W
William M.
Traveler
TravelerDunewood Campground — Indiana Dunes National Park
Excellent and clean
Super great here, some bugs, people were quiet
Camping near Calumet City, IL
60 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Campgrounds near Calumet City, Illinois primarily cluster in forest preserves and along the Indiana Dunes National Park shoreline, with options ranging from basic tent sites to full-hookup RV camping. Camp Sullivan and Camp Shabbona Woods offer established camping areas within Cook County's forest preserves, while several developed campgrounds like Dunewood and Indiana Dunes State Park Campground provide access to Lake Michigan's shoreline approximately 20-30 miles east. Most camping options feature a mix of tent sites, RV spaces with hookups, and in several locations, cabin accommodations for those seeking alternatives to traditional camping.
Reservations are essential for most developed campgrounds in the region, particularly during summer weekends when Chicago-area residents seek outdoor escapes. "The location is the main draw, as we wanted to be close enough to visit Chicago and suburbs," noted one camper about Camp Sullivan. Weather conditions vary dramatically with hot, humid summers and cold winters limiting the camping season at many locations, though several campgrounds like Camp Bullfrog Lake operate year-round. Emerald Trails Campground and many others typically operate from mid-April through mid-October. Cell phone coverage is generally reliable throughout the area due to proximity to urban centers, though bathroom and shower facilities receive mixed reviews at some locations.
Camp experiences in the region reflect the urban-adjacent setting, with both challenges and unique opportunities. Several visitors mention hearing urban sounds like emergency vehicles and traffic noise, particularly at Camp Shabbona Woods. As one camper observed, "Definitely felt the urban community close by with ambulances and firetrucks noises in the background." Despite this, many campgrounds provide surprisingly natural settings with hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and forest environments. Indiana Dunes camping areas receive particularly high ratings for combining beach access with woodland camping. RV campers should note that many campgrounds in Cook County forest preserves have limited hookup options and no dump stations, with several reviewers mentioning the need to travel to facilities 20 minutes away for dumping services.
Best Campgrounds near Calumet City (60)
1. Dunewood Campground — Indiana Dunes National Park
"You walk down steps or a ramp to your area, tent pad with a picnic table and firepit. So beautiful when the sun comes up. Showers and toilets regularly cleaned and modern."
"You walk down steps or a ramp to your area, tent pad with a picnic table and firepit. So beautiful when the sun comes up. Showers and toilets regularly cleaned and modern."
from $25 / night
Check Availability2. Camp Bullfrog Lake
"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."
from $20 - $138 / night
Check Availability3. Camp Sullivan
"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."
"There are several bathrooms around and they are clean. Staff is friendly and welcoming."
from $35 - $250 / night
Check Availability4. Indiana Dunes State Park Campground
"We spent the afternoon on the lakeside and drove back to the site to set up for the evening."
"This campground was very nice and clean and for a packed park was very quiet and we did not feel too close to the sites next to us. "
from $50 / night
Check Availability5. Lakeshore Camp Resort
"We were there the week before peak season opened so none of the pools or splash pads were open, but they were very accommodating so that we could still play mini golf and ride around on the pedal cars."
"A lake with water rentals, floating water slide, playgrounds and sport courts, general store with the stardust’s “convenience mark-ups”,and water/ electric at all sites."
from $49 - $57 / night
Check Availability6. Camp Shabbona Woods
from $30 - $80 / night
Check Availability7. The Vaudeville
"There is easy access to public transportation. It was HOT and there are no plug ins or use of generators so plan accordingly"
8. Cedar Lake Ministries RV Park
"You have access to the perks of the conference grounds I clouding access to a small private beach on the lake, canoes and kayaks, life jackets, and a rec room when open."
"Nature trails and of course Cedar Lake. People seemed friendly."
from $45 - $55 / night
Check Availability9. Sand Creek Campground
"We were disappointed the state park was full but found this campground close by. The tent sites were very private as we were the only ones there for the night. Plenty of space tucked among the trees."
"I tried an RV resort park first and my site was right next to train tracks and packed in next to the other sites. This spot was more spacious and fairly quiet with good showers."
from $30 - $90 / night
Check Availability10. Emerald Trails Campground
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 21 min from Chicago, IL
- 42 min from Kankakee, IL
- 42 min from Michigan City, IN
- 1 hr 10 min from South Bend, IN
Recent Camping Photos near Calumet City, IL
127 Photos of 60 Calumet City Campgrounds
Jeffrey L.
Camp Shabbona Woods
Megan R.
Camp Sullivan
holly S.
Cedar Lake Ministries RV Park
Marc W.
Lakeshore Camp Resort
Andrew S.
Camp Bullfrog Lake
Katherine T.
The Vaudeville
Katelyn G.
Martin’s Camping Ground
Jackie H.
Indiana Dunes State Park Campground
Josephine B.
Lake O' The Woods Club
Rae M.
Sand Creek Campground
Elizabeth G.
Dunewood Campground — Indiana Dunes National Park
Lisa M.
Michigan City Campground
Recent Reviews near Calumet City, IL
459 Reviews of 60 Calumet City Campgrounds
- EEd B.Traveler
Lakeshore Camp Resort
looks like a dump at first glance but found out it’s storm damage
Trailer was nice plenty to do. A lot of seasonal sites. was a pleasant enough stay. Looks like a converted Yogi Bear campground. A lot of storm damage around the campground. Pools were clean, bathrooms and shower houses are a bit dated but clean. They are about every 5 rows/streets. You can rent golf carts which seems the main mode of transportation. Nice rowboat lake with a beach for swimming. Small fast food restaurant small menu weird hours and more expensive that your normal fast food places. All in all it was a nice place and activities are plenty close to Chicago and one of the closest, also very close to the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan.
- Matthew C.
ScoutCentral Avenue Walk-in Sites — Indiana Dunes National Park
Beautiful but Needs Some Love
We stayed a Thursday and Friday night in July 2026 on site 1. We did need to head to the Welcome Center for a piece of paper to display on your dash so that we can park in the parking lot. There isn't a National Park entrance to access the site, you just park in a parking lot that a park ranger at the visitors center told us was owned and operated by the town and not the park service. There was an area of reserved parking for those camping at the walk-in sites.
There is a decent sandy hill that you need to go up to access the site, which really wasn't bad. The site itself was heavily wooded and secluded. It is fairly sandy, but there was a nice spot to set up the tent that was grassy. The mosquitos were aggressive, but a little Deep Woods Off and they left us along mostly. We got to the site and there was trash and cigarette butts scattered around that we had to clean up. I discovered the first night that a contributing factor to some of the trash is most likely a sizeable and bold raccoon that was not afraid of us, and both nights came wandering into our campsite looking for food while we were sitting there.
Additionally, the fire pit has probably not been cleaned out in years, since it was filled to the top with ash. With this being a wooded site, this could increase the risk of a fire getting out of the pit.
We were at site 1, so heading to the port-o-potty was fine and it was well kept. The beach was about 3-5 minutes walking. However, the bathrooms and outdoor shower were all "Closed for the Season". There were a couple port-o-pottys there, but they were not in as good of shape as the one near the campground. There was also a ton of trash in that bathroom building area, which was disappointing to see.
- RRichard C.Scout
Kankakee River State Park Equestrian Campground — Kankakee River State Park
Ok
JJust ok. Facilities were disappointing
Kathy B.
LegendIndiana Dunes State Park Campground
Amateur hour
Nicely laid out campground with mature trees. Level sites. All with electric hookups. Was greeted by very kind person at the booth. You need to know that on Sundays check-in is until 5 PM as campers from the weekend have until 5 PM to vacate their sites. Of course you can check in early if they leave. The way the campground is laid out, there are no pass that lead to the bathrooms. Therefore, people are constantly cutting through your site to get to their restrooms.
- ssusan F.
RangerIndiana Dunes State Park Campground
Beautiful location and great campground!
Nice sites, well spaced. Campground is well maintained with nice bathrooms and showers (we were there after a massive storm in early June and there had been some flooding in the bathrooms). From the campsite, walk through the forest and Dunes to the beautiful beach. Our dog was in heaven!
- CChris L.Traveler
Dunewood Campground — Indiana Dunes National Park
Great Location and Camp Hosts
Clean facilities, great camp hosts, and can’t beat the location. Campsites have a fire pit and table. One of the few spots to stay in the area.
Bring bug spray
- WWendy T.Traveler
Dunewood Campground — Indiana Dunes National Park
Dunewood Campground
Beautiful location, a mile from beach on Lake Michigan
Michael M.
GuideIndiana Dunes State Park Campground
Great week
Just finished a week at this campground and overall had a great stay.
The campground is a short walk or bike ride to the public beach, and just east along the lake is the preserve area where we were able to take our dogs swimming, which was a huge plus.
The campground itself was nice. The East Loop felt a little older, with large mature trees providing shade over most sites, a centralized bathhouse, and a few pit toilets spread throughout. The West Loop had a similar feel.
There are also a few playgrounds throughout the campground, which our kids really enjoyed. They spent a lot of time bouncing back and forth between them and meeting new kids along the way, which ended up being one of their favorite parts of the trip.
The bathhouses were acceptable, though the campground was busy during our stay and it definitely showed.
We stayed in Site 8, which I wouldn’t personally recommend. There was very little usable space, and the fire pit felt like an afterthought—placed against overgrowth on sloping sand to the point that we couldn’t realistically set chairs around it.
One thing worth mentioning: we had some pretty severe weather come through during our stay, and the on-site tornado siren alerted everyone in the campground. Thankfully the storms missed us, but while the alarms were sounding, sheriff’s deputies were driving the loops and checking on campers, which was reassuring to see.
We’ll definitely be back—just not to Site 8.
Guide to Calumet City
Camping near Calumet City, Illinois offers a mix of urban-adjacent outdoor experiences along the Illinois-Indiana border, where the flat terrain of the Lake Michigan basin transitions from city environments to forest preserves. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 85°F with high humidity, while winter camping faces subfreezing conditions and occasional lake-effect snow. Many campgrounds open seasonally from mid-April through October, though a few operate year-round with heated facilities.
What to do
Beach access at Indiana Dunes National Park: The Dunewood Campground provides a nearby base for exploring Lake Michigan's shoreline. "The closest beach within the national park is Kimmel Beach which is beautiful. There are some biting horseflies at the beach, but not at the campground," notes Katie O. from Dunewood.
Mountain biking trails: Several forest preserves near camping options offer extensive trail systems. "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," writes Josh M. about Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Water recreation: Many local campgrounds offer fishing and paddling opportunities. At Camp Bullfrog Lake, "The kayaks are $15 an hour and include life vests. The lake is pretty small but it was fun to putter around," according to Layla P.
Dunes hiking challenge: For those seeking more strenuous activity, the Indiana Dunes State Park offers unique terrain. "If you are able, do the 3 dune challenge. It wasn't easy for this old body, but I was glad to have marked it off my list," mentions Jackie H. from Indiana Dunes State Park Campground.
What campers like
Convenience to Chicago: The proximity to metropolitan areas makes these campgrounds popular for quick getaways. "Awesome place to stay when you live in the city and wanna get away," says Deanna B. about Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Modern facilities: Many campgrounds have updated amenities. "Shower house was clean with good hot water. A camper sink for dishwashing was a nice bonus," Katherine T. mentioned about Dunewood Campground.
Tree cover and shade: Despite being near urban areas, many sites offer natural settings. At Sand Creek Campground, "The tent sites were very private as we were the only ones there for the night. Plenty of space tucked among the trees," notes Danielle C.
Spacious sites: Several campgrounds offer adequate room between sites. At Indiana Dunes State Park, "The campground was full, but not overcrowded. Very friendly neighbors and camp staff," according to Jackie H.
What you should know
Train noise affects most areas: The Chicago-area rail network impacts many campgrounds. "Definitely heard railroad and road noise but that's the trade off for being close to town with good cell service," reports Katherine T. about Dunewood.
Gate closure policies: Some forest preserve campgrounds have strict access hours. "They close the gates after 10pm was weird but overall ok," notes Jeffrey L. from Camp Shabbona Woods.
Seasonal insect issues: Summer brings significant mosquito activity. "The mosquitoes were horrible. It was almost impossible to sit outside in the evening," warns Katrin M. about Dunewood Campground.
Weather variability: Lake Michigan influence creates unpredictable conditions. "Brutally hot but otherwise nice," Katie O. commented about her experience at Dunewood, noting they "loved the proximity of this campground to Lake Michigan."
Tips for camping with families
Pool alternatives: While some campgrounds have pools, beaches provide better recreation. "We went to the dune's national park and it was awesome for swimming all day and playing in the sand for the kids," shares Monique C. from Sand Creek Campground.
Cabin options for comfort: Several campgrounds offer cabin rentals for families new to camping. Camp Bullfrog Lake has "small and medium cabins, some heated with their own bathrooms, that feature bunk beds and are great for getting out of the cold," according to Hatie P.
Consider proximity to urban sounds: The urban-adjacent nature affects the camping experience. "It's just outside of Chicago and it feels like it. It's like camping in a city park," Bruce K. notes about Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Accessibility considerations: Many facilities are designed for accessibility. At Lakeshore Camp Resort, "This was a fun campground. We were there the week before peak season opened so none of the pools or splash pads were open, but they were very accommodating so that we could still play mini golf and ride around on the pedal cars," says Chad Y.
Tips from RVers
Limited hookup information: Know exactly what utilities are available before arrival. "No water hooks up. Water on site but, not ideal. Really nice views. Very quiet," Kaitlin M. reports about Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Site selection strategy: At Indiana Dunes State Park, "The best sites are the ones on the outside from the beach trail to the nature center. These are up against the dunes and have some shade. The middle sites are more exposed and much less private," advises Greg S.
Prepare for small sites: Space constraints exist at some campgrounds. At Lakeshore Camp Resort, "The campsites are TINY. We were in a modest pop up and still felt crowded," warns Lisa S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Calumet City, IL?
Which is the most popular campground near Calumet City, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Calumet City, IL is Dunewood Campground — Indiana Dunes National Park with a 4.3-star rating from 128 reviews.
What parks are near Calumet City, IL?
What parks are near Calumet City, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 parks near Calumet City, IL that allow camping, notably Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Indiana Dunes National Park.
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