Wild Pitch Camp

Free & dispersed camping in Illinois

We currently track 80 dispersed and free-camping locations in Illinois, drawn from public OpenStreetMap data and cross-referenced against mixed federal, state trust, and county land. Illinois sits in the United States and offers some of the most generous public-land access in the country for self-reliant campers. Unlike the reservation-driven world of state-park and KOA-style campgrounds, the sites listed here are largely first-come, first-served, with minimal infrastructure and a 14-day stay limit on most federal parcels. Expect dirt roads, no hookups, and zero cell service — that's the appeal. The trade-off is that you carry the responsibility for water, waste, fire safety, and respectful land use. Browse the directory below by name, then click into any listing for facility detail, GPS coordinates, and field notes specific to that pitch.

Directory
80 named campsites
 Managers
Who administers the land
 Guides
Dispersed-camping how-tos
80 documented sites Region: United States

All documented campsites in Illinois

Sorted alphabetically. Tap any row for facilities, GPS coordinates, and a 300+ word field-grounded write-up.

  1. Aonnetta

    Basic · 37.515, -88.755

    Fee: unspecified

  2. Back Country 4

    Basic · 40.389, -89.870

    Fee: unspecified

  3. Bay Area

    Basic · 38.114, -88.938

    Fee: unspecified

  4. Bear Branch Horse Resort

    Basic · 37.526, -88.583

    Fee: unspecified

  5. Beaver Dam

    Basic · 39.214, -89.978

    Fee: unspecified

  6. Big Oak Campground

    Basic · 37.779, -89.383

    Fee: unspecified

  7. Blackwell Youth Campground

    Basic · 41.841, -88.182

    Fee: unspecified

  8. Blue Heron

    Basic · 42.451, -87.949

    Fee: unspecified

  9. Bonanza Campground

    Basic · 38.878, -89.301

    Fee: unspecified

  10. Bond Christian Service Camp

    Basic · 38.907, -89.297

    Fee: unspecified

  11. Boulder Campground

    Basic · 38.018, -89.427

    Fee: unspecified

  12. Brebeuf Flats-tents

    Basic · 37.514, -88.755

    Fee: unspecified

  13. Brown Bat

    Basic · 42.453, -87.949

    Fee: unspecified

  14. Buck Ridge

    Basic · 38.038, -88.936

    Fee: unspecified

  15. Bullfrog

    Basic · 42.454, -87.949

    Fee: unspecified

  16. Bur Oaks Campground

    Basic · 38.867, -89.789

    Fee: unspecified

  17. Camp Baden Powell (Defunct)

    Basic · 42.074, -87.892

    Fee: unspecified

  18. Camp Carew

    Basic · 37.641, -89.150

    Fee: unspecified

  19. Camp Chic-a-Gama

    Basic · 40.508, -90.714

    Fee: unspecified

  20. Camp Ondessonk

    Basic · 37.542, -88.763

    Fee: unspecified

  21. Camp Reinberg

    Basic · near Palatine · 42.142, -88.063

    Fee: yes

  22. Camp Shabbona Woods

    Basic · 41.605, -87.562

    Fee: unspecified

  23. Camp Tomo Chi-Chi Campground

    Basic · 42.118, -88.396

    Fee: unspecified

  24. Camping Fever Campground and Hunt Club

    Basic · 41.048, -90.104

    Fee: unspecified

  25. Camping at Baell Woods

    Basic · near Mount Carmel · 38.351, -87.836

    Fee: unspecified

  26. Cash Island

    Basic · 39.423, -90.973

    Fee: unspecified

  27. Catfish Bay camp area

    Basic · 40.408, -88.726

    Fee: yes

  28. Chipmunk

    Basic · 42.454, -87.950

    Fee: unspecified

  29. Cotton Tail

    Basic · 42.453, -87.950

    Fee: unspecified

  30. Davis Creek Group Camp

    Basic · 41.160, -87.923

    Fee: unspecified

  31. Devil's Kitchen Campground

    Basic · 37.645, -89.108

    Fee: yes

  32. Duncan Hill Youth Camp

    Basic · 38.975, -90.510

    Fee: unspecified

  33. Francis City Park

    Basic · near Kewanee · 41.279, -89.858

    Fee: yes

  34. Garnier

    Basic · 37.513, -88.752

    Fee: unspecified

  35. Goupil

    Basic · 37.518, -88.752

    Fee: unspecified

  36. Gray Squirrel Campground

    Basic · 39.701, -88.036

    Fee: unspecified

  37. Group

    Basic · 37.409, -88.657

    Fee: unspecified

  38. Hickory

    Basic · 38.067, -89.007

    Fee: unspecified

  39. Hike In

    Basic · 39.278, -90.626

    Fee: unspecified

  40. Hononegah Forest Preserve Campground

    Basic · near Rockton · 42.437, -89.044

    Fee: yes

  41. Horse Camp Site

    Basic · 38.542, -88.570

    Fee: unspecified

  42. Indian Grove Campground

    Basic · 39.058, -89.416

    Fee: unspecified

  43. Kings Camp

    Basic · 42.037, -89.134

    Fee: unspecified

  44. Lakeview

    Basic · 38.113, -88.940

    Fee: unspecified

  45. LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve Youth Camping Area

    Basic · 41.928, -88.343

    Fee: unspecified

  46. Litha Springs

    Basic · 39.434, -88.760

    Fee: unspecified

  47. Night Hawk

    Basic · 42.452, -87.950

    Fee: unspecified

  48. North Sandy Court

    Basic · 38.067, -88.996

    Fee: unspecified

  49. Oak Ridge Group Camp

    Basic · 39.343, -87.719

    Fee: unspecified

  50. Optimist

    Basic · 38.946, -90.223

    Fee: unspecified

  51. Overflow

    Basic · 37.785, -89.378

    Fee: unspecified

  52. Owl's Roost

    Basic · 38.035, -88.934

    Fee: unspecified

  53. Paddler's Pass

    Basic · 39.431, -91.001

    Free

  54. Pearcy Camp

    Basic · 37.085, -88.547

    Fee: unspecified

  55. Pine Camp

    Basic · 40.391, -89.866

    Fee: unspecified

  56. Pine Ridge Campground

    Basic · 37.615, -88.268

    Fee: yes

  57. Pintail

    Basic · 38.067, -88.999

    Fee: unspecified

  58. Primitive North Campground

    Basic · 40.512, -90.741

    Fee: unspecified

  59. Primitive Trail Site 2

    Basic · 40.509, -90.730

    Fee: unspecified

  60. Racoon

    Basic · 42.454, -87.949

    Fee: unspecified

  61. Raganeau

    Basic · 37.514, -88.759

    Fee: unspecified

  62. Rainmaker Campground

    Basic · 39.223, -89.597

    Fee: unspecified

  63. Red Bud Campground

    Basic · 37.523, -88.657

    Fee: yes

  64. Redbud

    Basic · 38.059, -89.007

    Fee: unspecified

  65. Ringneck

    Basic · 38.068, -89.000

    Fee: unspecified

  66. Shady Rest

    Basic · 38.285, -89.356

    Fee: unspecified

  67. South Macom Campground

    Basic · 38.033, -88.942

    Fee: unspecified

  68. Sugar River Forest Preserve - Pine Tree

    Basic · near Durand · 42.468, -89.238

    Fee: yes

  69. Sugar River Forest Preserve - Riverfront

    Basic · near Durand · 42.467, -89.242

    Fee: yes

  70. Sweet Gum

    Basic · 38.066, -89.010

    Fee: unspecified

  71. Tekakwitha

    Basic · 37.514, -88.756

    Fee: unspecified

  72. Tent Camping

    Basic · 39.215, -89.974

    Fee: unspecified

  73. Tent Camping (Class B)

    Standard · near Grafton · 38.972, -90.538

    Fee: unspecified

  74. Tomahawk Campground

    Basic · 38.761, -89.519

    Fee: unspecified

  75. Turkey Ridge Tent Campground

    Basic · 37.532, -88.982

    Fee: unspecified

  76. Water Lily Campground

    Basic · 37.786, -89.390

    Fee: unspecified

  77. Wesley Area Little Grassy United Methodist Camp

    Basic · 37.642, -89.156

    Fee: unspecified

  78. Whittington Woods Campground

    Basic · 38.071, -88.914

    Fee: unspecified

  79. Youth

    Basic · 38.122, -88.928

    Fee: unspecified

  80. ski club campground

    Basic · 39.857, -88.876

    Fee: unspecified