Best Dispersed Camping in Illinois

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Illinois

38 Reviews of 6 Illinois Campgrounds

• 

  Rodarius S.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 9, 2024

  Dispersed Campsite Shawnee National Forest

  Nice spots on the highway

  Love this spot! It's easily accessible by all rig types. Backs up to the open forest and you pull right back onto the highway.

• 

  Jonathan H.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 18, 2024

  Dutchman Lake Camp

  Weeke d at the lake

  Great little spot right off the interstate. Lots of nice scenery and decent fishing.

• 

  Matthew Z.

  Traveler

  

  May. 30, 2024

  Dutchman Lake Camp

  Road trip break

  Beautiful spot with easy access and not far off the highway

• 

  Matt V.

  Traveler

  

  May. 8, 2024

  Jackson Falls

  Love this place!

  This is a spectacular place if you are looking for private and semi-private dispersed campgrounds that you can drive up to. Great hiking around the area. 

  The road to get into the primitive camp area is long, and just a little bumpy but we had no problem in a 4x4, also saw volvos and subarus do just fine.  Sprinter vans would be fine. Was pretty dry when we visited, could see the road getting a little sketch after big rain.  Definitely not gonna be fun for even small RV's. Tough turnarounds for large trailers or 5th wheels.

• B

  Bill C.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 6, 2024

  Trail of Tears State Forest

  Not free but worth the $8/night

  Surprised to find nice porta potty at our site that was remote from others. Potable water and camper registration (but had a boil water warning but that was not normal). 30 min into Cape Girardeau and 15 min to Anna. Nice picnic table and raised fire ring/ grill.

• J

  J A.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 19, 2024

  Dutchman Lake Camp

  Beautiful Verizon works well

  Beautiful little spots as you come in. Quiet and easy to get too.

• 

  Kristi D.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 5, 2023

  Lake Glendale Recreation Area

  Peaceful spot

  We almost had the entire campground to ourselves because it was February. We stayed here one night while coming back from MO. It had a huge campsite, unfortunately the bathrooms and showers were locked. Also part of the campground road was blocked off. We pulled up and didn't think we were going to be able to stay. We did a self registration and put a check in a slot and didn't otherwise speak to anyone in charge. We were able to walk a small trail by the campground along the lake but it started to rain so only got in about a mile. We packed up and headed out after that.

• 

  Kayaun P.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 15, 2023

  Jackson Falls

  No Signal, No Problem

  Went here in early May of 2022 with two friends. This area is massive; there are a handful of hammock friendly tent sites near the Vault toilet and parking lot, and there are plenty of sites available further up the road. When we went, it was rainy and fairly cool, so there were few bugs. My only complaint was that I had no cell service. I was too busy enjoying being there.

• R

  Rebekah

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 4, 2022

  Jackson Falls

  Great campground

  Off the beaten path and wasn’t sure what to expect but once there it was nice…just a parking lot with a vault lock toilet and a few campsites you see right away… also a few down the path if you want a little remote. The bathroom was stocked with tp but you will want to bring hand sanatizer or water. None available there. Cool views of the Bluffs 1/4 mile down the path and a bridge that would go over a waterfall if it wasn’t so dried up…would probably real pretty to see in the spring. Drove my Hyundai Elantra thru just fine, but it is a rough road and your car will get dirty.

• 

  Dusti M.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 21, 2022

  Lake Glendale Recreation Area

  Amazing place

  We stayed there 1 night after the other place we stayed was a disaster. Very nice park. Very well maintained and taken care of. Lake was nice with large clean and well kept sand beach for $5 a person. They had paddle boats, kayaks for rent as well. $22 for electric sites, a little pricey at $12 for nonelectric primitive sites. They have firewood available for $4 a bundle and ice at $5 a bag. VERY VERY clean and well taken care of bathroom/shower house. Flush toilets and hot water showers. Was very impressed with them, honestly cleaner than most gas station bathrooms! Nicely located with lots of other parks and activities within driving range, like cave-in-rock and the Ohio river. Paducah Kentucky is only about a 30 minute drive where you can get anything you’d need from shopping to eating. The only bad is they only had 1 very small playground located centrally in the campground. We will definitely be staying there more often when we head down to Shawnee National Forrest.

• 

  Kandice W.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 11, 2022

  Jackson Falls

  Too Cool!

  This was our first trust disperse camping and I adored it. FREE is just that FREE. It’s a first come first served basis. Be prepared for random bugs dropping onto you as you’re doing things. If you’re terrified of wildlife this is not the place for you. It’s an interesting thing to hear what nature does when people aren’t around. The sounds in the night, the random howls in the distance …..

  Try it out. You may just love it.

  OH! By the way, the only negative things are the gravel road on the way down is pothole riddled and you have to hike to your spot. Don’t worry there are close spots .

• 

  JK Bronco A.

  Traveler

  

  May. 4, 2022

  Lake Glendale Recreation Area

  Great rustic camping

  Clean sites and great location.

• 

  Jeremy S.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 26, 2022

  Jackson Falls

  Great place to camp

  Great place to backwoods camp. It can be busy on the weekends and can be difficult to find an open site at times. Alot of hiking and rock climbing to do at Jackson falls.

• 

  Abraham

  Guide

  

  Jan. 12, 2022

  Jackson Falls

  Good adventure camping

  Campsites are up a poorly maintained dirt track from the parking area. A couple water crossings before the sites, the first one being the worst. Everything here accessible to a good 2WD with decent clearance. Only saw 3 vehicle sites and a couple tent sites before the third water crossing, which is as far as I looked.

• 

  Karen

  Guide

  

  Dec. 24, 2021

  Jackson Falls

  Not recommended for sedans..

  Had to cross two rather deep streams and the road has many ruts and is very uneven.

• 

  Heather P.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 27, 2021

  Lake Glendale Recreation Area

  Beautiful sites

  Most sites are great size. Lots of trees for shade. Decent price. Lots are first come first serve. My only complaint is that the shower house only had one shower and the door wouldn't shut. Also it is not a super quiet place during the day, lots of dogs barking and loud music.

• 

  Jacob T.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 15, 2021

  Jackson Falls

  4x4 and tents only

  We were hoping to stay there but upon arrival realized that was not to be. The east side of the road is where the camping sites would be but the road was completely washed out. It would be challenging for a jeep to make it back to some of those sites.

  On top of that the river feeding Jackson Falls was all but dried up this time of year. Nothing but a trickle going down the cliff.

  We headed to Glendale Lake nearby and had much better luck at Oak Point.

• 

  Marta S.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 13, 2021

  Jackson Falls

  Unimpressive and crowded

  The campsite is considered to be primitive, which is fine, but it is right along the trail without any cover. All the campsites are one on top of the other without any cover in between or from the trail. They were all taken and incredibly packed during the Memorial Day weekend and honestly seemed very messy and unpleasant. I would not feel comfortable leaving my equipment and gear here unattended at all. I'm not sure if it's any better the further along the trail you go, but the areas we hiked it didn't appear there were additional primitive/dispersed camping spots available other than the ones near the trail head. Also, important to note that there are lots of ticks and poison ivy everywhere.

  I have camped in backcountry locations and have done dispersed/primitive camping and enjoy it quite a bit, but I would have been miserable at this location.

• D

  Denise R.

  Traveler

  

  May. 12, 2021

  Lake Glendale Recreation Area

  Spring camping

  Easy check in, camped in the tent sight. Unfortunately there was a lot of glitter pieces, plastic kid’s pieces and my self along picked up 34 cigarette butts. Besides the the people that don’t care about using a garbage can. Everything else was wonderful. Trail around lake just beautiful, bathroom clean and fun paddling on the lake. Would given 5 starts if it was not for such a messy camp sight.

• 

  Mark F.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 10, 2021

  Jackson Falls

  Quick and Easy Primitive Camping

  Car camped without any issues but it’s worth mentioning that I didn’t have T-Mobile cellphone reception and the bathroom was a bit dirty. Also there was a shallow creek crossing right before the camping areas that I was worried about when I arrived at night, but I realized in the morning that it was not a big deal even for 2WD vehicles. It’s also very secluded so chances are you may only run into one or two other campers. Overall, solid spot!

• 

  Jeremy R.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 15, 2021

  Jackson Falls

  Beautiful secluded spot. Careful if wet.

  Beautiful location. Definitely off the beaten path. There was another group of campers but they camped on the trail. Grave Road getting there was a bit rough for my Ram Promaster. Hill down to trail head could get slick if wet weather. Was alittle nervous getting out after it had rained. But luckily it wasn't to much rain. Definitely coming back when warmer.

• 

  Joe L.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 29, 2020

  Jackson Falls

  Nice secluded spot

  Was able to find the camping right away. There was one other group set up. Nice roomy sites with fire rings. After setting up I took a great hike on the nearby trails connected to Jackson falls. Some wonderful hiking and an abundance of climbing! I did some free climbing on small boulders and managed to climb my way back to the top of the gorge. Upon returning i noticed the other camp had left the grounds to myself. Rain came over night and eventually forced my hand to leave the next day and dry out. Definitely going back. Careful with the rain, the camp is right on the stream so I woke to being surrounded by streams. The path out is also very steep. I was able to handle it with a small car but any more mud or rain I would have been stuck. good luck!

• 

  AC

  Guide

  

  Oct. 14, 2020

  Jackson Falls

  Fall time

  Beautiful fall foliage. No falls since it hasn't rained in a while. Great hike around. Campsites were plentiful, alot of cars driving in late at night. Toliet was clean and open. Bring everything you need, there is no water source and bring lots of wood. We scavenged wood from the hills around but ultimately had to leave and purchase wood.

• C

  Casie A.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 8, 2020

  Jackson Falls

  Fun Even when Dry

  Lost cellphone service immediately upon entering reserve, FYI. The place is beautiful; forests and great big, moss covered boulders. It was fun climbing down to the bottom of the falls, even with small kids. The site is popular and there was a good amount of people on Labor Day weekend, however secluded camp sites were easy to find, isolation was achieved, garbage was very minimally found (occasional broken glass or bottle caps near camp sites), and the trails were long and winding. We went during a dry spell and there was no running water at the falls! Still had a blast there though!

• 

  GoWhereYouAreDraw N.

  Legend

  

  May. 16, 2020

  Jackson Falls

  Waterfalls, hiking, climbing, and FREE camping

  Jackson offers some of the best rock climbing in southern Illinois. There are about 60 climbing areas along the sandstone bluffs and freestanding boulders, with multiple routes. Most of the routes here are sport routes, though there are a number of trad routes.

  There are primative campsites on both sides of Glen Street Falls Road near the trailhead. You can drive right up and park next to your campsite. If those campsites are full, there are additional campsites further down the road.

  Most campsites have fire rings. There are no picnic tables or campfire grills there. There are also no garbage cans. You must pack out all of your garbage. You also need to bring your own drinking water as there is no fresh water there.

  There's a single outhouse at the trailhead that is well maintained and pretty clean.

• 

  Chelsea D.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 23, 2020

  Lake Glendale Recreation Area

  We LOVE this campground!

  Lake Glendale is a true southern Illinois gem. They have recently improved the shower houses, the kids love the playground, and there is SO much shade! The campsites are pretty private and some of them are nice and large. There is a ton of hiking nearby, and we visited the Chocolate factory as well, which was a real treat.

• 

  John F.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2019

  Lake Glendale Recreation Area

  Super Clean

  We had a wonderful stay! Camp Host was very nice and helpful. One of the cleanest parks we’ve stayed at. Lots of hiking options. The only bad thing was we had to come home.