Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Princeton, IL is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
$25 - $35 / night
"Quiet campground not far off the highway! Didn’t expect this kind of camping in Illinois! Nicely wooded and picturesque area, similar to northern Wisconsin!"
"Beautiful Starved Rock is Illinois's favorite state park. Hiking through forests along the Illinois River to canyons and waterfalls with eagles soaring overhead."
"This campground is located just north of Kewanee, Illinois. It has a lake with seasonal canoe, kayak and paddle boat rentals and a cafe."
"Had the tent section nearest the to the lake to ourselves (site 100). This was great since we had a reactive dog, so it being not crowded was perfect!"
$8 / night
"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"
"Small gravel bike trail along most of the canal. Nice place to kayak and canoe. Very nice visitor center open until 3 during the week, no weekends. Only $8 We saw a class A, so they do fit."
"camping options are only offered on a first-come, first-served basis or the rustic elements you will find when camping at any one of these spots, one thing is for certain: if you planned to truly ‘get away from"
$50 / night
"Condit’s Ranch is family friendly and away from it all. Sue and the staff could not be nicer. We did tent camping and the setup was perfect. Huge lot. Fire pit and electric. "
"Located just due north of Sheffield, right off I80 (2 miles to be exact), and due west of Princeton by about 20 minutes, Hickory Grove Campground, on the one hand, is so far off the grid that you will"
"Great bike path right out of campsite along the canal. Nice to get some exercise on a long road trip."
$8 - $20 / night
"But we looked around with a flashlight and it seemed good! So we built a fire and stayed the night."
"Within LaSalle County or for that matter, the whole of north central Illinois, I don’t know of any other privately run, multi-campground locations like Pleasant Creek that offers a total of 6 separate,"
"There is a nice pavilion, a game room/club house, basketball court, fishing pond, firewood for sale, and a few short trails."
"Everything in the campground is within walking distance. They have a dishwashing sink and garbage cans every 30-50 feet. Convenient. Bathrooms and showers are super clean. Recommend for sure."
"It’s adjacent a large field so you do get some wind and the occasional sound of farm equipment…but there’s a lot of nice spots."
TravelerWell maintained and large campground. Sites aren’t stacked on top of each other and seem fairly level. I will say the grounds by our site seemed to have a fly/other sewer fly problem in the ground? I don’t know. Seemed to need a treatment of some sort. L7 is more in a wide open area so if you want more trees, book more in the middle of the campground. Bathrooms are well maintained and cleaned. Laundry facility easy. Bummed our trip got cut short by a RV maintenance issue.
TravelerStayed one night. It is a nice place, easy to find canal for walking. Bathrooms were OK.
GuideNo hook-ups, just grass with a fire pit and table. Water available a couple of places along the canal. No reservations. We only saw two other campers, so lots of spaces. Pit toilets along the canal. Well kept. Small gravel bike trail along most of the canal. Nice place to kayak and canoe. Very nice visitor center open until 3 during the week, no weekends. Only $8 We saw a class A, so they do fit.
LegendLocated just due north of Sheffield, right off I80 (2 miles to be exact), and due west of Princeton by about 20 minutes, Hickory Grove Campground, on the one hand, is so far off the grid that you will really feel as though you are truly ‘getting away from it all,’ yet on other hand, this place is just a couple stone’s throw from one of the busiest highways that runs through the great state of Illinois, making it incredibly accessible. What I love most about Hickory Grove Campground is that it is run by good folks (husband and wife duo, Dave & Joan) that have been in this particular area of north central Illinois for a very long time. On your way to Hickory Grove, you won’t help but notice that there is a supreme amount of gorgeous farmland that you will bear witness to, complete with golden rows of sweet corn or fields of drilled beans. Any way you look at it, enroute to Hickory Grove, you will feel right at home here in the heartland of the Midwest, where we take great pride in our hospitality.
As for this pet-friendly campground itself, upon entry, you will discover that there is a main house, immediately followed by the main office, which is where you will check in. Once doing so, you’ll be able to access your slot, depending upon which one you have selected (and there is nearly 100 to choose from), whether that be an RV or 5th Wheeler slab, deluxe cabin rental or primitive camping site. There are 15 pull-through sites (all with 50 amp electric) with all RV and Trailer sites offering full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) most with shaded lots. Other amenities include a doggie park, ice for sale, scattered picnic tables, designated trash dumpsters, BBQ grills, boat launch, pedal cart rental, restroom and shower facilities, ramp and dock on the Hennepin Canal horseshoe pit and 3 miles of hiking trails.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’re a biker like me, you better come bringing the cycles as from this vantage point, you’ll be able to access the 80 mile long bike trail that you’ll find is easy to access from Hickory Grove Campground; (2) As a fellow kayak enthusiast, you’ll appreciate the nearby access at Hennepin Canal; (3) After a good day of hiking, biking and kayaking, likely you’ll want to ‘whet that whistle’ and if so, nearby Psycho Silo Saloon has you covered in spades (April until October that is) with a full stocked bar of spirits, live music and some nice iced tall boys, but be sure to bring cash because this watering hole doesn’t know how to make credit cards work yet; (4) For those looking for a nice, easy and economical seasonal rental, Hickory Grove is quite affordable offering up sites for as little as $1,400 / season; (5) Specific sites that I recommend include: (a) those on the river’s edge of the Hennepin Canal: #30A, #30B, #34 – 39, #80R; (b) those on the western edge of the property: #12A – B, #13, #16 –19, #30A – B, #34 – 39; as well as (c) those sites that fall against the eastern treeline: #80, #82, #86A – C, #97 – 99; (6) When I head out camping, I like to bring 2-3 choice cuts of rare, sometimes exotic meats and whatever you might be into, should you want some fresh cut meats, check out nearby Wyanet Meat Locker, which will have the standards (NY Strip, Ribeye, hamburger patties) as well as some nice cuts from the top-shelf, including: buffalo, lamb chops and duck; and (7) For a slice of pure Midwestern joy, check out Myrtle’s Pie, which have some amazing selections including banana cream, salted caramel, lemon meringue, carrot cake cheesecake and my favorite, the coconut cream – but everyday Myrtle runs out of pies by early-to-mid-afternoon, so call ahead to order your pie or just get in there as soon as she opens for some freshly baked cinnamon roles and brewed coffee.
Happy Camping!
ScoutI HAD PURCHASED A BRAND NEW CAMPER AND THEY HAVE DRUGGYS FOR EMPLOYEES AND DRUNKS PASS OUT IN YOUR LOT AND I HAD TOLD OWNERS ABOUT THE WORKER HARRASSING ME THEY DID NOTHING I TOLD THEM OWNERS 3 TIMES ABOUT THE GUY HARRASING ME WELL HE BE UP MY CAMPER 20 THOUSAND DOLLAR CAMPER HE DESTRYED CUZZ HE WAS INTOXICATED AND DRUGGED UP SO I HAD TO CALL THE COPS AFTER 3 TIME WARNING THEM OWNERS SO NOW I HAVE TO GO TO OURT FOR THSES NEGLEGENCE AND SAID OH WELL TO ME
RangerPicked this spot outta the air. What an amazing history and geological area. The campgrounds were large and dark with shade trees. Limited 50 Amp sites as it is old.
ScoutGreat overnight site. Paved everywhere, level concrete pads. Corps of Engineers takes really good care of their recreation areas. Plenty of eateries nearby. Well-shaded and manicured sites.
ScoutThis park does NOT have water and sewer hook ups. You will have to fill your water tank, before parking. The facilities on site are terrible. The showers on site TRICKLED, not even enough to wash your hair. The sinks constantly run, they don’t shut off. When we called to reserve the guy told us we had to do a pull up basis. But there were slots reserved for other people. Very confusing. Not staying here again.
LegendThis is an incredibly quaint, somewhat out-of-the-way (in a very good way) location that will treat you to a heavy dose of isolation and privacy wherein you’ll feel completely blessed by the nature you will be surrounded by. This incredibly friendly (pet-friendly as well BTW) operation does an excellent job in how it is set up, offering up a few distinct loops that are ear-marked pretty much exclusively for the wheel-toting camping variety (think RVs, rigs, trailers and 5th wheels) providing 59 pull-thru and 12 back-in slots, while also offering up a discreet space flanked towards the front of the property that is simply perfect for mi tent pitchin’ bredren, which is surrounded by mature Oaks. And, just in case you either forgot your tent or RV, Geneseo Campground has 4 super comfy cabins (each sleeps 4 and come with A/C) or an amazing yurt that sleeps 8 that they’ll gladly rent you.
From an amenities standpoint, there’s an amazing kid’s playground, well-stocked camp store, propane refueling station, kayak & canoe rental, gas grill rental, e-bike, pedal carts & fat tire bike rental, full and partial hook-ups offering 30 / 50 electric amp, water & sewage hook-ups. There’s also a meeting room, WiFi everywhere, enclosed dog park, firewood & ice for sale, arcade games, RV dump station, coin-operated washers & dryers / laundr-O-mat, excellent showers & bathrooms, direct access to the Hennepin Canal and don’t forget the 60 or so miles worth of hiking trails!
This place is spacious, very well organized, incredibly clean all the while within a short 10 minute drive into nearby Geneseo, which quite frankly, is one of the most idyllic small towns you’ll come across anywhere in Illinois that is both convivial and provincial, but also quite emblematic of a typical Norman Rockwell painting. What I loved most about this place is that while it doesn’t offer up EVERYTHING that you might be looking for while camping, you only need to head due south to Izaak Walton Park (further south of this spot) or to Geneseo Prairie Park, both of which offer up amazing hiking trails as well as good launch spots to access the Hennepin Canal via kayak and canoe.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’re reeling, you should expect to catch blue gill, catfish, bass and crappie, and while you can throw your line from the Geneseo Campground property, I would highly recommend you cross the canal to Izaak Walton Park on its east side where there’s a large open canal / lake to cast in; (2) While there’s tons of hiking trails, you don’t want to forget your bikes – there’s 72 miles of biking trails as well as miles and miles of nicely paved empty country roads to pedal on; (3) Maybe you have a kayak or canoe, but in the case you don’t, do yourself a favor and rent one from the good people at Geneseo Campground in which to explore the Hennepin Canal - trust me, you won't be disappointed; and (4) Should you grow weary of eating franks & beans again from your campsite and want to try out some local cuisine, then get yourself over to nearby Geneseo where you can dine out at The Cellar, Sweet Peas Grill & Bar or Geneseo Brewing Company.
Happy Camping!
Camping near Princeton, Illinois, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From scenic views to family-friendly activities, there’s something for everyone in this beautiful region.
Camping near Princeton, Illinois, has its perks and quirks. With a little planning, you can enjoy the great outdoors and make lasting memories!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Princeton, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Princeton, IL is Starved Rock Campground — Starved Rock State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 99 reviews.
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