Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Fox Lake, IL

Chain O' Lakes State Park campsites accommodate pets at multiple camping loops, including Honeysuckle Hollow, Turner Lake South, Fox Den, Prairie View, and Mud Lake East. All designated camping areas maintain pet-friendly policies requiring leashed dogs throughout the campground and trail systems. Electric hookup sites available at most loops provide convenient options for RV campers traveling with pets, while tent campers find spacious, level sites with fire rings and picnic tables. The showers and bathroom facilities remain clean and well-maintained even during busy camping weekends. Sites in Turner Lake South and Mud Lake East offer the most privacy for pet owners seeking seclusion, featuring wooded surroundings and natural buffers between campsites. Large sites with good shade make managing pets more comfortable during summer months. Campers reference The Dyrt for top tips on camping near Fox Lake, Illinois.

Trail systems throughout the park provide excellent pet exercise opportunities with miles of paved and crushed gravel paths winding through forested areas, open prairies, and alongside multiple lakes and the Fox River. Water-loving dogs appreciate the lake access points where they can cool off during summer hikes. The park's extensive trail network accommodates varying fitness levels and connects multiple camping loops, offering convenient walking routes from most campsites. Wildlife encounters remain common, so keeping dogs leashed protects both local fauna and pets. Sites near Turner Lake provide waterfront views with convenient fishing access directly from camp. Early booking is essential, particularly for weekend visits, as the park's pet-friendly reputation attracts many campers with dogs, especially during summer and fall seasons. The sites are generally well-spaced with good distance between neighbors for pet owners concerned about reactivity.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Fox Lake, Illinois (59)

    1. Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

    66 Reviews
    Zion, IL
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 662-4811

    $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."

    2. Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    14 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    2 miles
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) we chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end"

    "Campsite is nice, we're pretty close to our neighbors but not as bad as other places I've been. Walking distance to a fishing dock!"

    3. Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    13 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    1 mile
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61."

    "You can hear whatever highway is nearby pretty clearly and constantly.

    But if you’re not looking for something super remote then it’s fine!"

    4. Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    12 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "

    "We can both drive to work and then come back to relax. Close to some great places for antiquing if you don't want to hike the trails or fish."

    5. Sunset Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

    23 Reviews
    Burlington, WI
    15 miles
    Website

    "I would recommend this for anyone for starting to step out of the comfort zone for the outdoors. very simple, many paths to walk, jog, or ride a bike. a small lake is near the further parking lot. dogs"

    "Pros: great hiking trails, nice lake to kayak on, family friendly beach and picnic areas

    Cons: Not great fishing, no dog friendly swim area, the beach/fishing pier/boat launch are all pretty far from"

    6. Sunrise Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

    21 Reviews
    Burlington, WI
    15 miles
    Website

    "the property is HUGE and most things are about a 10 to 15 min walk from the campsites. lots of hiking, boating, swimming fishing and more! a great place for anyone!"

    "You can fish, hunt, hit the trail in your boots, or on your ORV. There is swimming but as kids I remember some people getting swimmers itch or chiggers from time to time."

    7. Prairie View — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    8 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    1 mile
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "Prairie View campground is in the Chain O Lakes State Park series. This is the no services campground. We could walk to fill up with water but no electric on site. Checking in was interesting."

    "It was me, my wife, our 8 month old daughter, and our dog."

    8. Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Lake Geneva, WI
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 248-2528

    "We 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."

    "Nice large sites. gravel spot for arc/trailer. fire pit and picnic table. trails for hiking are nice, but the overall camping area isn’t very big. 100 sites only. 30 with electric. this was the first time"

    9. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    8 Reviews
    Round Lake, IL
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 546-2228

    $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."

    10. Mud Lake East — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    7 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    $12 / night

    "This State Park isn't too far off the beaten path which is nice. Fairly close to gas stations, convenience stores, etc. The park is clean, and has the bathrooms and utilities that would be needed."

    "There are numerous sites that are on a small lake with great sunset views. Sites are decent size but not much privacy in between sites. Lots of wooded trails within the campground."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Fox Lake, IL

647 Reviews of 59 Fox Lake Campgrounds


  • jennifer Z.
    Oct. 22, 2023

    Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

    Surprising secret camp ground

    We 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.

  • Annabelle G.
    Jul. 29, 2019

    Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    Our all-time favorite place

    Absolutely beautiful, reasonable prices, electric available. Tons of restrooms, showers, laundry, and wonderful camp hosts. Huge beach area, dog park, fishing as well. Shop to buy items you may need and absolutely wonderful place. Open all year round

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 13, 2024

    Northwoods RV Resort

    New Campground Scent Emanates From this Freshly Minted RV Outpost

    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!

  • ron R.
    Aug. 19, 2024

    Lehmans Lakeside RV Resort

    My second stay here

    I 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.

  • J
    Aug. 14, 2022

    Happy Acres Kampground

    Great for families

    Staff 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.

  • Kaitlin M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 20, 2025

    Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

    Relaxing but no water hook up

    We 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.

  • W
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Kettle Moraine Southern Unit — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    Campsite 034

    We liked this site because it was on the "quiet loop." No radios or pets allowed. I'm not sure about children! :) The sites are fairly close together and the trees are sparse, but it was a beautiful site and wonderfully quiet for the long weekend over the 4th of July 2017.

    You can walk over to an area that has hiking trails right out of the campsite. State park mountain biking trails are also close by, but you would need to drive to them. The showers were clean and when we used them, available. There is a playground right next to them as well.

    The campsite itself had a good log-stopper so you wouldn't drive too far into the woods, great fire ring, and picnic table. We had nice flat areas for our tents.

    I am not so sure I would have enjoyed myself if I'd been in another loop. The quiet was perfect!

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 31, 2020

    Blackwell Family Campground

    Weekend Camping with lots of activities

    For 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.

  • Addison G.
    May. 29, 2024

    Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    Great spot for hiking Kettle Moraine

    Campsites are kept up and quite clean. Some have a beautiful view of lake. Some water fountains did not work, however sinks were always working. So many little trails all throughout the campsite. Family friendly (parks, beach, pet friendly)


Guide to Fox Lake

Discover the best spots for pets-allowed camping near Fox Lake, Illinois, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.

Pet-friendly campgrounds include Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

  • This campground offers a variety of amenities such as electric hookups and drinking water, making it a comfortable choice for pet owners.
  • With features like picnic tables and firewood available, you can enjoy a cozy evening with your pet by your side.
  • The park's proximity to the beach allows for fun-filled days of exploration and relaxation with your dog.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Fox Lake

  • At Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park, you can enjoy hiking trails that are perfect for walking your dog and exploring nature together.
  • The campground features fishing and boating opportunities, allowing you to spend quality time with your pet by the water.
  • Many sites are well-spaced, providing a sense of privacy while you and your dog enjoy the outdoors.

Pet owners like the amenities at Happy Acres Kampground

  • This campground is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, complete with a petting zoo and activities that cater to all ages, including your four-legged friends.
  • With a camp store on-site, you can easily grab snacks and supplies for both you and your pet during your stay.
  • The spacious sites allow for plenty of room to set up your tent or RV while keeping your pet comfortable and happy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Fox Lake, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Fox Lake, IL is Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 66 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Fox Lake, IL?

TheDyrt.com has all 59 dog-friendly camping locations near Fox Lake, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.