Caves: Visit the Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground for a unique experience. One camper mentioned, “The caves make this a unique place to visit but the hiking is rigorous. It proved to be tons of fun for me, my son and his friends.”
  • Hiking Trails: Check out the trails at Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground. A visitor shared, “The trails are well kept, clean bathrooms, nice campsites and the best camp hosts ever!!!”
  • Fishing and Boating: At Fishermans Corner - Mississippi River, you can enjoy fishing and boating. One reviewer said, “All sites are paved or cement with electric, some have water. There is a dump station.”

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the facilities. A visitor at Thomson Causeway noted, “We have absolutely gorgeous views of the Mississippi river from certain campsites.”
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Many enjoy the peacefulness of the campgrounds. One camper at Shady Creek mentioned, “Nice quiet spot on the Mississippi. Bathrooms were clean.”
  • Friendly Hosts: Campground hosts often receive praise for their helpfulness. A reviewer at Chief Keokuk Campground said, “The hosts were absolutely the best! They walk through the camp each night checking sites.”

What you should know:

  • Site Spacing: Some campgrounds have sites that are close together. A visitor at Lowden State Park Campground remarked, “For someone who prefers a more primitive camping style, it's a bit jarring to have no privacy between sites that are packed in tight together.”
  • Insect Awareness: Be prepared for bugs, especially in warmer months. A camper at Thomson Causeway warned, “I should’ve taken the other reviews more seriously about the number of insects in this campsite.”
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds may not have extensive amenities. A visitor at Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground noted, “There is no store on site, they do sell wood but it is cash only.”

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for places with activities for kids. One camper at Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground mentioned, “There was a naturalist station with several activities that would be good for families.”
  • Plan for Quiet Hours: Many campgrounds enforce quiet hours, which can be great for families. A visitor at Chief Keokuk Campground said, “Everyone was respectful of quiet hours and very friendly.”
  • Pack Games and Activities: Bring along games to keep kids entertained. A camper at Jubilee College State Park Campground suggested, “Not a lot of amenities for families with young kids but bring your own corn hole bags and badminton.”

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Lengths: Make sure your RV fits the site. A visitor at Fishermans Corner - Mississippi River mentioned, “My site was funnier than I thought it would be.”
  • Use Electric Hookups: Many campgrounds offer electric hookups, which can be a lifesaver. A camper at Camelot Campground Quad Cities USA noted, “Campsite was clean and accommodating with fire pit, picnic table, lights, Wi-Fi, and power plug.”
  • Be Prepared for Limited Water Access: Some campgrounds may not have water hookups at each site. A reviewer at Thomson Causeway said, “Potable Water Available: At the site.”

Camping near Port Byron, Illinois, offers a mix of adventure and relaxation, making it a great choice for your next outdoor getaway!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular tent campsite near Port Byron, IL?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Port Byron, IL is Chief Keokuk Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 22 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find tent camping near Port Byron, IL?

    TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Port Byron, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.