Best Tent Camping near Springfield, IL

Good campsites for tent camping, can't speak to RV's.   Wooded and shady, clean facilities, electric and water for tent camping.  Good Price, nice location for fishing and kayaking. also.

I camped here in a tent before we had an rv. The primitive sites were perfectly quiet and away from others. Toilet was close and so was parking. I kind of miss tent camping!!!

Quiet midweek in tent camping area except for heavy equipment in field nearby. Large campground with open space and playground for kids. Short walk to beautiful lake.

Stopped here overnight in late August. Only a few other campers on a Sunday so nice and quiet. Typical midwest tent camping on dirt, lots of mosquitoes, pit toilets.

I have been coming here for years with my family when I was younger. I took a trip alone with my tent for 4 days in May. The place is as pristine as it was when I was a kid- perfect bathhouse, beautiful lakeshore, and cozy tent camping. Plenty of wildlife to observe and wonderful fishing to be had. Great to ride a bike around, too!

We came on Memorial Day weekend so the campground was very full. It didn't feel too crowded though except when playing on the playground there were lots of kids and its not a very big play area. But it was fun for the kids to play with other kids. 

While I wish the tent are and comfort station were closer to one another, the walk really wasn't all that bad from our campsite. I loved that the tent sites (especially as you go further back (like to sites 6-10 probably) just had a secluded woodsy feeling to them. I loved how convenient our site was though being right by our car and the road to the restrooms. 

Some of the tent sites are close together with some having a little more seclusion. There are a  lot of trees and plants with it being in the woods so this does help. But with the trail running right down the middle that cuts out a little of your privacy. But the seclusion is definitely better than the RV sites that we saw in the main big loop of the campground. 

We walked a couple trails and they were lots of fun for us and the kids/dogs. 

There is a STRICT no alcohol rule in the tent sites. A sign said coolers are subject to inspection, but from our experience and the vibe of the place, I don't see this really being an issue unless your group gets kind of rowdy ;) 

All in all a great experience.

I stayed at the tent sites. They are first come, first served, and a short walk from the parking spots. There are times of RV sites also, although the host said most all are reservable and only a handful are firstcome, first served. There are restrooms and a shower house that are clean.

Primitive tent camping area is very spacious but bathrooms were dirty and gross.  The women’s bathroom near T3 didn’t have toilet paper the entire three days we stayed there.  I drove to other restrooms while we stayed there.   Shower house was nice, with one small shower stall and large ADA shower stall.  Camp host was friendly and helpful. The campground is just a few minutes from Carlinville Walmart and restaurants.

It was March, it was cold at night, but this ADA cabin had heat & electric, 5 beds with mattresses, beds with mattresses (2 pr bunks beds in the second room). Cement sidewalks from parking area to toilets & cabins, each with a waterfront view, fire pit & picnic table. From our cabin we walked grassy paths to a lovely bridge. Around the pond's perimeter are dispersed sites for tent-camping or possibly day-use. It was a challenge to find the park entrance, at night, and the closest small town is about 10-miles away. The very reasonable cost was transacted online.

These walk in sites check all the boxes.  At the western part of the RV loop, is a peninsula of primitive tent camping spots to choose from.  About half the sites were filled by the second day we were there.  We settled on 62, which is spacious and provides access to the path from the front and behind where you can walk into site 64 as well.  A parking area with a single spot for each camp site is well marked and by two vault toilets.  Park staff and host were great.  A decent fishing spot is just in front of site 64.  $8 for IL residents is hard to beat, if you don't need an RV spot with electric.  A water source is also by the parking spots.  The weekend we were there the weather had cooled some and a great breeze was coming off the lake.  Springfield being so close is a bonus.

The only negative is like any spot and how previous people leave the camp looking before you are there.  Some garbage in the fire pit and random spots are par for the course in any state park.  Pick up the trash and dump it in the dumpster by the parking lot.  Leave the site better than you found it is our motto.

Stayed one night in July. We tent camped in site 1 of the primitive campground. There are 7 sites well spaced with a picnic table, fire ring, trash can and three sided shelter in each site. Pit toilets are in the middle. Each site is along the tree line with plenty of shade. These are walk in sites ranging from 0.10 miles to 0.50 miles from the parking lot. Just $6 a night. Hiking trails, kayaking and fishing are available but we didn’t get a chance to take advantage of those things. Very friendly and helpful campground host drove over from the RV campground to register us and even offered to take our stuff to our site. Great experience. Only 3 sites in use on a Friday night.

Drive by, choose a spot, let the host know. We tent camped. The ground was relatively flat minus some tree stumps. Every site has a fire pit with adjustable grill, picnic tables, ours had a concrete slab for gatherings, 2 vehicle parking bumper to bumper. Outhouse was a short walk from us and was decent (no sink). Water spicket just beyond that. They’re sporadically placed. Our site was in the shade and not far from the road though there were others that were further back. We did some of the trails which were okay. Something to do, a bit of exercise, and it had some cute little bridges and stops to sit or step out onto the water (must be able bodied). It is a pond not a lake, I could see all points of it from one standing position. Also, no beavers, they left a long time ago. The showers were clean. Walmart is about ten minutes away if you need groceries. It’s a good stop if you’re passing through and need to rest, get a little walk in, shower. Definitely wouldn’t recommend for some one out of town or state who wants to plan a vacation here.

Great sites. Plenty to do. Favorite place to camp in Illinois.

We stayed here in order to visit Springfield, Illinois, and we really enjoyed this spot. The sites are a good size, the campground is easily accessible from the highway, and there are nice amenities. We would definitely stay here again.

We stayed here this past fall as part of a visit to Springfield, IL to visit family and drive to Iowa.  We have family in Springfield, so haven't ever had a reason to "camp" there, but made this place our first spot.  

It was great.  The owners were super helpful, they literally showed us to our spot (even though this is a big campground) and were available for any questions or needs.

Also - this is right off I-55, so it was very easy in/out with a large 5th wheel, which is always a plus!

Very close to Springfield to see the sites. Well maintained and level spots. Great staff. Nice pool for the kids or adults if wanted.

Very clean and quiet. There is a lot of shade in the main part of the park It has a huge pool, putt-putt golf, and washer and dryers

It is a little on the pricey side, but it is close to Springfield.

We stopped here for 2 days on a trip to WI. We had never been to Springfield, IL and wanted to see all the historical sites for Abe Lincoln. This campground is clean, quite and sits on the beautiful Sangchris Lake. We will definitely come back sometime soon. We camped here in June of 2017.

The bathrooms here were heated and sparkling clean. Our Starlink had zero obstructions worked lightening fast. We LOVED having a dog park to exercise our dogs daily!

Great location, close to all the Springfield attractions and Slauterhaus Brewing in Auburn, IL (this is the best brewery nearby, better than Buzz Bomb or Obed & Issacs in town!).

This park is just south of Springfield, right next to the interstate. We have stayed here for two weeks. Nice walking trail, swimming pool, playground, outdoor checkers, basketball court, put put golf (closed because of covid but the pool isn’t?). Full site hookups 30/50 amp, water, sewer, cable and WiFi. Many many pros to this park. Cons- very pricey, WiFi is about the speed of dial up, for the price you should be able to do more with it.

Our daughter stays there in our camper to attend summer internship in Springfield. The camp hosts passively look out for her and have been willing to help if she should need it. Shower house is clean, camp ground is well run, they even escort you to your site so that your facing the right way and take a route that best suites your rig. Most are shaded and almost all are pull through. Full hook ups. Nice in ground pool and laundry facilities.

We recently moved back to the midwest after living in Washington state for 8 years. Time to start exploring! My husband and I had both previously been to New Salem but our children had not. Nor did we know there were hiking trails! The hiking trails are located on the road up the hill directly across from where you turn off of the highway to drive up to the village. There were really no signs to let you know they are there bit once you reach the parking lot all the trails are properly marked and well kept. Definitely worth the visit if you are checking out the other Lincoln sites in Springfield!