Looking for the best options for RV camping near Baileyville? Find the best sites near Baileyville where you can park your RV with a scenic view. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Baileyville's most popular destinations.
Pine Country RV Camping is an RV camp in Northern Illinois that was created to be a convenient stopover or final destination for family fun. Whether you are traveling across the country or just want to see America's Heartland, Pine Country makes RV camping hassle-free with easy access sites and a prime location that are ideal for your excursion. Minutes from the Boone County Fair and Rockford, our RV camp is close to local attractions in Northern Illinois as well as plenty of activities to keep you busy. For an adventure in the Midwest, Pine Country RV Camping is where you want to be. From our RV camp in Northern Illinois, you can easily head to Chicago to see the sites of the big city and Lake Michigan. Or, just walk in the woods that surround the property, sit by the campfire, and take in the natural beauty of the region.
Off Shore Resort is situated on the most scenic Mississippi Riverfront property in the upper Midwest and features a hotel, campground, state of the art outdoor pool and aquatics center, bar and restaurant and an event center. We are located just two-miles north of the beautiful, quaint riverside village of Bellevue, Iowa. Patrons may visit our resort by road as well as the mighty Mississippi to enjoy our hospitality. During the 2021 season, we have undergone extensive renovations across the entire property to provide a true Mississippi riverfront destination resort. Come check us out!
Whether you need a little adult time being pampered for a few nights in a luxury riverfront suite at our beautiful hotel, or bring the whole family to relax outdoors around the campfire, you really should check out Off Shore Resort. And for those who are already familiar with us, the new aquatics center and remodeled restaurant should bring you back for an all new fun-in-the-sun experience.
$69 - $139 / night
Leave your worries and hassles at the entrance gate. This RV Resort in Illinois has fun the whole family can enjoy! O'Connell's RV Resort in Amboy continues to draw families to the Sauk Valley by providing great fun and the opportunity to reconnect in a relaxing outdoor environment. An Illinois campground located just 90 miles west of Chicago and 80 miles east of the Quad Cities, O'Connell's RV resort in Illinois is both convenient and inviting. At this RV Resort, we work hard to be the best campground in Illinois offering fun that the whole family can enjoy. Grab your bathing suit and bring the entire family to one of our 3 pools and 2 waterslides or let the kids play in our arcade. With the most games of any campground in or around Illinois, the fun never stops here at O'Connell's RV Resort! At O'Connell's, there's never a dull moment! The campground features an award winning themed activity program geared to all ages. Park your car, stash your keys and come enjoy the beauty of nature and the variety of activities at O'Connell's RV Resort.
$60 - $90 / night
Discover Lake Louise RV Resort. Our Beautiful retreat is located along scenic IL Highway 2 south of Rockford, near Byron. Boasting beautiful, natural sand beaches boarding our sparkling 13 acres spring-fed Lake Louise, we our uniquely positioned as one of the Midwest's finest swimming and fishing facilities. Come and enjoy our spacious pool and lounging deck area. Relax in our 9 person hot tub. Visit for the week, weekend or all season long! Located just 25 minutes from Rockford, Illinois, Byron is full of small town charm. For the scientific minded, there is Weiskopf Observatory located in the Byron Forest Preserve while you are there you can visit the Heritage Farm Museum. More fun for museum lovers can be found at the Byron Museum of History& Lucius Read House or Jarrett Prairie Center Museum. Golf lovers can play a round at Prairie View Golf Course with a stop at the Hairy Cow Brewing Company offering 12 different world class beers.
Take a break from the hustle and bustle of city and suburban life and enjoy an RV camping trip on the river in Garden Prairie, Illinois. Northwoods RV Resort is less than 90 minutes from Chicago. Our gated RV resort campground features a brand new swimming pool and hot tub, new bathhouses, community lodge, log pergola patio with a fireplace, swimming beach, full hookups for water, power& sewer, laundry facilities, restrooms, snack bar, on-site propane filling, new WiFi infrastructure and tons of planned activities. Our pristine 60 acre park is spacious and comfortable and located right on the Kishwaukee River. If you are searching for a quiet and peaceful campground setting for your vacation, then book your stay at Northwoods RV Resort today. Break out the hot dogs and marshmallows to by the fire with your family. Come rough it in style! In the town of Garden Prairie itself, you can visit the family-owned Hamlet's Cafe for a bit of small town charm, great service and a delicious home cooked breakfast. For lunch, check out Sonny's Express food truck and grab some of their famous homemade egg rolls and fried rice. The city of Rockford boasts a myriad of activities to keep all ages entertained including golf, zip-lining, museums, spas, paint studios, boat tours, bars and restaurants and shopping malls. Northwoods RV Resort is close to a wide variety of local attractions and entertainment. Nearby, you'll find the award winning Magic Water Waterpark as well as gorgeous state parks. Nearby attractions include: Nicholas Conservatory, Forest City Queen, Edward's Apple Orchard, Donley's Wild West Town, Boone County Fair, Harvard's Milk Days, Marengo's Settlers Days, Susie;s Garden Patch, Starved Rock State Park and more.
$65 - $85 / night
Whether you visit for an afternoon or stay a few days, you will leave Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area with many happy memories. Located in Stephenson County just west of Route 73 on Lake Road, the park is 6 miles south of the Illinois-Wisconsin state line and 3 miles north of Lena.
Highlighted by a 40-acre lake and all the recreational opportunities there, the park also offers multi-use trails, picnic areas, and RV, tent, equestrian and youth group campgrounds.
Developed as part of a statewide plan to provide Illinois citizens with recreational opportunities close to home, the park was started with a land acquisition program in 1948 and dedicated as a 715-acre state recreation area 10 years later.
Lake Le-Aqua-Na’s name is the result of a contest sponsored by the Stephenson County Sportsman’s Club, one of the park’s many sponsors. The name is a combination of the town of Lena and the Latin word for water, aqua.
$10 - $30 / night
Legend
Ever dreamt of working / living / camping on an actual working horse ranch? Then you've arrived at the perfect spot. As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:
Highlights: (1) Great hiking and kayaking in nearby Rock Cut State Park & George Fell Nature Preserve; (2) Supreme amount of peace & quiet; (3) Authentic feeling like you are actually on a working horse farm; (4) Sites are spacious and nicely shaded; (5) Excellent, well-maintained amenities like a game room, arcade, playground, small swimming pond, clean restroom & showers; (6) Very friendly and welcoming CG staff; and (7) Ample space to wander around and get lost in nature
Lowlights: (1) This CG is very remote; (2) There is nothing nearby to either stock up on supplies or grab a bite to eat, so when you come here, bring everything with you that you’ll need
Happy Camping!
Legend
My first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery (as it was October when we visited, it might be better described as brownery) surrounded by a fairly decent gated enclosure lined with perfectly pruned tall towering oaks. Upon arrival, you’ll find what looks to be a brand-spanking new log cabin office on the right after passing a seemingly freshly-minted activities center / community lodge complete with in-ground heated swimming pool and jacuzzi on the left.
Amenities? As you could guess, this pet-friendly 60-acre RV resort has all the attractions in spades from pickleball, playgrounds, volleyball, log pergola patio, full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water & sewage), picnic tables, fire pits, BBQ grills, wagon rides, river access, picnic areas, bathhouses w/ showers & restrooms, cable TV WiFi (pretty poor connection though), gaga ball, game room, community room, billiards table, playground, wet bar, tabletop shuffleboard, community living room with large screen TV, DVD player w/ DVD library, clubhouse, dog park, horseshoes, hot tub, covered pavilions with picnic tables, catch & release ponds, inflatable water toys, jumping pillow, laundr-O-mat, propane refueling station and dump station.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) This place isn’t EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you’ll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place and that you’ll need to double-back, cross the train tracks heading north and turn right just before arriving to High Road School of Belvidere (so if you see a school, you’ve gone too far); (2) You will want to take note that yes, you actually cross train tracks to get to this campground, so if you’re sharp, you’re going to want to ensure you haven’t booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20; (3) If you’re a tent camper, you can certainly stay here, but you will want to note that this is very much an RV outpost; (4) The best sites IMHO are those on the northernmost perimeter, as far away from the train tracks as you can get and that also border the Kishwaukee River with sites #S9-#S20 being excellent, as well as #S25-#S81, which are equally amazing; (5) If you are planning on using that amazing pool that you saw as you came in, make sure you call management a good day or two before you come in to ensure that they turn on the heater – when we were there for 2 days, by the time we left, the pool was still too cold to go for a dip; and (6) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up a meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler and want to venture out to try some local fare, just a short walk into the nearby town is Garden Prairie Café, which has a very simple menu offering no shortage of fried everything (fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.) and then there’s Pleasant Street Tavern, but that’s mostly cheap national beers and frozen pizza fare, so if you want something a bit more substantive, head west of here to Miles Bar N’ Grill that serves up typical Midwestern fare like cheese curds, pork tenderloin, Italian beef and a variety of fried fish like blue gill, cod and catfish.
Happy Camping!
Guide
The rustic campground was closed for winter. The main campground was half closed off also. Everyone was funneled in to one area so there was no privacy. The statue was pretty cool though.
Traveler
BULLET HOLES IN MY AIRSYTREAM. Yes, you read that correctly. I had 4 bullet holes in my Airstream and to date, O'Connell's has NEVER RETURNED ANY CALLS OR EMAILS regarding this incident. A police report was made, photos were taken, and still nothing. Thousand Trails should be aware of this, but I'm guessing they are not. What if your kids were playing outside? My neighbor had a bullet hole in her shed and he also posted about it. O'CONNELL'S IS DANGEROUS, stay away from the new "Premium" lot section. I paid extra for this?
Traveler
I originally went to this campground a couple years ago for a music festival, but I discovered how much fun it was. the people were incredible. the staff was really awesome so I continue to make it back at least once a year
Traveler
Beautiful spot, very peaceful. We’ve been here for 3 months. There are two lakes, catch and release fishing. A small beach with a snack shack. Well run and maintained. Reasonably priced
Traveler
I got a primitive tent site in an area all to myself, with a shower house just down the road, in a beautiful and quiet campground for $10 cash. You really can’t beat that. Campground is separate from the park so you don’t have to pay a park entrance fee to stay here.
Scout
We stayed at this campground over Labor Day. The owner intentionally doesn't fill all of the sites in order to give people more space- a great luxury over a holiday like this. The sites are pretty small and only one 'sleeping structure' is allowed on each site but we found that Jeff was very willing to let us put up two tents (one for my wife & I
+ one for the kids) because we were in the same family.
The bathrooms and showers were very neat and well maintained. We didn't use the showers because they were paid but our friends did and had good things to say about them.
The campground has a very nice playground (the favorite of the trip for one of my kids) and a lounge where anyone staying at the campground can rest with A/C, wifi, a phone charging area, and some board games.
The primary drawback is that there isn't a lot of outdoor activities to do in the area. All the land is private so there's not great hiking (a little in the state park about 20 min drive away), IL law allows waterways to be privately owned so you can't kayak the river, etc. Galena is nearby if you want to go shopping and we really enjoyed going to Terrapin Apple Orchard and picking some apples (if you're there in the Fall). But all in all I would say this is a great campground to rest and relax at- probably not ideal for outdoor adventures.
Scout
Review: Holiday Acres Campground Our recent stay at Holiday Acres Campground was nothing short of a nightmare. From the moment we arrived, we felt unwelcome and targeted by both the staff and the locals. It's hard to say definitively if this place was racist, but the behavior we experienced certainly felt that way. Firstly, we were harassed and intimidated by the locals. They would drive around our campsite at night, yelling racial slurs and other offensive comments. This created a disturbing and unsettling atmosphere that made our stay extremely uncomfortable. The staff were equally unpleasant. We were falsely accused of peeing in the pool without any evidence, which seemed more like an excuse to target us than a genuine concern. Additionally, one staff member consistently displayed unprofessional and rude behavior. She berated one of us and treated him condescendingly, as if he were a boy rather than an adult. She exhibited this condescending behavior with the locals as well. Requests for assistance were met with eye rolls and obvious reluctance. Her dismissive and offensive attitude was consistent throughout our stay. The final straw came when we were kicked out for calling her a name after she persistently treated us with disrespect. While name-calling isn't appropriate, her behavior towards us was intolerable and unprovoked. The facilities were also abysmal. The bathrooms constantly smelled like fart, possibly due to the high sulfur content in the water, which only added to the overall negative experience. The showers were yellow with orange bits that could be scraped off, and the lack of cleanliness was appalling. The playgrounds looked so poorly maintained that you could get a splinter just from looking at them. To make matters worse, we were falsely accused of stealing by a local camper. Despite promises to review security footage, no evidence was provided, and no apology was offered for the false accusation. The pool area was another disappointment. The pool was cold, likely because it had just been filled. While the pool area itself was nice, it lacked lounging chairs, which would have enhanced comfort and relaxation. Overall, our experience at Holiday Acres Campground was horrific. The combination of harassment from locals, the hostile attitude of the staff, the filthy facilities, and the lack of amenities made for an extremely uncomfortable and distressing stay. I would strongly advise anyone considering this campground to stay far away, especially if you are looking for a welcoming and respectful environment.
Guide
I wanted so badly to love this campground experience, but just didn't. Site 19 was an easy walk-in that theoretically had nearby vault toilets, parking, and water.
Each site only had space for one car to park before walking in. Not a huge deal, but annoying as there were 2 of us who drove separate and we had to problem solve. When we got to the site I was shocked to see that what was labeled as a tent site had literally NO flat space to actually set up a tent. Spacious site, but fully sloped.
Also, what I would have loved to know, is that the vault toilets are closed because they are doing construction to build something new in that space. Construction that starts loudly each day at 7am. Honestly every site from about #35 down was affected by the noise because the construction is happening in the middle of the loop (and actually blocking some of the one-way road as well).
The park in general was okay. Per the usual, the pet areas were lacking. No beach at all, just grass covered in goose poop and one cut out on the raised shore between tall grasses and foliage where a dog could potentially jump in. Certainly nowhere for a human to enjoy the water with their pups unfortunately.
Traveler
Nice quiet place no neighbors usually bothering you showers and toilets could be better but overall ok
Scout
We have a 30 amp trailer. When we got there, the electricity wasn't working. It was 93° on a Saturday. We called the Rangers and asked them to look at our site breaker since it kept tripping. They came, told us the park was old and not updated but then ultimately told us it was our trailer. We had to rent a motel for the night because we couldn't even pull out the slide or anything. This was after spending about 6 hours pulling apart all the electrical in the trailer. Went to camping world the next day just for us to use their plugs and it was fine. We thought maybe it was our cord so we bought a new one and still nothing. We called the Rangers again who came to look at it. Told us that the park was just so old that it probably couldn't keep up and moved us to a 50 amp sight. The 30 amp plug there would work for about 2 mins and then would keep tripping again. So we ended up having to go back to camping world to get an adapter to use the 50 amp. Wasted about 30 hours of our trip over their electrical not being updated and they knew that. Tried to reach out to get the first night reimbursed since we literally couldn't even stay there or use our trailer. Was told we had to come back the next day to speak to the head ranger, came back and he wasn't there again. Was told he would call us two different times and never got a call. Will never stay here again.
ScoutThe sites are pretty big. The campground is not congested at all. The people are very nice. Everyone waves to everyone.
We came here because they showed a water obstacle course on their website. When we got here, we were informed that their beach hasn't passed health tests for the past few years. So no obstacle course or beach area.
The pool is very clean and the staff helped us pick a better site upon arrival. They also have a very pretty river to fish.
There is no store. The only thing available is firewood. If you need anything at all, there is a Walmart about ten minutes down the road.
The site is nice and grassy but there are a ton of bugs; mostly gnats.
All in all, it's a very clean place with great people. The pool is wonderful. The parks are great. But it's definitely a more lay back and relax kind of place. Not a ton of stuff to do for kids.
Ranger
I took my son and one of his friends campjng to Bellvue State Park, however, we did not visit the actual park itself. The camp sites were close to one another, many had almost no privacy from the other campsites. We were at campsite 40, which had a severe incline. Also, if you prefer to hammock camp you may not be able to do so. I was able to find one tree and hook the other side up to my vehicle.
Legend
It would be EZ enough to miss this little campground outpost as you find yourself navigating across I88 searching for the perfect little patch of prairieland to call home for the night in these parts where the cicadas sing endlessly, crisp towering stalks of golden sweetcorn easily outnumber the local residents and where, somehow, it seems as though time has just come to a grinding halt here in north central Illinois. So, if you find yourself driving one of those monstrous over-the-top RVs or hauling a 5th wheel behind you in search of a slice of what this flat, prairieland has to offer you, then this small RV-only lakeside campground might just work for you and your camping plans.
One quick note – so as not to waste anyone’s time here – in case you missed it in the headline, there is no tent camping at this property, which was a major bummer to learn, especially after learning this was ALSO the case at the only other nearby campground over at Crystal Lake. Unlike this latter camping outpost, Leisure Lake makes no qualms about saying that they have zero plans to allow tent campers anytime soon, so if that’s what you’ve got in mind, keep on looking for higher ground, mi bredren.
Contrary to the non-stop, almost carnival-like amenities that you will find over at Crystal Lake (you’ll have to read my review on to understand the very long laundry list of family-friendly amenities that are offered there), here at Leisure Lake you will either be incredibly happy with or utterly disappointed by the stark contrast in terms of just basic, nearly non-existent amenities here. One thing is sure, if you are looking for greater solitude, enhanced peace & quiet and less distractions in which to truly embrace what this area of God’s green garden has to offer, then you might actually have found the perfect location. These are the amenities you will find here at Leisure Lake Campground: typical 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage hook-ups, community showers & bathrooms, private access to Leisure Lake, which honestly, is more like a pond IMHO, picnic tables and a fire ring. Yup, that's it.
As for the campground itself, it likely doesn’t get any simpler. There’s about 60 or 70 RV slots that encircle the namesake Leisure Lake and while every site is lakefront, the only real difference between sites is that the northern side doesn’t have much shade or privacy and parallels the only road that runs past these parts, whereas the eastern side has closer access to what looks like a beach house and has the best views particularly around sunset as these sites are westward facing, followed by the southern side which has a bit more shade / privacy and has only the swoosh of traffic coming of I88 to content with (albeit the highway is elevated, so the whole property doesn't really experience any traffic noise per se).
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is in your onboard mini-fridge or you just want to try out some local fare, then nearby you’ll have a few fast food joints to choose from like Culver’s and Burger King, but there’s a few other spots I would recommend first like nearby Rock Falls Candlelight, which is simply fantastic and a bit upscale for this area or the very modest A’s Kitchen; (2) If you come here expecting (like most people I would imagine) that you can swim in this lake ... you would be mistaken, as there is absolutely no swimming in this pond, which was a bummer to learn about, and honestly, I have to question 'WHY?!' (as coming from FL, I can't imagine there's alligators to contend with);(3) If you are camping here you can fish for free, but if not, the owners want to charge you $5 for dropping a line, which seems silly; (4) While the prices are modest at $32 per night / $190 per week, it feels a tad steep considering you really aren’t getting much of anything on the amenity front, but I guess that’s for you to decide; (5) Should you find yourself getting ‘cabin fever’ here (due to the lack of just about anything in the way of diversions) then just due west of here a few miles down the road, you can find Centennial Park which offers up playground areas, baseball diamonds, paddle boat rentals, shelters with picnic tables, tennis courts and hiking trails; and (6) even if you could dip your canoe or kayak in Leisure Lake, trust me, you would be bored in under 10 minutes as the pond is just too small, but good luck for you, nearby there’s Hennepin Canal or the more challenging Rock River to choose from, either of which will provide ample hours of fresh water exploration, sight-seeing as well as angling and, the best part? No one will charge you $5 for the right to drop a line!
Happy Camping!
Scout
Unfortunately, I can no longer say this is a great, affordable place to stay. The weekly rates increased by over $75 a week for the full hookup sites this season.
There was also a link to last years pricing still active until 4/16 that has since been deactivated when I asked to have my pricing adjusted to that amount. Seems deceptive to me, having 2 different prices in 2 different places on their site. They will not honor the price and told me if I don't like it I can find somewhere else to camp.
Also, they no longer offer kayaks, which was the big draw to the campground.
We may keep our reservation this year, but likely won't be back next season.
Legend
Following up on my review from 3 years ago, there isn’t much that’s changed here at Pine View Campground, which is located in the absolute middle of nowhere and is absolutely its greatest charm, apart from the countless mighty high pines that stand guard over this restful respite. Situated on 36 square acres of Midwestern natural bliss just southeast of the very tiny hamlet of Amboy, here in north central Illinois, this is a family-run campground that is generally for the seasonal RV'ers who want to lock in slots that are prime real estate by booking for an entire season or year, which is very common in these parts. That said, there’s still plenty of spaces for the casual weekend camper, whether towing a 5th wheel, driving a rig or, like me, pitching a tent cabin.
As for the amenities, this family-friendly campground packs in quite a bit with designated kid’s playgrounds and swing sets, basketball courts, community pavilion, volleyball court, activity center, horseshoe pits, scattered restroom facilities with shower stalls, fishing and wading ponds and designated dumping station. For the RV’ers, there’s both back-in and pull-through sites with all offering electric, water and sewage hook-ups. Mi tent pitchin’ bredren will be relegated to IMHO the best area in all of Pine View Campgrounds, which is the NE corner, where you will be appropriately segregated from the mobile camping community. Here, you can strike it out anywhere as far north towards Sleepy Hollow Road as possible or, if you chose, as far west towards the two ponds as you see fit.
With the campground in mind, by my count, there’s approximately 130 slots to choose from, not including the spaces that may be allocated to primitive camping. And while it seems as though the best sites have already been taken by those who have locked up seasonal or annual agreements – which you would be correct in assuming – there’s still really great spots to choose from. Areas B and C each offer some nice seclusion as they are on the periphery corners of Pine View and far enough away from the traffic, action and noise. This is a small enough campground that you can easily walk to the areas with activities you would like to partake in, but easily walk away from once done. I mean, who wants to set up their digs right next to the kid’s playground, right?
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) This is a very family-friendly campground with plenty of themed weekends that the kiddos as well as the grown-ups are sure to enjoy, so before booking your stay, have a look at the calendar the good folks here at Pine View have put together featuring everything from Big Fish weekend and Depot Days with golf cart parades as well as a special Halloween weekend and even a Wet-n-Wild weekend; (2) When you grow weary of scavenging through your roto-molded Cordova cooler or mini-onboard fridge for that next meal, then head on over to downtown Amboy, where you’ll just have a few options, of which I highly recommend the family style serving of fried chicken and spaghetti with meatballs at Long Brand Saloon, where afterwards, you can head on over to The Depot for a real bar and wash all that good Midwestern food down with some nice local brews; (3) If you need to load up on just about anything, you guessed it, Amboy likely has you covered with Amboy Food & Liquor as well as a Casey’s and Dollar General, but for anything more substantial than this, you’ll want to head either southeast to Mendota where there’s a Sullivan’s, CVS and Ace Hardware or Rock Falls, where they’ll have everything you might be looking for.
Happy Camping!
GuideWe camp here at least 5 times a year. It’s only 8 miles from our home. Many trails and not to expensive. They have sites with electric and sites just for tents. The only negative is no drinkable water. Tons of trails, fishing and even a swimming pond.
Guide
My daughter and I stayed here twice. Oct 2019 and Aug 2020. We kayaked around the lake and enjoyed the natural setting.
The store is very nice and well stocked. Never left the park so not sure how far to “town”.
Legend
This fairly new State Park would of merited "5 stars", but the pit (aka vault) toilet smell was just tooooooo much and we weren't even close!
PROS
Park beautifully maintained and mowed throughout S
Site 109 shady
Site 109 gravel parking pad level
Moveable wooden picnic table
Metal campfire ring with cooking grate
Roadways easy to maneuver without obstacles
Quite except for train whistle close by
Partial privacy from neighbors
Toilet/shower facility in next campground (Savanna) very clean and sufficiently stocked
Very nice 12 ft wide asphalt bike trails
Night sky friendly as no street lights in campground
Firewood for sale at entrance gate
Frequent park ranger campground drive throughs
Double lane dump station
Double lane portable water fill stations
CONS
The aroma of the pit toilet between Spruce and Savanna Campgrounds could be smelled throughout both campgrounds. Disgusting!!! No hand wash station at pit toilet
Modern toilet/shower facility only in Savanna Campground
No security gate closure overnight
All trash dumpsters near campground entrance gatehouse
5pm checkin
No interpretive programs Monday thru Thursday
ScoutA perfect spot for a weekend trip. We stayed in the White Oak area and used our tent. This location was close to the shower house (which could have been a little bit cleaner but still usable). There are plenty of scenic photo opportunities especially during the fall season.
LegendFor whatever reason you find yourself up here in northern Illinois, whether just entering the Land of Lincoln or fleeing to the 'nation of cheese curds' to the north (a.k.a. Wisconsin) – only 10 minutes from this natural outcrop by the way – be sure to stop by this multi-campus nature preserve camping outpost. With more than 3,000 acres of wetlands, tall grasses and protected forest preserves, Rock Cut SP packs a punch from a camping perspective as it offers up so much in such a concise area of land that has Pierce Lake perfectly placed in its center.
The biggest problem you are likely to encounter here is exactly which of the 7 (yes, I just said 7!) campgrounds to stay at: Staghorn, Prairie View, Plum Grove, Hickory Hills, White Oak, Equestrian or Youth Group. And if 7 campgrounds aren’t enough, there’s also a single rustic cabin with electricity (mind you, no running water or even a bathroom) you can rent as well as 3 other smaller, really intimate primitive camping spots (that are actually my favorite) with the following names: Hawk, Crow and Owl, which sit along the same lane opposite the Youth Group campground on this eastern stretch just due north of the lake. Over here, you'll also see the boat launch area.
For this particular review, I will focus my efforts on detailing Staghorn, which is the second campground (with the first campground you pass by being Prairie View) you will come across after entering Rock Cut SP from its northernmost entrance, with Highway 173 to the west and Harlem Road to the east. Once you enter the park, you will follow the long winding nicely paved roadway until you begin seeing the signs highlighting where to go for the various campgrounds. Once you access this road, you’ll come across a small building with a smiling SP ranger inside where you will register, after which, you will pass by a designated dump station before coming around a small bend where you will take your second right (careful: taking that first right will have you driving into Staghorn the wrong way!).
The sites begin with #300 and as you circumnavigate the simple circular loop, you will pass by about 2 dozen or so slots that are nice flat paved slots perfect for just about any RV or 5th Wheel. You will note that the odd numbered sites are on the exterior while the even numbered sites are located on the interior of the loop. There are two his / her restrooms located at Staghorn with the first being placed behind the campground host sites (#302 and#304) at the beginning of the loop, while the second is strategically placed towards the end of the loop behinds sites #324 and #326. At the end of the loop there is also a designated trash area just past site #331. To access the shower, you will need to go back to the main road and hike it down the road with your towel and toiletries, which makes the latter sites (#318+) more attractive for their convenient location to the bathhouse (if that’s important to you).
As far as amenities go, Rock Cut SP offers up an awful lot (if the 7 campgrounds weren’t enough to help you arrive at that conclusion). In addition to all of the camping options, of course, one of the greatest assets here is the very massive Pierce Lake, which is great for fishing, boating, kayaking and swimming. In the Staghorn campground specifically, in addition to restroom and waste disposal, you’ll also have access to running water spigots at each site along with running electric. A single amphitheater is located centrally just past the camp store and before reaching the Hickory Hills campground. While I'm at it, this camp store in the middle of Rock Cut SP is just decent (not amazing) and offers up ice, firewood, ice cream, snacks, games, limited groceries and a number of other sundries you might need while camping. In all, there are 5 shelters that have electricity, water and restrooms nearby, with each shelter available by reserving them well in advance. Two of the shelters (Red Oak and Puri Crest) also have children’s playgrounds nearby. To launch your watercraft, you’ll have to head south to Hickory Hills campground where on the eastern side of this area you’ll be able to find the boat launch. To make a reservation either to camp or rent out a shelter, you’ll have to visit the ExporeMoreIL site to make a reservation.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best sites here in Staghorn are those that are positioned on the exterior of the loop and located furthest from the main road, for the obvious reasons being less traffic, less noise and more privacy. As such, odd-numbered sites from #301 to #319 are the best spots as they deliver peace & quiet, privacy and thus an intimate nature experience; (2) Once you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your onboard RV fridge, fret not, and just head out of the park where you will find a handful of dining options, including: Tom& Jerry’s, Fresh Start Café, Waffle Shop, Golden Chopsticks Buffet, Sunrise Family Restaurant, Beef-A-Roo (in fact, there’s like 4 of these that the park is surrounded by, so apparently they are very popular), but one of my absolute favorites is Pig Minds Brewery Company, which is, surprisingly, a Vegan joint, but one nonetheless that you can grab a number of seriously astonishingly awesome brews; (3) If you are on the prowl to see some of the most amazing animals that call northern Illinois their home, then you’ve hit the wild animal jackpot with easy viewing of white-tailed deer, red foxes, raccoons, squirrels, opossums, woodchucks and beavers; (4) But because there are so many wild animals out here, be sure to keep your domesticated pets on a leash (as its a requirement here at Rock Cut SP); and (5) If you would like to experience a bit of Illinois history, you could go for a nice long drive to the northwest corner of Illinois where you can experience Galena or if you don’t have enough time for that, then just head south of Rock Cut SP to check out Midway Village Museum.
Happy Camping!
Legend
Just off Highway 52, smack dab between Amboy and Sublette, here in northern Illinois, you’ll come across this decent sized camping community of 130 or so acres, that is more designed for those campers that want to bring their living room with them than those that really want to be out in the midst of nature enjoying the best of what this lush, verdant farmland has to offer. Any closer to the highway, and you’d be camping on it!
This would normally have me caution you just a bit to say that you’ll likely hear the ‘swoosh’ of drive-by traffic, although this isn’t the most heavily trafficked highway to be next to, so you’ll be fine. That said, the property is well designed and has 3 different loops that are completely saturated with RV ‘yard lots’, many of which have already begun to build out semi-permanent decking structures, which reinforces the notion that the many that are ‘camping out’ here are really in for the long haul – at least for the summer months when the environment is much more habitable.
The grounds are appointed with a number of amenities from group-sized shelters, large pavilion and gazebos to kid’s playgrounds, volleyball court, designated dump sites, archery range, swings and slides to a few small ponds (3 in total by my count: catfish, blue gill and bass lakes) where one can feign to enjoy a degree of light fishing. You’ll discover there’s also a small lagoon with a beach head for swimming and this place packs a lot of water toys (paddle boats, paddle boards, kayaks, canoes, row boats and corcl boards are all free to use) for the kiddos to enjoy. There’s a main office complete with a camp store where you’ll check-in and can purchase a number of sundries that perhaps you had forgotten to bring along.
You’ll also have the opportunity to rent a golf cart here in case you wanted to, although the place is definitely small enough that I don’t know why you would need one. The bathroom, shower and laundry facilities are quite good and clean. Also, this campground has its very own church – The Refuge – along with a prayer garden, so you can enjoy nature and the divine all in the same spot! I just have to give this campground extra props for supplying a bit of respite for the soul as well as for the body itself.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) There’s not a lot to do or access in these parts, so be prepared to bring with you whatever you might need for the length of time you plan on being here; (2) IMHO the best sites are those located on the backside of the campground that are water facing, such as sites #1–5; #11–22; #26–28; #34–37; and #38–46; (3) Despite these parts being fairly flat, there’s some decent hiking to be had, which you can access due west of the campground, which if you take far enough (about 5 miles or so), you will hit the nearest town of Amboy, where you can stop and enjoy something to eat before heading back; and (4) When you get tired of foraging for your next meal from the bottom of your roto-molded Cordova cooler or mini-fridge, then check out a few of the nearby eateries for some decent grub. Heading south towards Sublette, I highly recommend La Fiesta for simply outstanding Mexican or for a superb cup of coffee and a nice cupcake, try out Local Cup & Cake. Heading north towards Amboy, you’ll want to swing by Long Branch Saloon for some very old school fried chicken and / or family-style Italian.
Happy Camping!
Legend
Let’s begin by highlighting what an amazing family-oriented, mega-campground compound this is, perfectly situated on Lake LaDonna, which offers up non-stop fun for every member of your family - young and old alike. And it doesn’t matter if you’re driving an RV, hauling a 5th Wheel or looking to pitch a tent – whatever you are bringing to camp out underneath the stars out here in the Midwest prairieland, no worries, Lake LaDonna Family Campground has a spot for you. And even if you don’t have anything, it’s not a problem, as this campground will easily rent you one of their A/C-equipped cabins (either Primitive of Deluxe) that offer up a stove-top, oven, refrigerator, wet bar and full-sized bathroom with shower.
Throughout the entire campground, you’ll find there’s tons of shade with ample amounts of giant oaks lining the pathways and roads along with 2 meandering streams that create a really cool natural vibe. The most consequential amenity here at LaDonna is, of course, the lake itself, which provides a pretty amazing white sand beachhead. This is unusual because of, well, let's be frank, here smack dab in the middle of north central Illinois, there should not be any beachheads, so you’ve got to appreciate this man-made convenience that offers up a perfect spot for sunbathing, sipping Mai Tais or building a sandcastle. There’s tons of water toys here including two oversized Funbrellas that offer a decent amount of shade during a hot summer day. You’ll discover there’s a rope swing deck that sits atop a pirate ship, where you can plunge through 30 foot tall waterfalls before hitting the nice cold lake water. Waterslides, trampoline, floating innertubes and water spray cannons are also a blast for the kids that will be sure to keep them entertained all day long. As a parent, what I appreciated most of all is the fact that LaDonna has very well-trained, certified lifeguards who remain constantly vigilant about keeping an eye on your kid’s safety, leaving us parents to enjoy our time worry-free.
Off the water, the amenities don’t stop, and also include: basketball courts, beach volleyball courts, kids playground, outdoor stage and pavilion, live music, themed weekends, full-service lodge and market selling snacks, beverages, groceries, ice, candy, sundries, beach toys and firewood. Let’s just say, if you forgot anything, it’s definitely a drive from here back to civilization, but LaDonna has you covered, once again. For RVers, there’s full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric and water) along with flat pads that are easy to get set-up on for just about any size of RV. There’s a designated dump station in the corner of the campground that you would have passed just as you crossed the railroad tracks to access the entrance of LaDonna right on Harmony Road. Most all sites come with a BBQ grill, fire ring and picnic table.
As for the downsides, there are really just two to be aware of. First of all, if you are just a day camper or looking for a nice long weekend to enjoy out in the midst of nature, you will feel like a second-class citizen here at Lake LaDonna, who places much more focus and provides greater service and access to those RVers who are seasonal. And from a business standpoint, while I understand it, as a weekend tent camper, it’s certainly a draw back. What do I mean? Well, if you book a weekend like we did, you are only allowed certain spaces to choose from that are earmarked for overnight or non-seasonal campers, which have basically been isolated right next to the train tracks. This is the second, but arguably, the biggest negative for LaDonna – if you are located right next to the train tracks, at least once a night, if not 2-3 times a night, you will be startled awake by the blaring horn of the train and after it passes, a good 10-15 minutes of a roaring train, which our kids were certainly frightened of. So if you do come, a simple solution is to bring ear buds, if your negotiation efforts aren’t good enough to land you a spot somewhere far enough from the tracks where the commotion won’t disturb you.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you do end up renting one of the cabins, be sure to remember to bring your own bed linens, towels, toiletries and anything you need to make use of the kitchen. I have to admit, when I heard that the cabins didn’t come furnished with this stuff, I wasn’t as interested; (2) While the Pioneer cabins are moderately priced at $75-$85, I thought the Deluxe cabins were a bit pricey at $129-$149 for what they offered; (3) Should you be interested in getting some good hiking in, head back east to Route 2, where you can access the decent trails at Castle Rock State Park, including Pond Trail with 2 miles of easy-to-moderate trails and Oak Ridge Trail, which is a bit more challenging, but only a single mile in length, with Fox Trail the shortest at a half mile, but quite scenic. These 3 trails make up the South Trails; (4) The far better and more challenging hiking over at Castle Rock SP can be found with the North Trails, where there’s a total of 5 trails to choose from: River Bluff (.5 mile), Wildlife Viewing (1 mile), Heather Valley (2 miles), Timber Edge (1/4 mile) and Forest Ridge (1 Mile). These make up the North Trails; (5) There’s also a sweet little picnic area up here in the North Trails area called Aspen Ridge that is nice, and closer to the river, near River Bluff trail, you’ll see the picturesque Old Orchard picnic area, which I highly recommend; and (6) When you get tired of trying to figure out that next meal from your on-board mini-fridge or from the depths of your roto-molded Cordova cooler, head east to Oregon (the town, not the state, mind you) and try out Jay’s Drive-In, which will take you back to the 1950’s where you can pull up, stay seated in your car and have a server take your order from the parking lot, or head on inside, where you can put some quarters in the juke box while munching on any of the traditional burgers and hot dog combinations you might imagine, although I HIGHLY recommend trying out one of their pork tenderloin sandwiches and washing it all down with a chocolate cake shake. Yeah. A cake shake. Go ahead, just process that!
Happy Camping!
LegendIf you find yourself out in these parts near Shabbona in north central Illinois it is because of either one of two reasons - you are incredibly lost and stumbled across this hidden natural preserve gem by accident OR you are incredibly knowledgeable already or resourceful. Whatever drew you to this particular location, here's the fact of the matter - you have arrived at an absolute natural treasure trove, whether in the midst of a humid and hot Illinois summer or in the bitter cold of a snow white winter looking for great cross-country skiing trails. So now that you've found yourself nearby or contemplating a stay at Shabbona Lake SP, let me just forewarn you - you are about to embark upon one of the most amazing outdoor camping experiences Illinois has to offer!
As for this campground, PLEASE NOTE: there exists not 1, but 3 separate, individual campgrounds here at Shabbona Lake State Park: Teal Bay Campground (Sites#1– 60), Merganser Circle (Sites#61– 100) as well as Canvasback Cove (Sites#101– 150). In this review, I will be isolating my contributions towards the Shabbona Lake State Park – Teal Bay Campground. That said, please do look at all the reviews that I leave behind here on TheDyrt, in order to find the absolute best campground for you and your family / friends, should that be arriving by RV / 5th Wheel, those looking for an existing wooden cabin by the sea (er, as it were, because we're in Illinois, a lake) or for mi tent-pitching bredren.
The first of these three campgrounds is the first loop you will encounter after passing the Ranger Station at the front of the park, where you’ll drive about a half mile around the bend before reaching the first of three clearly marked Camp Host spots. At this point, you’ll want to hang a right, where there will be a slight left bend where sites #2–10 will be on your right, wherein site #1 is earmarked for the Camp Host, and at site #10, you’ll see opposite this spot a small water / privy facility, following which, you will see the rest of Teal Bay campground as it encircles a small loop (effectively sites #11–31 on the exterior of the loop, interrupted by another small water / privy facility between sites #29 and #30, with sites #32– 47 being plotted on the interior of this loop and finally, you’ll see sites #48– 50 upon your exit from the loop, where you’ll encounter that first small water / privy house, before coming across the final sites #51– 60 on the right as you exit Teal Bay. Immediately to the right, once you exit this campground, you’ll come across the lone Shower Building (more on this below). You will need to pass the Shower Building to access the second campground, Merganser Circle and to access the third campground, Canvasback Cove, where you would have turned left before passing the Shower Building as you head towards the lakefront and boat launch area.
With Shabbona Lake State Park specifically in mind… Holy Cow! (nod to Harry Carey and all my Cubs loving friends there!) are you in for a treat if you find yourself in north-central Illinois right off the I39 corridor and are rolling with either your RV, 5th wheel or are packing a tent and looking for an exceptional lakeside camping experience completely surrounded by God’s greatest natural prairie! To be blunt, Shabbona Lake State Park could be, quite possibly, one of the best, most pristine camping experiences that exists in this sweet corn riddled and drilled bean harvested farmland in the entire Land O’ Lincoln.
From a clandestine entrance, beset with golden tall grasses and strategically planted old Pines along with its superbly laid out and easily sign-posted inner roadway to the non-stop 3 meter wide natural hiking trails that are jam-packed in this luscious, picturesque state park along with its signature sparkling clear blue, man-made Shabbona Lake, this is one multi-campus campground that you must prepare yourself for, because it packs quite the punch! All in, there’s 150 Class A Premium campsites with 90 of these available for reservation with the remaining open on a first-come, first-served basis through the state’s online reservation system: ExploreMoreIL.
With amenities in mind, you will discover scattered spots that accommodate both RV and tent camping brethren alike, where half of the slots are nicely paved concrete, while the other half are cleverly laid small pebble-strewn platforms. All sites come with a fire ring, picnic table, water and electric hook-ups and no matter where you go, you are surrounded by some solid wilderness so there is never the chance that you will wake up or go for a hike and feel as though you are not being embraced by one of the best wilderness areas in the country.
Beyond the basics, and this is where Shabbona Lake SP shines brightest, you’ll discover that there are tons of additional bonus features such as: scattered picnic tables and sheltered pavilions, designated dump stations, (2) lakefront log cabins for rent (complete with their own balcony / veranda, grill and fire pit), Pokanoka’s Dockside Café with spectacular views of Shabbona Lake, concession store offering wood, groceries, bait & tackle, snacks, soda and camping items, over 8 miles of hiking in pristine wood- and grasslands, fishing piers (this is the Muskie Capitol of Illinois, BTW!) where you’ll find no shortage of bluegill, walleye, perch and many other fish. If you’re into hunting, Shabbona Lake SP has you covered too with 744 acres of land that allows for archery hunting of deer, dove and waterfowl (for those wanting to use firearms, there is discretionary times of the year where deer and pheasant hunting is allowed).
Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) This SP strictly enforces its ‘no alcohol’ policy, which is a massive bummer; (2) Tired of fixing beans and franks and want to sample some local fare? Well, you’re in luck because in the nearby hamlet of Shabbona, there’s a few options, top of which I recommend Shabbona Café, which is a no-frills local diner serving up burgers, sandwiches, skillets, salads and typical Midwestern fare followed by a few scoops at Screamers Ice Cream; (3) If you don’t mind a slight drive to arguably the best fried chicken in the universe, then check out Rip’s Chicken in Ladd and trust me, while a longer drive than you might expect, this place is legend in these parts; (4) When thinking about Winter activities, this is one of the very few SP’s that allow for snow-mobiling and cross-country skiing where trails are open between 8am to 4pm with at least 4” of snow. Ice fishing and ice skating are also allowed if the thickness of the ice is good enough; and (5) During the summer months especially, this place fills up, so I would definitely recommend calling ahead for those first-come, first served campsites. Call 815-824-2106 during the week or the campground check station at 815-824-2565 on weekends.
Happy Camping!
ScoutThis is a great campground! The trails are well kept, clean bathrooms, nice campsites sand the best camp hosts ever!!!
TravelerFirst time visiting this park, we stayed for 4 nights. Very clean park and it was incredibly quiet. No alcohol was allowed on the grounds but it didn’t seem like it would be enforced unless there was a campsite causing issues which is fair. Clean bathrooms and showers. We showed up around 11am and saw our site was not occupied so we decided to set up and then checked in at the front at 4:00 when the host arrived. Overall very positive experience. I will absolutely go back.
Something worth noting. There is no store on site, they do sell wood but it is cash only.
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