Campgrounds near Hawthorn Woods offer a variety of pet-friendly options within Lake County's 170 square miles of forest preserves and neighboring state parks. The area sits on glacial moraines creating rolling terrain and scattered wetlands that influence camping conditions throughout the seasons. Local campgrounds typically operate from April through October with most sites requiring reservations during peak summer months.
What to do
Kayaking and canoeing: Chain O' Lakes State Park provides extensive water access through interconnected lakes and waterways. "I love to kayak through here because I don't need to paddle through the river unless I'm feeling competitive. I enjoy this route for the wildlife and nature scenery. I've seen beavers, minks, ferrets, and sand cranes on my two trips so far," explains a visitor at Turner Lake South. The park offers boat rentals at the main concession area.
Trail exploration: Extensive trail networks accommodate various activities beyond standard hiking. At Paul Wolff Campground, "Lots of biking and walking trails and plenty of off trail paths that lead to unique clearings, bridges, etc. The preserve bumps up next to neighborhoods and major roads depending how far in you get, but the main trails are easy to follow." Many trails feature crushed gravel surfaces making them accessible after rain.
Horseback riding: Several campgrounds provide equestrian facilities or nearby stables. "There is horseback riding here as well. The views are breathtaking," notes a camper at Mud Lake East. Chain O' Lakes State Park offers guided trail rides during summer months with advance reservations required.
What campers like
Private sites: Fox Den Campground offers more secluded camping areas compared to other options. "Fox den at Chain-o-Lakes state park provides a more secluded camping experience than Honeysuckle or the 2 tent camping areas. Pads are pretty level, and each site has some semblance of privacy from other campers (our site was protected on 3 sides by some fairly dense foliage and trees)," shares a camper at Fox Den Campground.
Lake access: Multiple campgrounds feature waterfront sites for direct water access. At Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort, "We stayed in one of the tent sites across the road from the lakefront sites. There are about 8 tent/pop up sites and the rest of the campground is for RVs. I recommend the lakefront tent sites, they are spacious and you can fish right from your site!"
Wildlife viewing: The wetland environments support diverse animal populations. At Sunset Campground, "If you enjoy bird watching or rabbit spotting, this is a great place to go... It was pretty hot a couple days while we were there and to take a break from the heat, we enjoyed the ac in the car and drove around the recreation area and the campgrounds. I have seldom seen as many rabbits as we saw."
What you should know
Insect conditions: Mosquitoes and ticks become particularly problematic from June through August. At Honeysuckle Hollow, a camper warns, "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks. Luckily our screen house pop up on a tarp that was sprayed ahead for tick repellent plus a blanket on top of that did the trick, but they literally fall out of the trees into people!"
Alcohol restrictions: Many public campgrounds enforce strict alcohol policies. At Fox Den, a camper notes, "The only big minus is the full hook ups fill up fast no spur of the moment camping unless it is early or late in the season. The other thing is ALL Illinois State Parks are now enforcing a no alcohol policy even if you are on your own site."
Gate hours: Most campgrounds close entry gates after certain hours. "A note that the park gates close early as well - we returned one evening at 10:30pm and couldn't get back in with a vehicle. Had to go back in on foot. Good to plan ahead!" advises a camper at Prairie View. Gates typically reopen between 6-7am daily.
Tips for camping with families
Budget options: Several campgrounds offer affordable primitive sites. "These campsites are as low as $12/night!! One of my favorite spots to test new gear. Family friendly. There's some small trails around as well that are beginner. There was electricity, however those sites are $25/night," reports a visitor at Turner Lake South.
Activity planning: Structured activities help keep children engaged. "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. Clean bathrooms and shower," shares a camper at Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort regarding their child-friendly atmosphere.
Animal encounters: Wildlife viewing opportunities abound for children. "We did a nice short hike in area. We had a great time at this campground and would visit again," mentions a visitor at Fox Den, while another camper adds, "We drove back out into the state park and parked to hit the hiking trails... We took a look at the boating docks and found paddleboats and row boats for rent."
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Electric hookup locations vary significantly between campgrounds. "These sites share an electric box. Some spaces the box is further than 30 feet from the pad. A lot of the spaces are also crowded together. Recommend sites 23 to 46 for spacing and electric distance," advises an RVer at Honeysuckle Hollow.
Water availability: Several campgrounds lack direct water hookups at RV sites. "The staff has to hook up a very very long hose and will bring it to your site. You can get water, it's just an inconvenience for you and them. But they do it with a good attitude," explains an RVer at Camp Reinberg, highlighting the extra steps needed despite staff assistance.
Seasonal planning: Dog friendly campgrounds near Hawthorn Woods have different peak times. "We stayed for 4 nights in June in a pull thru FHU. The mosquitos were pretty vicious... a couple of the regulars said it was the worst they'd been in years," notes a camper at Fish Lake Beach, while another mentions, "Always a great choice. We visited this fall and were happy. I always forget that the sites in the 340's are awesome. There was some flooding but it didn't effect our trip."
