$25 / night

Camper submitted image from Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park - 1

Camper submitted image from Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park - 2

Nature

Camper submitted image from Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park - 3

Water

Camper submitted image from Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park - 4

People

Camper submitted image from Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park - 5

Roads

Established Camping

Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

65 Reviews

About

State Park

The campground in the southern unit at Illinois Beach provides 241 Class A Premium sites with electricity and access to showers and sanitary facilities. You must obtain a camping permit from the park staff, and must have a camping unit upon arrival.

The campground is open from April 1 through December 30. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance at ExploreMoreIL™. Reservations are only accepted from May 1 - September 30. Due to the high use of this area on holiday weekends, reservations are recommended. Campsites also are available on a first-come first-serve basis, but understand that the campgrounds fill up early on Fridays during the summer season. Six handicap accessible campsites are present in the campground near the accessible restrooms and a dump station.

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Location

Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park is located in Illinois

Coordinates

42.43680871361297 N
87.80721194932393 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.
Boat-In
Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Unknown
Verizon
Unknown
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group

Features

For Campers

Market
ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Firewood Available
Phone Service
Reservable
Showers
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Sewer Hookups
Water Hookups
Big Rig Friendly

$25

/ night

For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

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Contact

General Info

Reservations

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Shane D.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 17, 2023

Big campground, old infrastructure

The campground itself was very nice with good size sites and lots of room. There are shaded or open sites nice trees, a store at the beach side of the campground.

The bathrooms were old and wet. The dump station was closed.

Site240

Month of VisitSeptember

Cameron A.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 4, 2023

Lovely campground for a tent.

We stayed right by the showers which happened to be right by the beach as well! Staff were very friendly and helpful. Would stay again!

Site200s

Month of VisitSeptember

Grace H.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 11, 2023

Simple beach park, great for a short getaway

Took a spontaneous trip up to the IL state beaches on an unseasonably warm late fall day and it felt like a true getaway. Driving into rural northern IL felt like leaving the craziness behind.

I brought my dog to an animal-friendly area of the beach, which was small and secluded. Parked in a chair with a friend and spent the day reading, drawing, and napping. Great environment for undisturbed relaxation.

Park facilities were great, but nothing fancy. We found ourselves walking around and encountering an abandoned hotel (or something like it), which was pretty cool and made for some interesting pictures!

This park is great for some outdoors time (alone or not) and seems like it’s less frequented in the early spring/late fall months.

Month of VisitNovember

Samantha

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 5, 2023

Perfect Getaway!

I made last minute reservations on a holiday weekend. I stayed at a weird site that was basically just a big parking spot on asphalt with a big yard behind it - but it ended up being really nice! We were a very short walk from the beach and staff was really helpful and friendly. I’ll definitely be going back.

Site347

Month of VisitAugust

(4) View All

Stacie H.

Guide

Reviewed May. 30, 2022

Lovely getaway but beware of the showers!

This is a lovely campground. The sites are well dispersed so you don't feel like you are on top of other campers. There are some lovely trails to walk which are pretty level so they are great for those for whom "hikes" might be too demanding. Plenty of shade available at the campground as well. There is a beach, if that's your thing, but it's covered in pebbles which is difficult to walk on (and somewhat painful). Also, because it's Lake Michigan, the water is pretty darn cold. Kids didn't seem bothered by the water temp, however.

I would have given this campground 5 stars if it weren't for the showers. I now have campground shower PTSD because of these showers. First, the water is ICE COLD and comes at you at the speed of a fire hose. It literally HURT when it it hit me. On top of that, the showers have those "push the button for 10 seconds of water" buttons rather than a flow of water until you turn them off. I honestly can't decide if that is a feature, though, since you NEED a break from the ice water fire hose to catch your breath. I have never had such a traumatic shower experience before. Needless to say, after my first shower during our stay, I just stayed gross and stinky for the rest of the trip.

Month of VisitJuly

(4) View All

Maaya Y.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 30, 2022

Great 2nd camping experience!

I came here with my bf's mom's side of the family and had a great time! We booked two sites next to each other to accommodate a party of 6+. Lake Michigan's water was a lot cleaner than the water in Chicago so that was nice to see. There were nice, short trails. The beachfront was very nice. There was a small pond where we fished just for fun. Each campsite was very spacious with tables and fire pits.

Month of VisitAugust

(5) View All

Matthew T.

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 29, 2021

Late season camping by Lake Michigan

We showed up late and missed check-in. However, after further digging we could have done everything online. The staff was fine with paying in the morning and were very understanding. We didn't have problems finding a spot and set up late at night as close to the lake as we could. The lake really can't be seen from any site but it's a 2 minute walk on a path to the lake. We woke up early and got to see an amazing sunrise coming up over the lake.

Site304

Month of VisitDecember

Ellen V.

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 26, 2021

Will not go back

Horrible toilets. Rude workers. Sketchy town. No camp store. No water. Nice rocks at beach. Creepy abandoned places at beach.

Site133

Month of VisitSeptember

M E.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 19, 2021

Large Sites and a lot to do!

We stayed here for 2 weeks. The lots are huge compared to other campgrounds we have been to. They have a nice gravel spot for you to park your RV or other vehicle on. We have a 25' camper and a F250 and we weren't able to park the truck straight in front of the camper or we would be sticking out in the road a bit, but there was still plenty of space to park! The only downsides to the site is that there was more weeds than there was grass and there were only electric hookups. There are water spouts placed around the park and of course there are some at the dump station. The sites also have nice firepits (pictured below). Their website says that the walk in sites are the 100 sites (there is a row of 100, a row of 200 and a row of 300 sites) but they have changed things up. The 300 row is actually the row of walk in sites now. The reason behind this is that the 300 sites sometimes flood and they were having to move people from those sites. We did not have any issues with flooding while we were there and we were really happy to be closer to the lake than what we originally expected!

This campground has so much to do. We were just a short walk from the beach! There are also bike trails, but some of them were covered over with sand so you would have to have a bike with sand tires to be able to ride the whole trail. They also have a nature center that you can visit to learn about the wildlife, flowers, trees, and rocks from the area. The nature center also provides guided hiking tours at certain times of the day.

The bathrooms are kept pretty clean. They have flushing toilets, sinks, and push button showers. The pressure in the showers is insane, I would not recommend putting anything on the small bench they provide as it gets wet. We used a bag and hung it on the hook provided on the door of the stall.

I would recommend not going to the bathroom by yourself. I took a shower in the women's restroom and by the time I was finished there was no one else in the restrooms. I had a man come into the restroom and proposition me. We contacted the park rangers and the police to make a statement and they made us feel safe by going around to look for him and making extra patrols.

We are removing 1 star due to how they deal with walk in sites. There is only 1 entrance/exit to the campground. They have a check in station there that checks every vehicle coming into the campground. When you come in they tell you to go in (with your rv in tow) to look at the open sites and pick a few and then come back up to the station without dropping your rv to let them know which one you would like. That would be fine and all, but there is no easy way to get back in the park without having to basically do a 3 point turn with your rv still attached.

We would stay here again for sure!

Site324

Month of VisitOctober

(8) View All

John M.

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 17, 2021

Lot of sites

Nice camp site are nice size. Over a 1/3 of the site are walk in, started on 2021. This make it hard to make a reservation for the weekend, most reserved site are book for one night.

Site336

Month of VisitOctober

Rino S.

Ranger

Reviewed Aug. 5, 2021

South location!

If you plug Illinois beach state park into your navigation it will send you to the north entrance. No camping is available there. The campground is the south entrance which is a few miles away. The campground itself was just ok. Nothing spectacular, although bthe sunrise on lake Michigan is superb.

Site104

Month of VisitSeptember

Emily M.

Ranger

Reviewed Jul. 7, 2021

Excellent Campground

This is a classic state park campground. It has drinking water, indoor bathrooms, and showers. The showers were chilly, but I could tell it was trying to warm up (maybe a water hookup thing).

The folks at the front were very kind and helpful. My friend and I biked from Chicago on Memorial Day weekend with no reservations. With a stroke of intense luck, there was an error in their system and they were able to make a spot for us even though it said they were full. It doesn't sound like that happens often, so be sure to reserve your site. They said we were so lucky we should buy a lotto ticket.

The beach is lovely, but it was cold when I went and the beach house was closed. It looks like they are building a new beach house.

Month of VisitJune

Therese T.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 24, 2021

Beautiful serene park

We had a great stay. Level well maintained shady tent site. Bathrooms were fine. The camp hosts were nice. Can’t beat the views of Lake Michigan! Nice trails through the park. Beaches were too cold and rough waters for swimming, but we had an awesome time!

Site320

Month of VisitJuly

Alex M.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 22, 2021

Great views of lakefront

Clean showers, quiet, quick walk to the lakefront

Site320

Month of VisitJuly

Jack D.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 11, 2021

Great place to camp on Lake Michigan

It’s a pretty nice campground. Showers are clean, electric worked perfectly, site was flat, and the staff is around a lot of you need something.

The only downside in my opinion is the beach is super rocky. I would personally travel about 6 miles south to Waukegan Municipal Beach for tons of great sandy beach (North beach is a little walk be worth it). If you don’t have a Waukegan city sticker, the beach is free on weekdays and there is a per car fee on weekends and holidays for those that don’t have a sticker.

The campground is quiet and the sites are well spaced out. The water pressure at the water spigots is a little low, but not too low. The dump station is clean and user friendly.

Site288

Month of VisitJuly

JP A.

Guide

Reviewed May. 22, 2021

Adequate State Park with Amazing Peoplr

So I have to tell you this is only the third park I have been to and the first one in my fifth wheel.

The park is huge! The sites are nice enough although the site I was in was much better suited for tenters than an rv.

I have a tree on each side about 1.5' from the rv. If I had slides I would not be able to use them and couldn't pull out my awning if I were staying here for any time.

The power did not work in my spot and I would have requested a move if I were not just staying the night.

The showers were push button with no dials so you are at the mercy of the shower gods to see if you get blasted with hot or cold water. The pressure is firehose.

Driving through Chicago is no joke but it is close to Six Flags Great Adventure and being able to walk over to the beach is nice.

Site200

Month of VisitJune

Bryan Y.

Traveler

Reviewed Apr. 26, 2021

Had a great time, and love the proximity to the beach

Had a awesome time, great Facilities, awesome sites.

Month of VisitNovember

(4) View All

Meg K.

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 1, 2020

Last resort

We haven’t been camping to this campground in a while so maybe things have changed but the last time we were there we were bitten by flies the entire weekend. It was absolutely horrible. Aside from that we do enjoy going to the beach but there are more rocks than there is sand.

Month of VisitSeptember

Kathleen D.

Ranger

Reviewed Oct. 12, 2020

Great Spot Right on Lake Michigan

About an hour north of Chicago, this made for a great stop on our way to Mackinac Island. This would be a fine destination in itself. In early October the trees are awash with color and the weather was still a reasonable chill. Bathrooms were clean. Campground was quiet. Sites were not private, but are backed by beautiful trees. Several minute stroll landed us on the shore. But do beware the mosquitoes!

(6) View All

Alli

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 29, 2020

Great for quick escape from the city

Came for a 1-night camping trip from Chicago. The drive was about an hour. Very beautiful and diverse trails: beach, dunes, forest, prairie and wetlands. The trails are quite overgrown— we lost the trail several times— but very beautiful and not as crowded as the beach. It’s not the most secluded park (cars, trains and planes were audible all night), and the campsites are well-sized but not very private, but it’s great to have a place like this just an hour from the city. Campsites have electrical outlets, water spigots nearby, bathrooms with running water (bring your own soap), firewood and ice available for purchase.

Alli

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 29, 2020

Great quick escape from the city

Came for a 1-night camping trip from Chicago. The drive was about an hour. Very beautiful and diverse trails: beach, dunes, forest, prairie and wetlands. The trails are quite overgrown— we lost the trail several times— but very beautiful and not as crowded as the beach. It’s not the most secluded park (cars, trains and planes were very audible all night), and the campsites are well-sized but not very private, but it’s great to have a place like this just an hour from the city. Campsites have electrical outlets, water spigots nearby, bathrooms with running water (bring your own soap), firewood and ice available for purchase.

Chrissy E.

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 28, 2020

Relaxing

Easy access to the beach, great sites and was very quiet. My only complaint is that there wasn’t any soap or sanitizer in the bathrooms.

(6) View All

Ranko K.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 9, 2020

Absolutely Stunning Park

This location is an absolute treasure. The beach is stunning and the trails are awesome. There is a ton of beach space and the beach is a short walk from the camp sites. The camp sites are well spaced out and there is a variety of shaded non shaded and etc. Most sites are electric only and there are non-reservable sites which go fast during prime season. The bathrooms are clean and well maintained. This is close to a metropolitan area so there is sometimes a lot of traffic - people going and leaving. Rangers will leave you alone but are present and available to help. We had an absolute blast!

(6) View All

Liz M.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 5, 2020

Beautiful sunrises but be warned flies and mosquitos are wild

Beautiful views and amazing sunrises but it is quite littered with trash and broken glass. Very busy in the summer and can get wild with people partying.

Sky G.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 4, 2020

Such a great experience!

We had such a blast and loved that we were able to swim in Lake Michigan. Our site was #134 and it was perfect!

(5) View All

Ashley A.

Traveler

Reviewed Oct. 28, 2019

Great in the off season

This park has a fair amount of trees throughout which gives a greater sense of privacy than most state parks. As usual, the facilities were well maintained and the park was clean. The beach was great for morning walks but that draw makes it seem that this park is probably packed in the summer. Location of hiking trails from campsite isn't super clear but head south for the longest trails. If it's been raining a lot I'd be wary as many of the sites were completely underwater when we went. It's a great place to take your dog with you! (Beware if they have long hair though, the pine trees meant I had to cut sap out of my dog's hair in several places.)

Ashley J.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 22, 2019

Always a great choice

We visited this fall and were happy. I always forget that the sites in the 340’s are awesome. There was some flooding but it didn’t effect our trip.

Pamela K.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 28, 2019

Large sites, nice showers and beautiful Lake Michigan!

The sites are large and nice. There are some sites that aren't very level so you do need to check that out if you're in a larger rv. We had the beach mostly to ourselves. We camped from Monday to Thursday after school had started back. We will be returning to this campground. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. The only down side we found was the limited shower and toilet facilities for such a large campground. We didn't have any trouble because of the time we were camping but it would be a problem if the campground was pretty full.

Site313

Month of VisitSeptember

Shelagh R.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 26, 2019

No privacy

I enjoy Illinois beach state park for a quick getaway. It’s a great spot to cook out and have a beer. However it is generally loud, with no vegetation between you and your neighbor. It’s not an ideal spot to connect with nature. The beach is pretty but it’s more interesting to look at the derelict old buildings and nearby out of use nuclear power plant.

Patrick S.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 4, 2019

It’s a state campground

Stayed in spot 275. Nice big spot with shade. We have a 36 ft 5th wheel with slide outs on both sides. Remember no sewer and water. They have a dump station on the way out.