John Schirle was raised in central Illinois and has been back in his home state since 1993. Since his college days he has loved getting away in the outdoors: camping, hiking, canoeing, and, more recently, caving. As a result he’s spent countless hours scouring the region for the ideal tent-camping getaways. He’s had a personal goal for some years of visiting every single state park in Illinois (which he hasn’t yet achieved, although he’s a lot closer now!). Over the years he’s been a Bible translator in central Africa, a college professor, camp program director, and is currently a children’s librarian in his hometown of Decatur, Illinois.

• Table of ContentsOverview MapBest Illinois CampgroundsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceAbout the AuthorIntroductionNorthern 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 & Wildlife AreaCentral IllinoisArgyle Lake State ParkBeaver Dam State ParkCOMLARA ParkEagle Creek State Recreation AreaForest Glen County PreserveFriends Creek Conservation AreaJim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife AreaKickapoo State Recreation AreaLincoln Trail State ParkLodge ParkMcCully Heritage ProjectMoraine View State Recreation AreaRamsey Lake State Recreation AreaSam Parr State Fish & Wildlife AreaSand Ridge State ForestSiloam Springs State ParkSpring Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaWalnut Point State ParkWeldon Springs State ParkSouthern IllinoisBeall Woods State ParkCamp CadizCave-in-Rock State ParkDevils Kitchen CampgroundDixon Springs State ParkFerne Clyffe State ParkGiant City State ParkHamilton County State Fish & Wildlife AreaLake Murphysboro State ParkPere Marquette State ParkPharaoh CampgroundPine Hills CampgroundPine Ridge CampgroundPyramid State ParkRandolph County State Fish & Wildlife AreaRed Bud CampgroundSaline County State Fish & Wildlife AreaSam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaStephen A. Forbes State Recreation AreaTrail of Tears State ForestTurkey Bayou CampgroundWashington County State Recreation AreaWayne Fitzgerrell State ParkAppendixes and IndexAppendix A: Camping Equipment ChecklistAppendix B: Sources of InformationIndexMap Legend

John Schirle was raised in central Illinois and has been back in his home state since 1993. Since his college days he has loved getting away in the outdoors: camping, hiking, canoeing, and, more recently, caving. As a result he’s spent countless hours scouring the region for the ideal tent-camping getaways. He’s had a personal goal for some years of visiting every single state park in Illinois (which he hasn’t yet achieved, although he’s a lot closer now!). Over the years he’s been a Bible translator in central Africa, a college professor, camp program director, and is currently a children’s librarian in his hometown of Decatur, Illinois.

• Table of ContentsOverview MapBest Illinois CampgroundsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceAbout the AuthorIntroductionNorthern 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 & Wildlife AreaCentral IllinoisArgyle Lake State ParkBeaver Dam State ParkCOMLARA ParkEagle Creek State Recreation AreaForest Glen County PreserveFriends Creek Conservation AreaJim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife AreaKickapoo State Recreation AreaLincoln Trail State ParkLodge ParkMcCully Heritage ProjectMoraine View State Recreation AreaRamsey Lake State Recreation AreaSam Parr State Fish & Wildlife AreaSand Ridge State ForestSiloam Springs State ParkSpring Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaWalnut Point State ParkWeldon Springs State ParkSouthern IllinoisBeall Woods State ParkCamp CadizCave-in-Rock State ParkDevils Kitchen CampgroundDixon Springs State ParkFerne Clyffe State ParkGiant City State ParkHamilton County State Fish & Wildlife AreaLake Murphysboro State ParkPere Marquette State ParkPharaoh CampgroundPine Hills CampgroundPine Ridge CampgroundPyramid State ParkRandolph County State Fish & Wildlife AreaRed Bud CampgroundSaline County State Fish & Wildlife AreaSam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife AreaStephen A. Forbes State Recreation AreaTrail of Tears State ForestTurkey Bayou CampgroundWashington County State Recreation AreaWayne Fitzgerrell State ParkAppendixes and IndexAppendix A: Camping Equipment ChecklistAppendix B: Sources of InformationIndexMap Legend