Customer Reviews

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

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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!

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.

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.

While John's book is intended for tent campers, 95% of the information is applicable to RV campers as well. Whether you're looking for beautiful spots, family friendly places or solitude, this guide has the info you need in a clear, concise, easy to find format. We are always looking for new places to camp, and have been well advised by this book. It's an invaluable resource for camping in Illinois.

I'm not sure if a book about the best tent camping sites needs to be well-written or beautifully published, but it needs to be practical, useful and accurate. John Schirle, with the help of Menasha Ridge, has achieved all of the above. This is a truly well-written book by a gifted writer who, thank God, loves tent camping and the outdoors.

To be honest, I had the honor and pleasure of proofing each chapter of this book for author John Schirle before he sent it to the publisher. John is not just an avid camper writing about his interest; he is a great writer sharing the benefit of his explorations in an enjoyable-to-read book. Each chapter takes the reader/camper somewhere new in Illinois. I can't wait to begin exploring new sites and revisiting some of my own favorites with The Best In Tent Camping: Illinois as my guide.

Maybe you will do the same and share your experiences here.

I love this book. Very easy to read and find things. Lots of maps and I love how it is organized. If you are a tent camper in Illinois and looking for great camping areas, you need this book.