Tippecanoe Riverside

Gary was a great host! Canoeing the river was peaceful and easy too. We had a great trip and will definitely be back!

Mosquito haven was so cool! Gary was really friendly and welcoming and has really awesome property right near the river, it’s secluded but not too far of a walk from where you park your car. There is also a platform that you can pitch your tent on and a lot of trees to hang hammocks from. If you are ever canoeing or kayaking down the river this would be a PERFECT spot to pull off and camp for the night!

We got a late start on our way to Gary’s property and we’re two hours later than expected. Gary was very hospitable, said “no problem” and left a friend’s house to meet us and lead us to the site. He was really excellent to deal with and seems to sincerely want to create an affordable, secluded spot to come off the Tippecanoe and get away from it all.

So Gary’s great but what about the site? Well, there are two, actually: a perfectly cromulent spot a little nearer to Gary’s house with a fire ring, tiki torches, grills and an inlet put-in to the Tippe and a second, further back spot with a secondary put-in, a floating-platform repurposed as a tent platform, a lovely riverview and not much else. The further back spot was exactly what we were after.

I searched for weeks to find a secluded dispersed camping spot fewer than 3 hours from Chicago that was canoe-friendly. Gary’s place was perfect and I’ll likely head back again. Check it out!

Gary was super friendly, helpful, and generous with his site and equipment. We had a great time and the location is beautiful.

This spot is such a beautiful getaway. From the river surrounding the peninsula to the abundance of wildlife, everything about this campsite makes it an amazing place for rest, adventure, and renewal. Gary is a generous and hospitable host, ensuring his guests have all they need to enjoy their stay. He welcomed me to enjoy a float on one of his kayaks, and I spent a sunny afternoon paddling and soaking in the beauty of the water. I look forward to returning for future visits and highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for a lovely little tucked-away paradise!

Gary was a most generous host and the site was exactly what we needed. The river was high so we could not use the primary site but there is a backup site that has a picnic table, two benches, and a fire pit with plenty of spots for the 2 tents and 3 hammocks we had set up. Gary let us use his kayaks and also provided all the wood we needed, he runs a sawmill with his friends and has plenty of logs. It was perfect for our group of 6 And just let us get away from everything.
Gary was extremely fast at answering our questions and getting back with us for whatever we needed.

Dudes!! Gary is the shit! Kayaking here was also such a blast. We didn’t have foil, but he hooked us up. The site was perfect and plenty of space to stretch out. There was tons of fire wood so we didn’t have to get any. It was also nice there was a compost toilet. 10 out of 10. Would recommend and camp again!

Due to wet weather recently we used the back up site.
Site was clean and cut upon arrival. Host showed us around the area and showed us where the regular site is. We were able to Launch our kayaks from the site with no issues.
The river had some downed trees from recent storms but other than that was clear and possible without any difficulty or fording. There is plenty of shade and a good breeze to keep you safe from the sun and cool during the heat of the summer.
The Host was an amazing person. Kind of like that friend that is always helpful and you’re glad to have by your side. We will definitely be returning to this site in the future.

The stay here was really good and Gary was a really good friendly host. The sounds of the owls and other wildlife was awsome at night, I really enjoyed my stay.