75% (65)
Top-rated campgrounds
75% (65)
Top-rated campgrounds
Stories from the community
B
Brandon
October 2025
28 ft Class A
Very nice place will definitely be staying again. Power and water hook ups were great and it was very convenient. Close to town.
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trenna
September 2025
Tent
Group trip
This was our third consecutive year camping at Bill’s campground, and each time is as wonderful as before (if not more). Bill cares for the land so well and thoughtfully that it’s difficult not to be stunned everywhere you look. Key highlights (besides the joy of wilderness camping) include a variety of terrains, a cold and refreshing creek, a pond, generous wood bundles/refills, and great conversations with Bill. There are plenty of attractions nearby such as Elephant Rocks and Johnson’s Shut Ins, which I highly recommend checking out if you’re in the area. Thank you as always, Bill!
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David
August 2025
30 ft travel trailer
Easy to find and I was only camper. Little to no traffic on the road.
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Randy
July 2025
Tent
Group trip
We reserved the entire Williams camp for float trip group and it worked great! Had 4 campers setup and half dozen tents. Water and electric worked great also! Floated the eleven point river with Hufstedlars outfit. They were able to pickup/dropoff at our location, which is clutch, nobody had to drive after the float. It was really nice to have a place for our group all by ourselves, very secluded but still easily accessible. Phone service was 50/50 for some of us, but personally my phone worked well the entire time while at the campsite. You are definitely in the woods, so be ready with the bug spray and tick prevention. Overall, my group of 18 had a great experience here, we would def reserve this again when we come back to the 11pt River.
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A
Abbie
July 2025
Tent
Second time camping at Bill’s and it is always a lovely time!
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Jacinda
July 2025
Tent
We had such a great time camping here! The host was very nice, and the property was spacious and really peaceful. It wasn’t crowded at all, which made it feel like our own little escape. One of my favorite parts was falling asleep to the sound of the spring right next to our tent. It was so relaxing. My boyfriend and I also explored Elephant Rocks and Johnson’s Shut-Ins while we were in the area.
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Violet
June 2025
Tent
Group trip
We loved Bill’s camp site, it was magical. A spring fed creek, plentiful firewood, friendly host, <20 mins from Johnson Shut-ins…what more could we ask?
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Tristan
June 2025
Tent
We LOVED Bill’s 1855 Campground! The grounds are incredibly spaced out, a gorgeous lake on property, lovely creek as you come in, and frolicking room in between! Bill lives off grid so if you need anything he’s always there, and came in clutch when our air pump took too much wattage for our battery… Firewood comes with the site, which is incredible, and the whole experience is great.
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Katie
June 2025
Tent
This campground was exactly what I needed— after graduating from school I really just wanted to get away and recenter myself. 1855 Campground was the perfect spot to do that, I spent most of the time during my 4 days out there just admiring what was around me.
I stayed at site 6 which is nestled into the woods and right next to a lovely little meadow. It was fun exploring the campground and seeing the wildlife. I spent some time laying in the sun on the edge of the lake and floating out on an oversized tube. The campground is fairly close to other sights in the area; Johnson’s Shut-Ins, Taum Sauk Mountain, and I spent an afternoon up at Council Bluffs Lake (a nice 40 minute drive).
It’s definitely wilderness camping, but it’s a fantastic spot for those who enjoy it. The outhouse is well maintained and I was able to get water from the spring on site and Bill had already set me up with some firewood at my site when I arrived. It’s very quiet and incredibly scenic.
I loved my stay and hope to return someday :)
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Dylan
June 2025
Tent
Great camping experience. Clean beautiful land with plenty of space to have a more personal experience. Bill is super nice and is a great host. He gave us a bundle of wood for a nice fire and shuttled our things to the site. I would definitely spend another weekend camping on his land.
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Geo
June 2025
Tent
With kids
Bill, your host, is a pleasure. The grounds are beautiful and have great energy. This is a well thought out and maintained outdoor experience. Minimal impact on the surroundings, love that. Two outhouses! Questionable phone signal! You can simply enjoy your people, the sounds of nature, sounds of water, the crackle of fire. We will go back. We want to try camps 1 and 4.
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Melissa
May 2025
Tent
Group trip
We had a great time at 1855 Campground! I will definitely come back. I have camped at the shut ins campground but I think prefer this one. Sure the johnson's Campground has some flushing toilets but it doesn't have Bill :). Bill was great and super friendly. He took our stuff in his tractor to and from the site , making it easy to settle in. Site 6 was perfect for our group due to it being more secluded than the others. Loved that we had privacy and good amount of space for 4 tents! It's close to all the parks like Elefant Rock , and Johnson's shut in, good convenient spot. Def will come back.
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Lianne
May 2025
Tent
Camping here was great! The views were great and the directions were clear. Loved the creek next to the site, great place would definitely recommend.
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C
Cameron
May 2025
Tent
With kids
Excellent camping location! We stayed at site four, the grove, and it was absolutely beautiful. We ended up caught in a thunderstorm over night and the view of the grove when the lightning flashed was absolutely beautiful. Also the first site we've stayed at that provided a free bundle of firewood.
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Brandon
May 2025
Tent
A fantastic site that secluded and well maintained. Plenty of good firewood and sleeping with the sound of flowing stream nearby. Bill was a great, friendly host! I highly recommend any of his camping options.
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karl
May 2025
Tent
Great spot, really special set up. I felt very welcome and privileged to be on this beautiful property. Bill is great, bring your instrument if you have one, you may just get a good jam session like I did.
Visit the pond at sunrise if you want a memory that will last forever
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Sasha
May 2025
Tent
Plenty of firewood provided. Bill was a very kind host. Would stay here again!
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