Camp Sullivan

Camp Sullivan offers a charming and well-maintained space for campers of all kinds, from tent enthusiasts to RV travelers like us. All the RV sites here are back in, and while they are tight, they are certainly manageable. We brought our 36-foot RV, the Badger, and although it barely fit, we were able to position it close enough to the power box by choosing not to extend the slide. This turned out to be a smart decision, considering the timbers that line the gravel surface of the site. These timbers add a bit of a challenge when maneuvering a larger rig, and in our case, (note to staff) removing the timber closest to the road would have made things much easier. 

Each RV site is equipped with 15, 30, and 50-amp electrical connections, though it’s worth noting that there’s no water or sewer available at individual sites. As a result, water conservation becomes essential. The bathrooms here, however, are clean and well-kept, which is always appreciated, especially after a few days without on-site water. There is also a stainless steel sink for use in front of the RV area's bathroom where you can do dishes.

Security at Camp Sullivan feels solid, and while there is some noise, it wasn’t disruptive. We stayed over a weekend, and though there was a lively group in the group campsite Saturday night, they respectfully wrapped up their activities by quiet hours, ensuring a peaceful night's sleep. 

The roads throughout the campground are in good condition, and the trees aren’t a concern for your RV clearance. In addition to RV sites, Camp Sullivan offers a range of accommodations for all kinds of campers. There are small rental cabins, large bunkhouses for group camping, and plenty of tent sites spread across the grounds. We didn’t have the chance to check out the"Barn" yet, but it’s a major feature here, housing a climbing wall and concessions. 

We also noticed staff busy cleaning the bunkhouse areas and taking care of trash removal, even on a quiet Sunday. Everyone we encountered was friendly and added to the overall positive vibe of the place. Camp Sullivan is an excellent spot for a weekend getaway or an extended stay, (up to six days allowed) with plenty of amenities and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s a place where we feel comfortable and cared for, with just the right balance of adventure and relaxation.

Nice Staff, Good hiking. They are working with their space so the sites aren’t that big but lots of shade on the tent side. Clean bathrooms You will hear cars as it is near roadways but you will also hear lots of natural sounds.

This park is not great. Others have mentioned small, un-level sites. We did not have this issue in Spot 8 but I can see other spots have that issue (and there are only 10 RV spots)

It was the only option for us to visit Chicago for the weekend. Still, it’s an hour away from downtown. They do NOT have water available or a dump station despite advertising that they do. “Water” was a garden hose that an employee pulled out from the cleaning closet when we asked where the water was. The hose had holes in it, and barely trickled. So we had to fill up plastic jugs from the shower.

All garbage cans were full when we arrived. Showers and bathrooms were deplorable - had obviously not been cleaned in days. No toilet paper available for two days. They did finally clean and restock on Saturday - I guess they only do maintenance on the weekend. Hose went back into the supply closet then for all the good it did.

Employee questioned us for arriving at 1pm when check-in for the RV spots is 3pm. We had already parked in our spot since no one was there. He said that was fine. Check out is 12, no more than half the park was ever full, and no one is cleaning the sites (our fire pit was full of trash), so it makes no sense to wait until 3 to park.

I don’t remember what the nightly rate is because they never sent me any confirmation email when I booked months ago. But I can guarantee it’s too high. As it was our only option near Chicago for an RV, we made the best of it. Only reason it doesn’t get 1-star is because, as others have mentioned, there is a lot of greenery to enjoy as well as solitude.

Wooded electric paved sites with fairly new bathhouse facilities. Pretty clean. Only one indoor water faucet working but this may be a COVID casualty. The FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY online camping reservation site is tricky but after several tries I figured it out. We stayed in April at Camp Reinberg and in June at Camp Sullivan, both for a few nights. There was confusion at Camp Sullivan; we arrived and someone was in our reserved site,,, but we were lenient and agreed to move in the next day. Our purpose for camping was visiting our adult children who live in Chicago but both have roommates. Camp Reinberg is a tad closer to downtown and north suburban shopping but has only 4 electric sites, 2 disabled accessible. Camp Sullivan has twice as many sites and more availability.

I had my doubts about this place based on several bad reviews, but it is Memorial Day weekend and we didn't have many options so here we are. We're in an RV spot. These spots are not big rig friendly. We are 35' and barely fit. I believe ours is one of the bigger sites, so beware. As stated, there is electric hookup but no water at the site. However, staff was more than happy to meet us at the bathrooms to allow us to fill our tanks before we set up camp. There is no dump station and we're told the nearest one is about 20 minutes away. That's really the only downfall. The sites are small but easy enough to get into. There is a decent amount of privacy between sites. There are several bathrooms around and they are clean. Staff is friendly and welcoming. I spent the day exploring the miles of walking/road biking trails today, which can be directly accessed from the camp. Plenty of stores/restaurants in the area but the camp and trails make you feel like you're out in nature. All in all, it's a decent place with a good location. If it had a dump station I'd rate it higher.

Thank goodness Michael answered phone

Happy to help.us out

No pull through Electric only Small clean park

Decided to just park in parking lot and leave tow on

Leaving early in the morning

Very difficult to contact staff to book reservation. When we got there they told us they double booked us and requested we move after we got set up. We declined as there were other spots open and we were staying for under 24 hours. Concessions were scarce. No water or dumping hook up. Electric only. Would only stay here again in a pinch. The only upside is that it is very close to Chicago. The entrance was hard to find. It was near the intersection of Oak and 147th I believe. There’s a restaurant across from it. When you are checking in with trailer make sure you don’t turn left to the office. It will be hard to turn around. I recommend stopping when you get to the fork in the road as the RV sites are to the right. Wish I liked this place more.

Tried to reserve a spot for my rv,and it took me three tries and got hung up on,and no reservation.

We camp here at least 2 times per year and have only had good experiences. Clean facilities, good hikes and good campsites (either in the woods or out of the woods). Highly recommend.

We decided to spend the weekend here because I had a client meeting at sunrise the first morning of our stay in downtown Chicago. It saved me making a 3 hour drive the morning of. When we got here, we realize the electric sites on the right side of the bathhouse were in full sun, but the staff member graciously allowed us to switch sites to a more shaded area. I will say I was at the main office for 20 minutes or more before my fiancé could track down a staff member to check us in. Their phones do not forward to a cell or anything so calling the office was pointless.

The campsites are TINY. We were in a modest pop up and still felt crowded. I supposed this would be a great camping area for anyone living in the city needing an escape, but as far as campgrounds go it was about 3x the price for less than half the space.

The bathhouses are newer and kept fairly clean. I don’t think they’re checked everyday though because the ladies stalls were out of toilet paper our second morning. The water pressure in the showers was so-so, but there was no hot water.

There is a dish washing station on the outside of the bathhouse, but don’t get excited because it isn’t turned on - rendering it useless.

The safety issues have me seriously concerned.

1.) The handicap shower drain is clogged, making the floor extremely slippery from soap scum of previous showers. Gross! The stall also doesn’t lock so it swings right open. I had to use my hair tie to keep it closed. The lock on the main door to the bathhouse doesn’t lock, so if you want to shower at night it’s a little sketchy.

2.) They lock the gates (both of them!) to the campground with a PADLOCK at night until 7 in the morning! I had to search for someone to let me out for my meeting. What if there was an emergency? An ambulance would have had to rush the gate.

Overall, I wouldn’t waste the money on this campground.

The following review was done by my thirteen year old daughter. I agree with the shower problems and add that it was our final cold showers in disgusting conditions that lead us to write the review.

“If I could give negative stars❌ then trust me I would. Normally I consider myself a good sport and can sit through a lot of things✌🏼 but not the showers here😡, they look like they haven’t been cleaned or cared for in months🤮 and often have no toilet paper in the bathroom stalls. When I took a shower I found a small frog🐸 in it and I wish I was joking about that. There were dead mosquitoes on the walls💀, dead moths on the floors, piles of hair on the floors🤢, and dirt in every crack. But they have a nice Rockwall🧗🏽‍♂️.”

Other than the shower issues, the campsite🏕 was fine. It was easy to level, they give you free firewood with your stay, the staff is kind😇 at checkin and during rock wall activities. The location🗺 is the main draw, as we wanted to be close enough to visit Chicago and suburbs.🙂

It’s probably the closest camping to downtown Chicago. About 5 years in existence. Clean facilities with a few trails. Camp Sullivan is used a lot by scouting groups. There are lots of trees and it is somewhat woodsy. The best thing to me is Jack Gibbons’s, a restaurant directly across the street.

Our trip to Camp Sullivan was mostly a test run to determine how our new dog handled camping. The campsites are pretty crowded, you can easily see and hear your neighbors the entire time you're there. The bathroom facilities were clean with an average level of amenities. We tent camped, but could see the cabin grounds which looked nice. However, important to note dogs are not allowed inside the cabins. Overall it was an okay spot to test our dog's temperament, but the closeness, expensive fire wood, and lack of extensive hiking trails means we probably will not return.

Located in a Cook County forest preserve this family camping option is a nice local getaway. The facilities are all newly built or remodeled. The bathrooms are modern. The campsites are well kept as are the grounds. There are trails to walk. There is an activities barn with a rock climbing wall. There are smaller family cabins with heat available to rent as well as large bunkhouses for organized groups.