Best Tent Camping near Morganfield, KY

Tent campgrounds near Morganfield, Kentucky include several primitive options with varying amenities and settings. Lake Mauzy East offers scenic lakeside tent sites within the Higgins-Henry Wildlife Management Area, while Camp Cadiz Campground provides a quieter alternative with access to the River to River trail in nearby Shawnee National Forest. Tower Rock Campground sits along the Ohio River, offering riverside primitive tent camping with basic facilities.

Tent sites at Lake Mauzy East feature fire rings, picnic tables, and nearby vault toilets but lack drinking water and shower facilities. Campers should pack all necessary supplies, including drinking water, as most primitive tent campgrounds in the region have minimal services. Sites typically feature dirt or gravel surfaces with varying amounts of shade. Camp Cadiz offers potable water from a spigot, maintained vault toilets, and fire pits with cooking grates at each tent site. The area experiences seasonal closures, with Tower Rock sometimes unavailable during high river levels or flooding seasons.

The primitive tent camping experience around Morganfield provides ample opportunities for solitude and nature observation. Sites at Lake Mauzy East offer direct lake access with stunning water views from tent pads. Many tent campsites provide good spacing between neighbors, allowing for a more secluded experience. Camp Cadiz maintains only eight tent sites, creating a quiet atmosphere even on weekends. The proximity to hiking trails makes these locations ideal for backpacking enthusiasts and day hikers. One camper reported that Lake Mauzy East is "absolutely beautiful with tons of birds, and butterflies and owls" while noting the camping is completely free.

Best Tent Sites Near Morganfield, Kentucky (6)

    1. Lake Mauzy East

    3 Reviews
    Morganfield, KY
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 389-3580

    "The tent pads are right by the water, offering stunning lake views. Each site comes equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and access to toilets—everything you need for a comfortable stay."

    "Lake mauzy is very quiet. No hookups but if you want to boondocks this is a great place."

    2. Camp Cadiz Campground

    6 Reviews
    Karbers Ridge, IL
    21 miles
    Website

    "There was potable water from a spigot and lots of kindling around to get fires going. No showers. Over all a nice site. I would stay there again."

    "On a gravel road, in the back country like most everything else on this side of Illinois , fill your gas tank up and your food locker or you will be driving back out a ways to refill. "

    3. Tower Rock Campground

    6 Reviews
    Cave-In-Rock, IL
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 658-2111

    "Campground is smaller but the sites are spread out well, most have fire ring with grill stand and table, firewood available to gather onsite when I was there, vault toilets, right on the river so may be"

    "There is a pit toilet, but no water. "

    4. Saline County State Conservation Area

    2 Reviews
    Equality, IL
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 276-4405

    $8 / night

    "There is a dump station and potable water at the entrance to the campground. There are also some water spigots sprinkled throughout the campground."

    "This was a great campground with fantastic views of the lake. We also hiked Garden of the Gods and Burden Falls in the Shawnee National Forest. The hikes were great."

    5. Eddy Creek Access

    1 Review
    Eddyville, KY
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 858-1549

    6. Camp Ondessonk

    Be the first to review!
    Ozark, IL
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 695-2489

    $6 - $16 / night

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Morganfield, KY

5 Photos of 6 Morganfield Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Morganfield, KY

344 Reviews of 6 Morganfield Campgrounds


  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2016

    Pharoah - Garden of the Gods Rec Area Campground

    Garden of the Gods

    Primative camping at its best. This is heavily used in the summer and early fall. Picnic tables and fire rings, vault toilets. Go in the off season and you will have plenty of privacy. Fairly level tent sites , some with nice trees for hammocks. Close to Little Grand Canyon, a really neat natural bridge, and Illinois wineries.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 13, 2020

    Redbud Campground at Bell Smith Springs

    Fun swimming holes and good hiking

    21 campsites with a fire ring/barrel, lantern post and picnic table. A couple of the campsites had damaged fire rings. Most sites should be able to fit medium size trailers, other sites have trees in the way. Vault toilets and a water station. Very quiet, clean and peaceful. Trail system is about 8 miles and has great views. Don’t forget to bring your swimming suit!

  • Richy R.
    Apr. 2, 2025

    Lake Mauzy East

    Harris-Dickerson WMA (Free) – A Hidden Gem on the Lake!

    This is an amazing spot for free camping! The tent pads are right by the water, offering stunning lake views. Each site comes equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and access to toilets—everything you need for a comfortable stay. Despite its remote feel, Walmart is just a 12-minute drive away for any last-minute supplies. We would have loved to stay longer, but incoming storms cut our trip short. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a peaceful and scenic getaway! No electricity or showers!

  • Lane M.
    Jun. 6, 2019

    Pharoah - Garden of the Gods Rec Area Campground

    Great little spot!

    This camping spot is just down the road from Southern IL’s Garden Of the Gods. There were 12 camping areas. Plenty of room and trees for tents and hammocks. Also, there is a good amount of shade so if you tent in the right spot you don’t wake up roasting from the sun. The campsites have a lot of room so your neighbors don’t seem like they are on top of your site. The spots include a picnic table, hanging poles for trash or lantern, and a fire pit with movable built-in grill. The area is very wooded so unless the ground is wet you can find lots of firewood. There is a drinking water pump at the entrance of the campsite but it’s pretty chlorinated. There is no shower or running water and the toilets are pit style; but there are toilets. I don’t know if other sites had this but ours had 2 trails leading right out of the woods. Great for close to home hiking.

    P.S. Beware of tailless raccoon at site 12 that likes to steal Doritos.

  • M E.
    Oct. 17, 2021

    Pine Ridge

    Beautiful Area with large sites!

    This campground area is beautiful! We stayed here 3 nights. We arrived on a Thursday and there were plenty of open spots. Friday they open some of the other loops up for more people to stay and it did fill up for the weekend. 

    You can get some cell service but only in choice areas (at the front by the water spigot and some of the roads leading down to the lake. We were not able to get any cell service (Verizon, AT&T, or T Mobile) in the electric loop. 

    This area is a primitive area and is not really set up for RVs. Don't get me wrong... RVs can definitely fit in most of the camping spots but only 1 loop has electricity, there is no sanitary dump station, and the water spigot does not have a way to hook up a hose to fill your tank. If you dump your tanks and fill with fresh water before coming you should be good. 

    It does have vault toilets... no showers. The toilets were very clean for vault toilets. 

    The lake area is beautiful with a swimming area, fishing pier, and pavilion to eat or sit under for shade. It looks like they really keep the area cleaned up!

    Another little note that we learned is that the park rangers can help you move sites... or even campgrounds if your site is not working for you so you don't loose out on money like we did. This only applies to other Shawnee campgrounds of course but there are quite a few to choose from!

  • Abby M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 7, 2021

    Pharoah - Garden of the Gods Rec Area Campground

    Nice little campground

    I arrived on Friday around 2:30pm hoping to get a spot but unfortunately, all spots were already taken (about 10-12). The vault toilet looked decently clean and all sites had a nice fire ring, picnic table and hanging hooks. Some sites were closer together than others but would work for a night or two to enjoy the beauty around! Little picnic area just around the corner and about .5 from several awesome hikes!

  • J
    Sep. 1, 2022

    Tower Rock Campground

    Clean, quiet, and great river views!

    Campground is smaller but the sites are spread out well, most have fire ring with grill stand and table, firewood available to gather onsite when I was there, vault toilets, right on the river so may be closed during flood seasons. Will be staying here again!

  • Michael B.
    Apr. 5, 2022

    Oak Point - Lake Glendale

    Great base for exploring Shawnee NF

    CG offers sites with electric and water and then sites with no hook-ups. The electric/water sites were much better than the “tent” sites. Tent sites were closer together and not very level. The “RV” sites, however, we’re pretty level and well spaced out. We’d recommend sites 20-24 for their lake views. There were two bathroom buildings both with flush toilets and showers. We only used the smaller one. They were pretty clean. CG sold firewood for $4 a bundle or 3 for $10 and 22 lbs ice bags for $5. Staff were friendly. $22/night is a great price though I wish they’d take reservations. We went during Spring Break for a long weekend and CG didn’t fill up, still a bit chilly to camp for some I guess! Roads in the Glendale Recreation area are in need of repair. Trail around the lake was a nice 3mi hike and is easily accessed directly from a number of the sites, including ours. This CG provides a great base to explore the surrounding area’s many natural wonders.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 20, 2018

    Pine Ridge

    Bliss in the woods

    Pounds Hollow Recreation Area located in Shawnee National Forest, Il is easier to find then some of the other areas in Shawnee. 

    You have the Pounds Hollow Lake, there is the Rim Rock Trail and picnic area and there is Pine Ridge Campground. 

    First there is no boat ramp at the lake and it is an electric motors only area. So it’s excellent for kayak, SUP and canoe excursions. There is a swimming area and picnic shelter circa CCC era construction.

    Next Rim Rock trail is for hikers only, there are horse trails on the far side of the lake. 

    And then the Pine Ridge Campground which sits, you guessed it, on a ridge above the lake. There are access trails through the woods to the lake. There are nice size sites spread throughout the campground area. Tons of privacy. Electric sites as well as your basic sites with picnic tables, fire rings and those poles with hooks( I’ve seen them used for many things in addition to lanterns ) and of course pit toilets. But newer, cleaner pit toilets. 

    The lake was quiet and relaxing. Even though there was a large group present at the pavilion the area of the lake makes it easy to find a quiet space to just float or fish. 

    Only thing that would have made it better for me would have been if there was direct put in to lake. I like to park the vehicle and then leave it for the whole visit. Having to move the water craft back and forth takes away some of the enjoyment. (Very, very minuscule take away)


Guide to Morganfield

Tent camping near Morganfield, Kentucky offers a serene escape into nature, with several well-reviewed spots that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Tent campers should check out Camp Cadiz Campground

  • Nestled in the Shawnee National Forest, Camp Cadiz Campground offers a quiet retreat with only a few campsites, ensuring a serene camping experience.
  • This campground features a well-maintained water spigot and ample kindling for campfires, making it a great choice for those who enjoy rustic camping.
  • With hiking trails nearby, you can easily explore the beautiful landscapes surrounding the campground.

Tips for tent camping near Morganfield

  • Arrive early at Tower Rock Campground to secure a spot, as it can fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons.
  • Be prepared for a rustic experience at Eddy Creek Access, which lacks amenities like picnic tables and showers, but offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature.
  • Bring your own firewood and be mindful of the campground rules regarding fires, especially at places like Camp Ondessonk, where campfires are allowed but must be managed responsibly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Morganfield, KY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Morganfield, KY is Lake Mauzy East with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Morganfield, KY?

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Morganfield, KY, with real photos and reviews from campers.