Best Tent Camping near Edwardsville, KS

Tent campsites in the Edwardsville area include several primitive options within a short drive. Woodridge Park offers free tent camping with both car camping spots in a gravel circle and primitive hike-in sites along a 4.5-mile trail. The park provides clean vault toilets and drinking water access, making it suitable for weekend camping trips. Other options include Agency Conservation Area in Missouri, which offers free boondocking in a small gravel pullout, and Adam's Grove, which features 30 tent sites for a $6 fee per site.

Most tent campgrounds near Edwardsville provide basic amenities but remain relatively primitive. Woodridge Park's walk-in sites are well-dispersed along the trail, offering privacy even when the campground is busy. The trail can become muddy after rain, potentially creating difficult hiking conditions for those carrying camping gear. Sites typically include fire rings, and fires are allowed at most locations. Potable water is available at Woodridge Park but absent at some other areas like Agency Conservation Area. Campers should check seasonal regulations and pack accordingly for primitive conditions.

The backcountry tent camping experience varies significantly between locations. Woodridge Park offers exceptional seclusion on its trail system with sites that feel private even during busy periods. The primitive sites are spread out, with some directly overlooking the lake. According to one visitor, "Even if every spot is full, you still feel secluded." Trail-accessible sites at Woodridge Park provide excellent opportunities for hammock camping among the trees. Agency Conservation Area provides a more basic overnight option with limited space but serves as a convenient stopover. The area around Adam's Grove includes boat access, making it useful for water-oriented camping trips where tent campers can combine paddling with overnight stays.

Best Tent Sites Near Edwardsville, Kansas (9)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Edwardsville, KS

7 Photos of 9 Edwardsville Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Edwardsville, KS

533 Reviews of 9 Edwardsville Campgrounds


  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2025

    Cedar Park

    Beautiful area.

    Great area, friendly guests even the kids showing up on the weekends were well behaved. One vault toilet they maintain the best they can. Area is patrolled by Park Rangers and law enforcement, not sure if local, county, or state. While there the park placed plaques marking site numbers and eventually they will add a kiosk that will have a QR code for payment, they were not sure what the fee would be (free for now). The sites are huge and not right on top of each other, they offer a picnic table, fire ring, and a gravel parking spot for your camper or grassy areas for tents. Very dusty roads getting here but worth it. Watch out for wildlife, deer, turkeys, and vultures are always on the roads including the pup that chases you're truck, just down the road from here, lol. Hope this helps, Happy camping you all!

  • Whitney L.
    Jun. 6, 2022

    Bluffwoods Conservation Area

    lovely, quiet camping near St. Joe’s MO

    Love this little area for camping! It’s well maintained, quiet, easy to access, has lots of grass for the dogs to play and we always see wildlife. People often leave trash so be sure to leave no trace so it stays nice for all to enjoy <3

  • Leni K.
    Apr. 7, 2024

    Prairie Clover Campground — Clinton State Park

    Relaxing Car/Tent Camping Spot

    Pros Off-season was quiet Open bathrooms were nice and well kept. Easy access to trails Lots of wildlife, vultures, deer, etc. Well marked and plenty of them spots Marina was a quick bike ride away and had a lot to offer during the season. Primate loops had some good spacing and tree cover, along with views of the lake. Inner loops not so much Potable water available year round. Was drinkable.

    Cons Signs marked closed bathrooms but not the closest open bathrooms. One per campsite was still open with heat and electric. Weirdly all vaults were closed Office and hosts were unavailable so we had to leave for Casey's for firewood. While before the season, someone told us it's typically impossible to get firewood because the office is usually closed. Signs to the entrance to park and n avigation were pretty small, impossible to read at night, not lit. Electric parking pass only issued one day pass at a time. Would do the paper pass across the parking lot next time. Spacing is definitely a bit crowded for tent camping privacy this time of year. Will be curious to see how it feels in the summer/fall.

  • Leni K.
    May. 24, 2021

    Weston Bend State Park Campground

    Okay Campground for Tenting

    Campground is great overall, with a walkable trail just past the showers, clean restrooms and easy to access sites. There are only 3 basic tent sites, making it hard to nab. #4 had a decent amount of privacy, however most other electric sites do not. As an electric site, there was not a lot of ground space for tents, we settled on gravel with reflectix to buffer the ground. Check in was easy, and in walking distance. Site was pretty noisy, even after hours, a few kids running around with speakers on blast definitely were less than optimal.

  • Jordan B.
    Jun. 7, 2020

    Louisburg Middle Creek State Fishing Lake

    Peaceful near KC

    I car camped here for one night early this spring and will definitely come here again. There was a big RV parked next to me, some other car campers, and then a group of tent campers. The sites are right on the lake and the vault toilet was clean. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring and they are spaced out nicely. There was a decent amount of traffic to and from the floating boat dock but it still wasn’t too noisy.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 1, 2021

    Lake Shawnee County Campground

    So much to do and very close to Topeka

    General: In addition to a campground, this county park has so much to offer including a seven-mile paved path around Lake Shawnee, disc golf, a heated fishing dock, softball complex, golf course, boat ramps, tennis courts, playground, picnic shelters, arboretum, and the Ted Ensley Gardens. The office was open until 7 pm so check-in was a breeze and the staff very friendly and welcoming. 

    Sites/Facilities: The campground itself has 119 sites, situated on a peninsula jutting into the lake. All have water and electric (some 30 amp and some 50 amp). Many have views of the lake but unfortunately, they are all back-in and stacked up very close to each other so there is no privacy between sites. Our site (96) was on the end, so we had privacy on one side but could easily hear people in neighboring sites. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. The fee is very reasonable ($20 or$18 for seniors). 

    Activities: I saw people fishing in the lake, there is a nice playground, and there is a paved path around the lake which made for a nice walk. 

    Restrooms: There are two restroom/shower/laundry facilities that were very clean (they had been cleaned by the time I went in at 7:30 am). 

    Conclusion: You are not far from downtown Topeka so you will hear road noise and the occasional siren, but this campground and all facilities are a nice oasis near an urban area. I definitely recommend visiting the Ted Ensley gardens while there (no additional admission, by donation only).

  • T
    Jul. 9, 2023

    Prairie Clover Campground — Clinton State Park

    Easy Camping, For Our First Time

    It was busy and noisy up until quiet hours, super family friendly, the camp sites are quite large and spread apart. The showers & bathrooms were nice! Many spots to choose from, we were lucky to grab one with tree cover making it feel like we were really out in nature. Lovely park and campground.

  • J
    Jul. 15, 2020

    Crow's Creek Campground

    One of the best!

    We camped here in June 2020.  We had a nice RV site with electric.  The best part is the view of and access to the lake! So beautiful and relaxing.  We had a nice gravel site with fire ring and picnic table. We could walk right down a grassy hill to the trail along the lake.  We had lots of grassy space around us to set up and play yard games. Trails and roads within the campsite are paved, so it's great for bikes and scooters.  Grounds are well maintained and grassy areas feel fine to walk through and play in.  Nearby area beaches to play at, a playground, and a short drive to stores to get anything we forgot! We love this beautiful place and will return!

    Cons: the full hookup sites don't have a view of the lake. This is why we chose an electric only site and used a spigot in the campsite to fill our tank.

  • Amanda M.
    Sep. 14, 2020

    Camp Branch Campground

    good pricing, great location, awful website

    We booked a site along with a couple of family members and the website for this park is ancient. Couldn't get anything booked online because the website wouldn't cooperate, save yourself time and just call the campground once you've looked at the map and chosen where in general you want to camp at. 

    Tent sites are okay sized, and many are close to the water. Not a lot of trees for shade, so bring a shelter for some relief from the sun. 

    The camp store sells wood and everyone was extremely friendly. There's a swimming beach nearby that you will have to drive to but it is included in the stay! No alcohol is allowed at the beach.


Guide to Edwardsville

Tent campsites near Edwardsville, Kansas feature diverse terrain options within the region's rolling hills and wooded areas. The area receives approximately 40 inches of rainfall annually, creating seasonal camping considerations with humid summers reaching 90°F and mild winters. Many campgrounds sit near reservoirs or conservation areas with elevation changes under 500 feet.

What to do

**Fishing access: Lake Clinton offers shoreline fishing spots near Woodridge Park. "The campground is very well groomed, lots of amenities and it is really close to the lake via a short hike in the woods," notes Clay W.

Hiking primitive trails: Several unmarked side paths branch from the main 4.5-mile trail at Woodridge Park. "We also love hiking the trail through the woods and by the lake even when we aren't camping—best trail I've been on in Lawrence," reports Harmony H.

Boat launch options: Water access points accommodate small watercraft at Adam's Grove. According to JC C., "Adam's Grove does provide the closet boat ramp if you plan on picking up passengers off the beach near the dam."

What campers like

Privacy between sites: The spacing at primitive campsites creates natural separation. "Beautiful free camping. There's a gravel loop with some picnic tables and a couple hike-in sites dispersed along a trail," explains Alexandra J. about her Woodridge Park experience.

Hammock-friendly terrain: The wooded areas contain numerous suitable trees for hammock setup. "One of my favorite not the typical slice of pie camping great for hammocks," writes Mark R. about his experience at Woodridge Park.

Lake views: Several sites provide direct water views. Alexandra J. notes that "Site 4 is right on the lake and had a beautiful view of the sunrise," referring to one specific Woodridge Park location.

What you should know

Seasonal closures: Some sites have restricted operating hours or are permanently closed. "We stayed here several years ago and it was a quiet little camp site that nobody really went to. They closed this campground in 2018 however," mentions Nikki S. about 110 Mile Park.

Weather impacts on trails: Trail conditions deteriorate quickly after rainfall in this region. "Keep in mind though that the trail gets very muddy if it has just rained!" warns Carly H. about accessing remote sites at Woodridge Park.

Limited boondocking options: Free overnight parking exists but with minimal facilities. Whitney L. describes Agency Conservation Area as having "a small (~1/8 of an acre maybe) gravel pullout off the dirt road where the iconic brown fish and wildlife area guidelines and regulation signage are posted."

Tips for camping with families

Bug preparation: Spring and early summer camping requires insect protection. "We went mid-June, and there had apparently been some type of butterfly hatching. They were small but quite aggressive (who knew!?), constantly swarming us," warns Harmony H.

Choose car camping for ease: Families should consider the effort required for hike-in sites. "It our first time hiking in to a site (lots of work with our regular gear for a family of four, but worth it!)," explains a family at Rabbit Ridge Primitive Campground.

Plan for variable occupancy: Weekday camping typically provides more solitude. "Woodridge is never over crowded unless it's a holiday, so more often than not you could camp the whole weekend and potentially not see another person," shares Ashley F.

Tips from RVers

Check road conditions: Dirt access roads may present challenges after rain. Whitney L. reports, "Getting here was easy (Jeep Wrangler + square back pull behind) and the roads leading to the CA were well maintained and not muddy even after a ton of rain earlier in the week."

Limited overnight options: Few tent campsites near Edwardsville accommodate larger vehicles. James H. recommends focusing on the main areas: "Awesome spot for weekend camping. Lots of fire rings available. Well maintained in the main camping area, as well as on the trail."

Be aware of closure hours: Some conservation areas restrict overnight use. Zachary S. cautions about Agency Conservation Area: "I guess the area is closed 10pm to 4 pm. Super small gravel parking lot. Moving to different site."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Edwardsville, KS?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Edwardsville, KS is Woodridge Park with a 4.7-star rating from 13 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Edwardsville, KS?

TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Edwardsville, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.