Camper submitted image from Camp Sullivan - 1

View Photos

Camper submitted image from Camp Sullivan - 2
Camping
Camper submitted image from Camp Sullivan - 3
Roads
Camper submitted image from Camp Sullivan - 4
Nature
Camper submitted image from Camp Sullivan - 5
Activities
Unlock Planning Tools in App

Established Camping

Camp Sullivan

Do you own or manage this property?

Claim Your Listing
CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Camp Sullivan, near Oak Forest, Illinois, is a cozy spot for campers looking to unwind while still being close to the city. This campground offers a mix of tent, RV, and cabin accommodations, making it a flexible choice for different camping styles.

The sites are shaded and provide a decent amount of privacy, which many visitors appreciate. Clean bathrooms and showers are available, and the staff is known for being friendly and helpful, often going the extra mile to assist campers. One visitor noted, “They are working with their space so the sites aren’t that big but lots of shade on the tent side.”

For those who enjoy outdoor activities, there are miles of walking and biking trails right at your doorstep, perfect for exploring the natural surroundings. Camp Sullivan is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the adventure.

While some campers have mentioned that the facilities could use a bit more attention, the overall atmosphere is welcoming, and many families return year after year. With its proximity to Chicago, it’s a convenient escape for those wanting to enjoy nature without straying too far from urban comforts.

Suggest an Edit

Location

Camp Sullivan is located in Illinois

Detail location of campground

Address

14630 Oak Park Ave
Oak Forest, IL 60452

Coordinates

41.62459168 N
87.78588182 W

Open in Google Maps

The Dyrt Alerts

Get reservations at sold-out campgrounds.

Learn More
Presented byT Mobile

Detours Nearby

LOCAL FAVORITES PRESENTED BYToyota Trucks
Route 66 Joliet

Route 66 Joliet

52 min away

Kishauwau Cabins

Kishauwau Cabins

1 hr 17 min away

Drive Time

Presented byToyota Trucks

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Connectivity

Presented byT-Mobile SatelliteT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Last on 8/26/25
  • signal strength bars
    Verizon5G
    Excellent Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T5G
    Good Coverage

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Cabins
  • Tent Cabin

Features

For Campers

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

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • 30 Amp Hookups
  • Big Rig Friendly

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Reviews

Add Review

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

20%
27%
14%
27%
14%

3.0

out of 5

15 Reviews

Reviewed Jun. 21, 2025

No shade available

I am directly in the sun in my spot. There is trash in it as well. I barely have T-Mobile service (not the camps fault but thought I’d share) It’s ridiculous there are two bathroom stalls and complete strangers have to pass a toilet paper roll between the stalls- for the price I’d expect more. I’m normally uber easy to please but this camp is not run well in the slightest. I only gave two stars for the veterans discount. Last minute RV site- $33. Go elsewhere.

SiteRV 4
Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jul. 28, 2022

Camp Sullivan

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.

Site18
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Connor E., July 28, 2022
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Connor E., July 28, 2022
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Connor E., July 28, 2022
Reviewed Jul. 9, 2022

Only Option

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.

Site08
Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jun. 17, 2022

Cook County Illinois Surprise

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.

Site9
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Kathryn , June 17, 2022
Reviewed May. 29, 2022

Pleasantly surprised

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.

Site4
Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Sep. 24, 2021

Needed a place after hours of driving

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

Siteparking lot
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Aug. 29, 2021

Stay for the night only

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.

Site6
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Nomad Nurse Z , August 29, 2021
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Nomad Nurse Z , August 29, 2021
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Nomad Nurse Z , August 29, 2021
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Jun. 26, 2021

No contact.

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

Reviewed Aug. 2, 2020

Several Safety Concerns

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.

  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Lisa S., August 2, 2020
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Lisa S., August 2, 2020
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Lisa S., August 2, 2020
Reviewed Jun. 27, 2019

Bring your own shower

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.🙂

  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Amber H., June 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Amber H., June 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Amber H., June 27, 2019
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Oct. 21, 2018

Cook County Forest Preserve

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.

Reviewed Aug. 11, 2018

Good for Car Campers

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.

  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Megan R., August 11, 2018
  • Review photo of Camp Sullivan by Megan R., August 11, 2018
Reviewed Jul. 14, 2018

Great urban area camping option

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.

SiteLarge Bunkhouse
Month of VisitMarch

Frequently Asked Questions

What facilities and amenities are available at Camp Sullivan?

Camp Sullivan offers modern facilities with clean, well-maintained bathrooms and showers. The campground features both tent camping areas and RV sites with electric hookups (no water or dump station). There's an activities barn with a rock climbing wall for entertainment. Hiking trails wind through the surrounding forest preserve. The grounds are well-kept with some wooded areas providing shade. While amenities are basic, the bathhouse facilities are relatively new. Phone service for reservations can be challenging at times, so planning ahead is recommended.

Are there rental options available at Camp Sullivan?

Camp Sullivan doesn't appear to offer on-site RV or trailer rentals. The campground primarily accommodates visitors bringing their own camping equipment. For RVs, there are electric-only hookup sites available, though they're limited in number and size (challenging for rigs over 35 feet). Tent campers have more options with several wooded sites. If you're seeking rental accommodations, you'll likely need to arrange rentals from external vendors and bring them to the campground. Contact the Forest Preserves of Cook County directly for the most current information on any potential rental options.

What does Camp Sullivan look like?

Camp Sullivan is a wooded campground set within a Cook County forest preserve. The tent camping area offers shady sites among the trees, while the RV section has paved sites with less shade. The grounds feature a natural, somewhat woodsy setting with hiking trails throughout. Facilities are modern and well-maintained with a relatively new bathhouse. The campground has an activities barn that includes a rock climbing wall. Sites are relatively close together, offering limited privacy. Despite being near roadways, the campground maintains a natural atmosphere with plenty of trees and wildlife sounds.

What are people saying about Camp Sullivan in Illinois?

Opinions about Camp Sullivan are mixed. Positive mentions focus on the clean facilities, good hiking trails, and convenient location as Chicago's closest campground. Many appreciate the wooded setting and newly built or remodeled facilities, including the modern bathhouse. However, common criticisms include small, sometimes unlevel RV sites that aren't suitable for larger rigs, limited privacy between campsites, and occasional reservation system difficulties. The electric-only hookups (no water or dump station) frustrate some RVers. The campground seems to work well for weekend getaways and scout groups, though expectations should be modest regarding site size and amenities.

Where is Camp Sullivan located and how do I get there?

Camp Sullivan is located in Oak Forest, Illinois at 14630 Oak Park Avenue, nestled within a Cook County forest preserve. It's the closest campground to downtown Chicago, approximately an hour's drive from the city center. The campground is easily accessible by car and situated near major roadways, which provides convenient access but does mean some road noise is audible within the campground. The location offers a woodland escape while remaining within reach of urban amenities, including Jack Gibbons restaurant directly across the street. For GPS navigation, simply enter the Oak Park Avenue address.