John Schirle was raised in central Illinois and has been back in his home state since 1993. During his college days, he developed a love for getting away in the outdoors—camping, hiking, canoeing, and, more recently, caving. As a result, he has spent countless hours scouring the region for the ever-elusive ideal tent-camping getaway. His personal goal for some years has been to visit every single state park in Illinois (he hasn’t yet achieved this goal, but he’s a lot closer now!). Over the years he has been a Bible translator in central Africa, a college professor, and a camp program director, and he is currently a children’s librarian in his hometown of Decatur, Illinois.

• Illinois Campground Locator MapMap LegendAcknowledgmentsPrefaceBest CampgroundsIntroductionNORTHERN ILLINOISApple River Canyon State ParkJohnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation AreaLake Le-Aqua-Na State ParkLoud Thunder Forest PreserveMarengo Ridge Conservation AreaPecatonica River Forest PreserveSugar River Forest PreserveWoodford State Fish and Wildlife AreaCENTRAL ILLINOISArgyle Lake State ParkBeaver Dam State ParkCOMLARA ParkEagle Creek State Recreation AreaForest Glen PreserveFriends Creek Conservation AreaJim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife AreaKickapoo State Recreation AreaLincoln Trail State ParkLodge ParkMcCully Heritage ProjectMoraine View State Recreation AreaRamsey Lake State Recreation AreaSam Parr State Fish and Wildlife AreaSand Ridge State ForestSiloam Springs State ParkSpring Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaWalnut Point State ParkWeldon Springs State ParkSOUTHERN ILLINOISBeall Woods State ParkBell Smith Springs Recreation Area: Red Bud CampgroundCamp Cadiz CampgroundCave-in-Rock State ParkDevils Kitchen CampgroundDixon Springs State ParkFerne Clyffe State ParkGarden of the Gods Recreation Area: Pharaoh CampgroundGiant City State ParkHamilton County State Fish and Wildlife AreaLake Murphysboro State ParkPere Marquette State ParkPine Hills CampgroundPounds Hollow Recreation Area: Pine Ridge CampgroundPyramid State Recreation AreaRandolph County State Recreation AreaSaline County State Fish and Wildlife AreaSam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaStephen A. Forbes State Recreation AreaTrail of Tears State ForestTurkey Bayou CampgroundWashington County State Recreation AreaWayne Fitzgerrell State ParkAPPENDIX A: Camping Equipment ChecklistAPPENDIX B: Sources of InformationINDEXABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Schirle was raised in central Illinois and has been back in his home state since 1993. During his college days, he developed a love for getting away in the outdoors—camping, hiking, canoeing, and, more recently, caving. As a result, he has spent countless hours scouring the region for the ever-elusive ideal tent-camping getaway. His personal goal for some years has been to visit every single state park in Illinois (he hasn’t yet achieved this goal, but he’s a lot closer now!). Over the years he has been a Bible translator in central Africa, a college professor, and a camp program director, and he is currently a children’s librarian in his hometown of Decatur, Illinois.

• Illinois Campground Locator MapMap LegendAcknowledgmentsPrefaceBest CampgroundsIntroductionNORTHERN ILLINOISApple River Canyon State ParkJohnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation AreaLake Le-Aqua-Na State ParkLoud Thunder Forest PreserveMarengo Ridge Conservation AreaPecatonica River Forest PreserveSugar River Forest PreserveWoodford State Fish and Wildlife AreaCENTRAL ILLINOISArgyle Lake State ParkBeaver Dam State ParkCOMLARA ParkEagle Creek State Recreation AreaForest Glen PreserveFriends Creek Conservation AreaJim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife AreaKickapoo State Recreation AreaLincoln Trail State ParkLodge ParkMcCully Heritage ProjectMoraine View State Recreation AreaRamsey Lake State Recreation AreaSam Parr State Fish and Wildlife AreaSand Ridge State ForestSiloam Springs State ParkSpring Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaWalnut Point State ParkWeldon Springs State ParkSOUTHERN ILLINOISBeall Woods State ParkBell Smith Springs Recreation Area: Red Bud CampgroundCamp Cadiz CampgroundCave-in-Rock State ParkDevils Kitchen CampgroundDixon Springs State ParkFerne Clyffe State ParkGarden of the Gods Recreation Area: Pharaoh CampgroundGiant City State ParkHamilton County State Fish and Wildlife AreaLake Murphysboro State ParkPere Marquette State ParkPine Hills CampgroundPounds Hollow Recreation Area: Pine Ridge CampgroundPyramid State Recreation AreaRandolph County State Recreation AreaSaline County State Fish and Wildlife AreaSam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaStephen A. Forbes State Recreation AreaTrail of Tears State ForestTurkey Bayou CampgroundWashington County State Recreation AreaWayne Fitzgerrell State ParkAPPENDIX A: Camping Equipment ChecklistAPPENDIX B: Sources of InformationINDEXABOUT THE AUTHOR