Blackwell Family Campground's pet-friendly sites offer electric hookups and wooded surroundings for campers bringing their dogs. Paul Wolff Campground and Camp Reinberg also allow pets with maintained trails and picnic tables at each site. All accommodate tent and RV camping, with some locations like Camp Bullfrog Lake and Camp Reinberg offering pet-friendly cabins. Campgrounds maintain strict leash policies throughout the property, including hiking trails and common areas. Clean bathroom facilities with showers are available at most locations, though Paul Wolff Campground only provides vault toilets near its primitive tent camping area. Gates close one hour after sunset at Blackwell, preventing late-night arrivals or departures. Traffic noise filters in from nearby roads at several locations, particularly noticeable at sites closest to Winfield Road at Blackwell. Campground data and reviews near Bartlett, Illinois is regularly updated on The Dyrt.
Forest preserve camping offers extensive trail networks where leashed dogs can explore alongside their owners. Silver Lake at Blackwell provides shoreline access for pets needing cooling off during summer months. Most campgrounds maintain level sites with wood chip pads for tent campers and crushed limestone or concrete pads for RVs. Weekend-only camping restrictions apply at Blackwell Family Campground, while Paul Wolff operates seasonally from May through October. Self-serve firewood is available at reasonable prices, with fire rings at each site suitable for cooking. Rangers patrol regularly through the evening hours, creating a secure environment for campers with pets. Traffic noise remains the primary drawback for several locations, particularly sites positioned along main roads. For seclusion with pets, experienced campers recommend site #27 at Blackwell which feels isolated despite the campground's suburban setting.
$20 - $30 / night
"Just outside of Chicago, we have been staying here for quick weekend trips and absolutely love the proximity to home."
"I always loved going to the parks in Illinois with my grandparents when I was little. They love hiking and nature and definitely got me interested in it also. I love them and miss them everyday."
$12 - $35 / night
"The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms."
"Half of them were in the Prairie and the other half was tucked into wonderfully private spots with burn pits and picnic tables. We hiked the trail and saw a mother deer feeding her 2 babies."
$45 - $60 / night
"Lots of biking and walking trails and plenty of off trail paths that lead to unique clearings, bridges, etc."
"tucked alongside a bike and walking path that goes through a beautiful forest preserve. The path is gorgeous dipping through forested sections, open fields, and lilly pad covered ponds!"
$20 - $138 / night
"Great site, not far from Chicago, but feels well away from city life. Tent sites around rim of a lake. RV sites and cabins as well."
"What’s great about this location is the access to the miles and mile of MTB and hiking trails just out the front step of your campsite."
$18 - $35 / night
"Clean, with large sites, about a 5 mile walk around the nearby lake- saw several deer and rabbits - T-Mobile worked just fine- no Wi-Fi"
"Open campground with nearly zero tree. We had a great campfire but didn’t take advantage of the whole park to explore. She wants to again this year but we will spend more time hiking."
"You can walk from one side to other no problem. Plenty of large and small RV's and Trailers with tent camping. Our home away from home, so relaxing!"
"Saw a few of their “puppy sites” that included a private gated area for dog owners. It poured all weekend but we still enjoyed the stay."
$25 / night
"They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly."
"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."
"Postage stamp space on gravel but we had things to do outside the resort. Nice walking path around the two ponds. The ponds are very low due to drought this summer."
"Stayed here for a week, nice clean campground, quiet and beautiful lake for fishing, close to town, but yet just far enough out."
$45 - $70 / night
"The dog park is clean and secure. The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage. The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year. The store has many items you may need. "
"Propane, full hookups, fairly sized fenced in dog run area, a lake with a beach front. Play ground for the kids and a strict 5MPH speed limit. "
$43 - $73 / night
"Very Friendly Staff I received warm welcome from nice staff at the entrance gate. Tent Campground is nicely tucked inside by the lake. Quit place night time I can hear fish jumping from the water."
"We biked around the campground during the days and took advantage of the adult only hot tub hours at night. It was a nice getaway from Chicago."
GuideWe love private campsites, far enough away from other campers, yet close enough to amenities. We chose a walk in site #16 which was nice but I wish we chose one a bit further in. Bathrooms where very clean. Trails are great. Pet friendly - we brought our small, quiet dogs. Dog friendly restaurant right next to the camp site.
ScoutWe’ve been staying at this resort for several months now, and wanted to share some feedback based on our experience.
The pool only opened mid-summer.
Water quality has been very bad. On one occasion, our pet had stomach issues after drinking tap water, which was concerning. The water is so unclean that our shower develops yellow stains within a day, and we’ve had to install a five-stage filtration system just to make it usable.
We’ve also noticed that rules aren’t enforced consistently, and it sometimes feels like certain guests are treated unfairly. For example, while we were told that personal kiddie pools aren’t allowed, we’ve counted at least six others set up around the park.
Package delivery is only permitted under special circumstances, and only if pre-approved by staff.
Had an incident where a staff member criticized my swimsuit at the pool, despite it being modest and similar to what others were wearing. I wore this swimsuit to many pools for many years. Additionally, the beach area is often closed even during posted open hours, and pool hours or updates aren’t clearly communicated—you have to inquire to get any information.
The storm shelter is typically locked, making it inaccessible in emergencies, which is a major concern.
We’ve also had to fix the swing set at the playground ourselves multiple times, as it’s been broken for a while. Many of the park’s facilities and amenities are showing their age and could benefit from updates and maintenance.
That said, there are aspects we’ve truly enjoyed, and they’re the main reasons we’ve continued our stay: the spacious layout of the RV park, a nice lake, beach, pool, gym, and a dog park.
LegendAs we were driving eastbound on I80 that day, we spotted the Love’s RV Hookup, which is a new concept that this oversized fueling depot / travel store has been working on for the past year or so. Having checked out one of their other locations in Bloomington earlier in the year, which I have to admit, I was fairly impressed by, we decided to stop in here to have a look. Located just due east on the outskirts of little known Morris, Illinois just off I80, this little roadside stand isn’t the largest Love’s I’ve ever seen, but it sure does pack a punch.
If you do find yourself hustling and bustling east or west along the I80 corridor and are in need of a pit stop or an overnight stay, then the good folks at the Love’s RV Hookup have you covered. While the other Love’s I have stopped by seem enormous by comparison, this spot felt more like a corner convenience store that also had a fairly large fueling bay (4 double-sided pumps) in the front, primarily for cars and SUVs.
As you pull in, there’s 4 spots earmarked to the right of the entrance for RV’s. As you pull further along in front of the Love’s fueling bay, on the other side, an additional 6 or so slots exist for other RVs to park. In all, there’s 10 back-in RV slots available and inside you’ll find that there’s 7 individual shower stalls (all of which were in pristine, brand-new shape when we stopped by) along with a laundry facility, which we were happily surprised by, as well as a designated RV dump service, propane refill station and all of the typical hook-ups (water, 30 / 50 amp electric and sewage) along with WiFi. Inside, there’s of course the Love’s retail market, which was just decent, an ATM, Hardee’s and Naf-Naf (think Subway, but instead, Middle Eastern food). There’s even a small dog park here. As I hinted at, quite a lot here for such a small location.
If you would like something more substantial to eat, just head back west on I80 to the next exit, where if you head north there’s an IHOP, Chili’s, Bellacino’s Pizza or you can head on back to the TA Travel Center where they actually have a proper sit-down 24 hour restaurant called R-Place. If instead of heading north, you drive south on the main drag (Road 47), there’s a Buffalo Wild Wings, Pizza Hut, Starbuck’s, Wendy’s, Culver’s, Dunkin' and Burger King. But if you want something a bit more memorable, I would recommend either Morris Diner & Pancake House or La Casa Michoacana. And if you don’t mind a slightly longer drive back towards Ottawa, there’s 2 amazing places I would recommend that you won’t soon forget: Hank’s and Lone Buffalo.
Should you want to actually enjoy a bit of the nature around these parts, you can continue to head south on N. Division Street / Road 47 where you’ll come to 2 parks: Goold and Chapin, where either would make for a great place to stretch your legs, walk the dog or grab a picnic. If you’d like something a bit more splendid, then head on over to William G. Stratton SP or Gebhard Woods SP where you will be able to hike the I&M Canal State Trail.
While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:
Convenience: 5
Safety & Security: 4
Quality: 5
Peace & Quiet: 4
Amenities: 3
Overall, I scored this location a 4.
Happy Overnighting!
RangerI was here for three months this time as i get to business completed. The park was still kept up very nicely and this time I was here long enough to be able to see how. The grass is mowed every week. There is patroling at all hours for security. The laundry machines are great the dryers ore good. The dog park is clean and secure. The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage. The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year. The store has many items you may need. The showers are cleaned and work great. The camp water is high in Iron. The pot roads need service as thay do have a lot of pot holes. Good thing for the 5mph speed limit.
LegendMy 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!
TravelerFriendly staff who were quick to respond to any issues. Partial hookups (sewer just outside of park behind hotel). $46/night (+fees) for a pull-through spot. Pet-friendly. Pleasant park with good pad. Near busy road and shipping plant. No wi-fi found except at hotel. Good phone connection. Garbage cans throughout park. Minutes from I & M Canal entrance on Houbolt and from JJC and I-80.
ScoutStaff was polite and helpful. They escort you to your spot. They hand out activity sheets for the weekend. Petting zoo, camp store, pool, lake/pond for swimming and fishing. Cell signal for ATT just one bar. No internet. Lots of full time residents. Lots of activities for kids. Pet friendly. They charge extra if you have visitors.
ScoutWe love camping here. It truly feels rural. Small shower house but water pressure is amazing. It’s always quiet and the view is beautiful. Bugs were awful this stay. They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly.
RangerFor years, this was our go-to campground for weekend nearby adventures. Over the years, the price has increased and at $30 per site for non-residents, it's a bit steep for tent camping for me (so I left off a star rating). All sites are electric, so if you are tent camping and want your fan or slow-cooker, then it's as good as it gets in the burbs. It's located in a beautiful wooded Dupage County Forest preserve. While the sites are pretty close together, there are a few good ones that feel more secluded. Designated chip bark tent sites are level. The grounds are very well maintained. While I didn't camp here this year, I took these photos the last weekend in October to give everyone a sense of how nice this campground could be for them. My favorite sites over the years were the ones closest to Silver Lake along the South Loop road because those sites have the best views. For privacy, my favorite site is #27 on the north loop road which makes you feel like you are alone in the woods. Other than plenty of hiking options including a big hill, the fishing is outstanding. There are lots of places along the lake and ponds to get an easy catch and release. There is also archery, a dog park, picnic areas, boat rental/ramp, and a compass course. It is a great place for families. I've brought cub scouts here and my kids' friends. Heads-up that sites 21 & 22 may not be able to see traffic on the busy Winfield Rd in the summer, but you will still hear it at those sites.
Dog friendly campgrounds near Bartlett consist primarily of forest preserve sites within a 45-minute drive. Most locations sit on former agricultural land that's been restored to native Illinois prairie and woodland ecosystems. The camping season typically runs May through October, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F and frequent evening thunderstorms during July and August.
Fishing opportunities: Blackwell Family Campground provides access to Silver Lake, where "the water is crystal clear" according to Christian V., who also notes the "free archery range" available to campers. Archery equipment isn't provided, so bring your own.
Mountain biking: Camp Bullfrog Lake connects directly to extensive trail systems. Josh M. explains, "We've camped here a few times and it is always a great experience. What's great about this location is the access to the miles and miles of MTB and hiking trails just out the front step of your campsite."
Bird watching: Rock Cut State Park offers prime opportunities for spotting diverse bird species. Located 90 minutes from Bartlett, the park features multiple ecosystems where visitors can observe "bald eagles, American robins, northern cardinals, barn owls, mourning doves, indigo buntings, eastern bluebirds, Canadian geese, red-bellied woodpeckers, brown thrashers and many others," as noted in Stuart K.'s comprehensive review.
Kayaking: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort rents kayaks for $15 per hour including life vests. The small lake is perfect for beginners or families. Layla P. mentions that "the lake is pretty small but it was fun to putter around" and recommends the lakefront tent sites where "you can fish right from your site!"
Modern bathrooms: Camp Reinberg receives consistent praise for its facilities. Susan L. describes the restrooms as "seriously the cleanest I've ever seen, even the ceilings were cleaned!" This makes the campground especially attractive for families or those who prefer more comfortable camping options.
Spacious sites: Paul Wolff Campground offers well-maintained campsites that don't feel crowded. Art S. notes that "Each site has water and electric. Trees are around the outside with few on the inside sites. All the sites have paved pads." The primitive tent-only sites receive particular praise for their privacy and natural setting.
Proximity to Chicago: Illinois Beach State Park provides a natural escape just 90 minutes from Bartlett. The campground offers "easy access to the beach" with "great sites" according to Kelly G., who appreciates the maintained campground despite noting that "sites aren't very secluded."
Year-round camping options: Several forest preserves near Bartlett maintain camping facilities during winter months. Kevin C. shares that Rock Cut State Park is "only 8 miles from our home. Many trails and not too expensive. They have sites with electric and sites just for tents."
Gate closing hours: Blackwell Family Campground enforces strict access times. Rich M. notes an important consideration: "If you are staying here to see Chicago the gates close for the park an hour after sunset." Plan accordingly when scheduling day trips.
Limited shower facilities: Big Rock Campground lacks shower buildings despite having newer restroom facilities. Joel R. points out this limitation: "No Shade, and no showers. This is a relatively new campground not too far (about an hour drive) from Chicago. But, no shade in the Illinois heat and no shower made it unacceptable."
Seasonal amenities: Many campgrounds restrict water access during colder months. One visitor to Camp Bullfrog Lake noted, "The water is not yet potable so bring your own or check with the park team to ensure it's drinkable when you go."
Insect conditions: Mosquitoes and flies can be problematic at waterfront sites, especially in early summer. At Illinois Beach State Park, Liz M. warns that "beautiful views and amazing sunrises but... be warned flies and mosquitos are wild."
Kid-friendly programming: Chicago Northwest KOA offers structured activities for children. Dan B. shares his family's experience: "Did a quick stay with the kids for a Friday and Saturday night. Plenty for the little kids to do, and the text message communication was great with regards to weather updates or any goings on around the campground."
Swimming options: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort features a designated beach area with clean, shallow entry points. Chloe N. recommends: "The beach is large enough and there are clean bathrooms right there. The camp store sells treats and pizza, very convenient and makes for a more relaxing camping experience when traveling with young kids!"
Geocaching opportunities: Several forest preserves offer geocaching activities for children. Camp Reinberg's office provides information on "seasonal events like group hikes and geocaching contests" according to Kelsey G., making it ideal for family exploration.
Dog-friendly hiking options: For families camping with pets, Paul Wolff Campground provides dedicated trail systems. Marisa A. notes that "lots of people (including me) bring their leashed dogs. The other campers have been polite and friendly."
Water hookup positioning: Big Rock Campground requires extended hose connections. Amanda K. warns fellow RVers to "bring extensions!" since the "water hookup is far behind camping pad." This preparation can save significant frustration upon arrival.
Electric reliability: Some older campgrounds have power limitations. Rebecca C. shares her experience at Rock Cut State Park: "We have a 30 amp trailer. When we got there, the electricity wasn't working. It was 93° on a Saturday... Went to camping world the next day just for us to use their plugs and it was fine."
Seasonal site availability: Many local campgrounds maintain a limited number of premium sites for seasonal campers. At Sycamore RV Resort, Deb M. mentions they've "been here for 3 months," indicating the campground accommodates longer-term stays among its "reasonably priced" options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Bartlett, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Bartlett, IL is Blackwell Family Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 22 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Bartlett, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 63 dog-friendly camping locations near Bartlett, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
