Blanchard Island Recreation Area
Closed
— Closed for the season. Opens May 15 through October 15. Sites are first-come, first-served using the Scan & Pay system via Recreation.gov mobile app.
About
Blanchard Island Recreation Area offers a backcountry camping experience along the Mississippi River's quiet backwaters. This Army Corps of Engineers campground is located about 2.5 miles down a gravel road from New Boston, Illinois, providing a secluded setting while maintaining essential amenities. The facility features 15 first-come, first-served campsites with no electric hookups, each equipped with a picnic table and fire ring.
The campground is particularly popular with anglers and hunters. Fishermen find excellent catfishing opportunities both from shore and by boat, with easy access via the on-site boat ramp to Blanchard Chute and the main channel. Fall brings deer hunters who use the campground as a base for accessing Blanchard Island. Wildlife viewing is exceptional year-round, with regular sightings of bald eagles, pileated woodpeckers, ducks, deer, and occasionally muskrats or otters.
Facilities include concrete vault toilets, potable water from multiple hydrants throughout the park, and a dump station for RV waste. The campground uses a Scan & Pay system requiring the Recreation.gov mobile app and credit card payment only. Dogs must be leashed, and quiet hours run from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. with no generator use during that time. The site limit is 6 people and 2 vehicles per campsite.
Directions
Located at 34000 176th Ave. W., New Boston, IL 61272. From Muscatine, IA, cross the Muscatine Bridge into Illinois and drive about 2 miles on Highway 92. Turn right onto 322nd St. W for about 4.5 miles, then turn right onto 176th Ave. W (gravel road). Follow the gravel road 2.5 miles to the levee, then go up and over the levee to enter the park.
Nearby Campgrounds
