The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos [Paperback]

John Schirle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 16, 2009 | Series: Best in Tent Camping

For the outdoor enthusiast, Illinois has it all: rivers to canoe, lakes to fish, trails to hike and bike, and plenty of quiet places to camp. This indispensable guide is aimed at the tent camper who wants to enjoy these things up close. Unlike other guides that merely list all campgrounds, The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois profiles in detail the 50 best sites in the state for campers who seek the serene and secluded. Here is essential information about each campground (including season, facilities, rates, directions, GPS coordinates, and websites), as well as a description of the campground, the best sites, and nearby activities such as hiking, canoeing, fishing, and mountain biking. The guide covers well-known parks as well as some campgrounds that are local secrets that can’t be found on Internet searches.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“…if you are among those who still enjoy the fun of tent camping, there’s a new book to consider.” – Jeff Lampe, Wild Things, the Journal Star

“For those who like the quiet and solitude of nature and want to find the best places to enjoy them.” – Chris Young, State Journal-Register (IL)

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Menasha Ridge Press (June 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897326431
• ISBN-13: 978-0897326438
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Iowa
  • #44 in Books > Travel > United States > Regions > Midwest
  • #70 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Hiking & Camping > Camping

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just what I was looking for..., May 1, 2010

By 

J. Bernstein - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos (Paperback)

I have lived in Illinois ten years, and have yet to camp here (life gets in the way of recreation sometimes). Now that my son is old enough to camp, I was looking for inside information on places to camp which would not be overrun with RVs -- I want him to experience camping as I have experienced camping. Trying to find information on quiet, isolated sites (surprisingly difficult to find such information online), I stumbled across this book on Amazon. I ordered it, and decided that this may be the best eleven bucks I have spent in a long time.

The author divides the state by region, and gives detailed tips and information on 50 campgrounds throughout Illinois (all of which appear to be on state or federal -- rather than private -- land). He also breaks the sites down by "best for" categories, such as "best for hiking" "best for beauty" "best for privacy" and more.

What I particularly like is the practical advice the author gives. For example, in discussing the Apple River Canyon State Park, the author lists the particular campsites in each loop which offer good space, shade and seclusion. You will find such excellent information for just about every one of the 50 campgrounds. This is just what I was looking for, as I have no experience with any of these campgrounds.

I have not visited any of the sites yet, but if the advice in this book proves as useful as it appears, this book is a must-have. I will try to update this review after I have tried out a couple of the sites.

UPDATE: I just returned from Apple River Canyon State Park, and can say that the author nailed the description of the park. This park is one beautiful place, and exactly as described in the book. The park was empty; my party was the only one using the first loop, and there were maybe four other parties using the second loop -- meaning that five of fifty sites were occupied. We essentially had the park to ourselves, although we did run across one other party hiking the quiet and beautiful trails. I even took the book's advice and headed over to Mississippi Palisades Park for a day trip (and made it back to the campsite with ample time to build a fire, prepare supper and relax before sundown).

In sum, if you are not already familiar with Illinois as a camping destination, you should do yourself a favor and pick up this book. However, do not visit Apple River Canyon State Park, because I want it all for myself!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just What We've Been Looking For, November 24, 2009

By 

D. Hamilton (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos (Paperback)

My husband and I love to tent camp on public land in Illinois and have very specific ideas about what makes a campsite special and worth making a return trip. The aspects of tent camping that matter the most to us (privacy, security, quiet, and beauty) have been brought to the forefront in this book. It has helped us to select new spots to explore and now we can't wait until the camping season returns again. I highly recommend securing a copy of this guide if you're the kind of camper who would rather see trees instead of people, hear owls instead of loud neighbors, or smell fresh air instead of exhaust. If your tent camping days are over it would make a great gift for somebody who is just beginning to explore the most attractive portions of our state.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John Schirle gets it right!, March 15, 2010

By 

Hndrsdnpce (Midwest Corn Country) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos (Paperback)

The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos

I have previously stayed at many of the campgrounds that John wrote about. I think his opinions are spot on and the information that he shares is fair and accurate. I think this will be a great time saver that beats checking out campgrounds that you have no experience with and wasting a weekend.