Pine Campground — Sand Ridge State Forest

Stopped here overnight in late August. Only a few other campers on a Sunday so nice and quiet. Typical midwest tent camping on dirt, lots of mosquitoes, pit toilets.

Close bathroom but hard to tell where each campsite starts and ends. Car camping, fireplace with grill pad included. First time we camped there was only one person here, second time there is 4 other campsites taken- one of which is being unreasonably loud.

Stayed at spot A1 (near the entrance). Gorgeous little campground. I stayed here Dec. 9, 2021. Registration is just down the road and up the hill (take the main road west and a left at the fork). Facilities were clean, there was only one other camper there the night I stayed so it was super quiet, I will definitely stay here again on my next trip across Illinois. The only small bummer was the electrical box was locked when I got there, so I ended up dry camping. I was too tired to bother finding someone to unlock it. Slept great though.

We spent Christmas 2020 here! We camped in spot B4. One of the park staff stopped by. He was super nice, and offered some great info for future visits. Toilets were open, and he did mention we could still use the water spigot! Really liked our stay :)

Campground is very quiet, and we were the only campers the first night. Most sites are level some have a mild incline in the drive but would still be able to level out a camper with some blocks. No water or electric hook ups so bring your generator. There are water pumps to fill up your water tanks, but you will need a funnel to get the water in your hose since there is no threaded tip on the pump.The water here is very good and drinkable right out of the pump with no mineral flavor or discoloration. Trails here are excellent for hiking and fat biking. Trails are mainly sand. This is our second time here, first time on a bikepacking trip, and we will be back again.

This is a great campground mostly for tents though a few RVs were there too. Large sites in a pine forest with a thick bed of pine needles. Pit toilets and water are available. The orange trail (5 mile loop) starts at the campground making it easy to access the trail to check out the sandy forest and prickly pear cactus. I stayed on a Saturday night and there were less than a third of the sites in use though, frustratingly, most were reserved limiting our options though the people didn’t show up. Hiking in sand is challenging and you’ll get a work out! The campground was quiet and peaceful. About a 10 minute drive to a small town for supplies. Many, many miles of hiking so you can hike as much of as little as you like. Good trees for hammocks as well.

This review is for the backpacking campsites within the Sand Ridge forest. The trail is a mix of sand and soil. It’s quite an unexpected discovery in Illinois. We didn’t see anyone else on the trail but we saw cars parked so hikers were out there. 

We stopped at 2 different campsites. They are just a short distance off the trail. Each was a small clearing with forest right up to the edge. A fire pit is also available. All the backpacking sites were empty so it seems that lots of options are possible. 

We didn’t come across water sources so we asked the ranger. He pointed out a couple spots the have spigots or hand pumps. Be sure to have a water supply before heading out. 

The longest loop is just under 15 miles but you can do different loops together to increase mileage. There is prickly pear in this area so be careful where you step. We also were told to avoid a trail because it was sandy and a tough climb. The man said he breaks horses by riding them up the hill. If this is a concern, I recommend asking around to find the best trail for you.

This is a hidden gem right in the middle of Illinois.

It’s a nice get away from the city. I haven’t stayed at any of the backpacking sites, but the main campground. It is located under a bunch of tall pines, and feels fairly open. You’re close to others, and there isn’t a lot of privacy, but it is pretty. There are a lot of trails, but keep in mind a number of them will have you walking in sandy paths (hence the name). You can even spot some cacti out there, which is a site when you’re in the Midwest. There is also a verse camp, which I have walked through. It has a large pavilion, and all the sites have 0 shade. It’s about 3 hours from Chicago, so I like to hit it up for a quick get-away to avoid paying Wisconsin prices. I have never seen it packed.

Campground Review: 

This is a hidden gem! We camped immersed in a pine forest. Can you smell that fragrance? This is a nice size campground that feels larger because so few are camping here this weekend. 

Our site is up against the woods giving us a sense of being on our own. Vault toilets are clean and in a couple locations. We have two trees perfect for the hammock and yet enough sun to use the solar panels. 

One odd point is that we couldn’t find a way to pay. During office hours, you pay at the ranger’s place just down the road. We arrived late but he came around the next morning to check in everyone. He pointed out the 2 water pumps that work and we had a nice chat. 

The ranger directed us to hike the green trail. It touches on all the various ecosystems that are found here. It was a great hike and not that difficult at all. It just a short drive away. He also said to watch out for prickly pear as you roam the natural area. 

Another camper has been alternating camping here with backpacking to more remote spots. It’s good to have options. 

Backpacking, hiking, fishing, horses and hunting can all be done in this large nature area. 

Product Review: 

As a Dyrt Ranger I sometimes get products to evaluate. This trip I tested out the Horizon hat by Banner and Oak. 

The Freedom to Explore hat has material over the entire head (not mesh like many other hats of this type). This caught my eye since my lack of hair requires sun protection. I was perfectly happy with this hat. The material is soft and it adjusted to fit perfectly. It was a comfort to know my head was protected. 

A side job I asked of it was swatting away all the spiderwebs. We were the first on the trail and they were everywhere! Banner and Oak to the rescue! Their hat slipped on and off easily as I quickly swung it into action.

(Side comment: the Banner and Oak carabiner was great at being a second attachment for my dog’s leash. She broke the metal on her last harness and it’s nice having some reassurance) 

I’m recommending this Banner and Oak hat! It works beautifully and carries a message to encourage everyone to find the courage to get outside.

Awesome pine forest, not much traffic and great for primitive camping/bushcrafting...very few sources of water

Great little spot for some primitive camping and/or backpacking trip training.

Great trails within this park and tons of unique terrain for IL!