Best Campgrounds near Highland Park, IL

Campgrounds near Highland Park, Illinois range from established state parks to county-operated facilities, with most sites located within a 30-mile radius of the city. Illinois Beach State Park in Zion offers tent and RV camping with lake access, while the Chain O' Lakes State Park system provides multiple camping areas including Fox Den, Turner Lake South, and Prairie View. Camp Reinberg in Palatine stands out as a well-maintained county facility with tent, RV, and cabin options. Most campgrounds in the area feature electric hookups, drinking water, and fire rings, with several offering full amenities including showers and dump stations.

Reservations are essential during the peak camping season from May through October, as most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally and fill quickly, especially on summer weekends. The Chicago metropolitan area's high population density means campgrounds within an hour's drive of Highland Park experience significant demand. Winter camping options are limited, with most facilities closing by late October. Many campgrounds in the area are situated within forest preserves or near lakes, providing recreational opportunities beyond camping. A visitor noted, "Camp Reinberg is a very well maintained campground with all the amenities you could need: a small camping store, communal kitchen, firepits, and clean bathrooms."

Campers consistently mention the convenient proximity to Chicago as a major advantage of these locations. Sites at Illinois Beach State Park offer views of Lake Michigan but provide minimal privacy between campsites. Chain O' Lakes State Park receives positive reviews for its multiple camping loops with varying levels of privacy and amenities. According to reviews, "Turner lake south loop has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites." The county-operated Camp Reinberg stands out for its cleanliness and maintenance, with paved cycling and walking trails connecting to the surrounding Deer Park preserve. Most campgrounds in the region balance natural settings with accessibility to urban conveniences, making them popular for weekend getaways for Chicago-area residents seeking outdoor experiences without long-distance travel.

Best Camping Sites Near Highland Park, Illinois (46)

    1. Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

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

    $25 / night

    "The group camp site is located pretty far away from the rest of the campsites, bathrooms, trails and amenities."

    "We had a phenomenal time at Illinois State Park camping facilities! Space was clean, nature was alive, and the neighbors so friendly!"

    2. Camp Reinberg

    12 Reviews
    Palatine, IL
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (312) 636-9750

    $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!"

    3. NAVSTA Great Lakes RV Campground

    2 Reviews
    Great Lakes, IL
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 688-6675

    4. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    8 Reviews
    Round Lake, IL
    21 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."

    5. Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    14 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    27 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!"

    6. Blackwell Family Campground

    22 Reviews
    Warrenville, IL
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (630) 933-7248

    $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."

    7. Paul Wolff Campground

    20 Reviews
    Elgin, IL
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (630) 444-1200

    $12 - $35 / night

    "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."

    "The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms."

    8. Camp Bullfrog Lake

    30 Reviews
    Willow Springs, IL
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (312) 636-9785

    $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."

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

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

    "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."

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

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

    13 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    27 miles
    +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!"

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Recent Reviews near Highland Park, IL

438 Reviews of 46 Highland Park Campgrounds


  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Camp Bullfrog Lake

    Great camping spot

    This is my second time staying at Bullfrog lake. The first time I was in spot 2 which had more privacy but felt more cramped. This time I was in spot 18 which felt like it had more space but had almost no shade.

    The camp hosts are really hit or miss. One guy was so nice and took a bunch to photos for me of me kayaking. The other guy seemed mad to be alive lol.

    The kayaks are $15 and hour and include life vests. The lake is pretty small but it was fun to putter around.

    Unfortunately the wood I bought from the camp store took forever to catch flames—my other two neighbors had the same issue.

    Bathroom/shower facilities were clean and well stocked.

    Overall I’d definitely stay here again.

  • K
    Aug. 28, 2025

    Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    Not communicable, fraud administration

    I reserved 5 nights, paid in full. After just one night, management cancelled my stay because my service dogs(Maltese) supposedly barked. I was fully cooperative, kept them quiet, and even documented this in emails. There was a stray cat near my RV that caused the issue, but instead of solving it, they forced me to leave. No refund for 4 nights. This is unfair, discriminatory, and against ADA law.

  • Kevin B.
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Camp Sullivan

    Enjoyed the camping experience

    Nice and clean areas, staff was very professional and helpful while I was there

  • Tim L.
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Chicago Northwest KOA

    Chill Vibes, quick get away from the city

    Far enough from the city lights, close enough to civilization. Cozy, small park with friendly staff and plenty of amenities. 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!

  • Tim H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 15, 2025

    Sunset Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

    Private sites, lots of wildlife ... and mosquitoes

    It's a wetland, mosquitoes are happening, but the trade off is just about worth it. If you enjoy bird watching or rabbit spotting, this is a great place to go. 

    We're from the south, so we are used to mosquitoes, but I have seldom been around so many all at once. Thankfully we had a pop-up screened gazebo that made sitting outside our tent much more enjoyable. I will say this though, even with there being more mosquitoes constantly attacking, I did not have the reactions to them like I do the mosquitoes back in Alabama and Mississippi. I wasn't itching much at all.

    But back to the fun part. 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. There were relatively few campers during the week and just about every other campsite had at least a bunny or two. 

    What drew me to this campground was how private the individual sites were. Each campsite is cut back into the trees so that most are at least semi-private. This was a nice feature given that many other campgrounds you are stacked in like cord wood.

    Our first night there, we left the rain fly off of the tent and just enjoyed the stars and the satellites streaking across the sky.

    Overall, it was a rather enjoyable week. The shower/bathrooms were nice and clean, though I will admit the shower got too hot even for my wife. It is an easy drive from the recreation area to Kenosha or other points of interest and Lake Michigan is worth a visit if you aren't from the area.

  • D
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Big Rock Campground

    Needs some shade

    This is a pretty new camp site, so the trees need some time to get big enough to provide some shade.

    The flush toilet building was very clean, but there was no TP in the ladies' room. And I have to wonder why you would build a new campground without showers?

    It is very close to the cities so we will stay here again.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Camp Shabbona Woods

    Not the best but acceptable

    Stayed the weekend. Definitely felt the urban community close by with ambulances and firetrucks noises in the background. They close the gates after 10pm was weird but overall ok. No electric or water hook ups can’t keep your vehicle close to your campsite. The good the bathroom are in good shape and the staff was friendly.

  • D
    Aug. 3, 2025

    Paul Wolff Campground

    No showers

    We would gladly stay here again!

    Great campsite with the best staff ever! The sites are clean and very well maintained. We loved the staff patrolling the grounds. The trail system is great for walking the dogs. And I even grew to like the no alcohol in the preserve rule.

    The vault toilets are clean but smell like vault toilets at 95 degrees. There is one very clean flush toilet building but no showers. They don't advertise showers, but this is the newest and nicest campsite I have seen without showers. There is some shade, but you have to search for it.


Guide to Highland Park

Camping sites near Highland Park, Illinois offer several primitive camping options alongside the established facilities. The area experiences four distinct seasons with hot, humid summers averaging 80°F and cold winters that can dip below freezing. Spring and fall camping provides moderate temperatures between 50-70°F, with spring often bringing frequent rainfall that can affect site conditions at locations like Turner Lake South, where visitors note the "bottom of the lake is very mushy."

What to do

Kayaking the waterways: Chain O' Lakes State Park provides extensive water access across its connected lakes system. At Turner Lake South, campers can enjoy paddling with wildlife viewing opportunities. "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," notes one visitor.

Mountain biking on dedicated trails: The trail systems near Camp Bullfrog Lake offer extensive single-track options for cyclists. "The mountain bike trails were awesome. If you're a trail rider, you must stay here. The lack of shade won't matter because you'll be riding all day. There are miles and miles of trails. We saw several vehicles carrying top of the line bikes in and out all day," reports a camper who visited in July.

Fishing opportunities: Multiple fishing spots exist across the various lakes and waterways. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort provides accessible bank fishing directly from lakefront campsites. "The lake is beautiful and surprisingly picturesque as it is all nature preserve on the opposite side. The beach is large enough and there are clean bathrooms right there," writes a visitor who enjoyed the shoreline access.

What campers like

Privacy levels between camping loops: Different campground areas offer varying experiences. At Fox Den Campground, campers appreciate the site layout. "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 dens foliage and trees)."

Proximity to Chicago with natural settings: Despite being close to urban areas, sites maintain natural environments. "This campground is very well maintained with all the amenities you could need: a small camping store, communal kitchen, firepits, and clean bathrooms. Located in the Norwest suburb of Palatine, this campground is super accessible from Chicago and a fun getaway for suburban camping," notes a camper at Camp Reinberg.

Wildlife viewing opportunities: The natural areas support diverse wildlife. "We saw a mother deer feeding her 2 babies. Hard to believe that there is hiking trails like those in such a densely populated area just outside Elgin, IL," writes a visitor to Paul Wolff Campground, highlighting the unexpected natural encounters.

What you should know

Insects can be problematic: Ticks and mosquitoes are commonly reported issues. At Illinois Beach State Park, visitors note: "Beautiful views and amazing sunrises but it is quite littered with trash and broken glass. Very busy in the summer and can get wild with people partying." Another camper warns about "flies and mosquitos are wild."

Seasonal operation limitations: Most campgrounds have restricted operating seasons. "This campground is open May 1 to October 31," notes Paul Wolff Campground's official information, while Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort operates from "May 1 to October 15."

Raccoon activity at night: Wildlife management requires proper food storage. At Turner Lake South, a camper advises: "The raccoons at night here are no joke. The second it's dusky, they come scavenging for absolutely anything food has touched. So basically, eat dinner and do s'mores early, then everything must be packed into cars for the night and all surfaces wiped down."

Tips for camping with families

Multiple playgrounds available: Chain O' Lakes State Park offers several play areas for children. "Multiple playgrounds, access to launch sites for kayaks, little store to buy ice cream or snacks," reports a visitor to Turner Lake South, making it convenient for families with children of different ages.

Budget-friendly primitive sites: Non-electric sites provide affordable options. "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," notes a visitor at Turner Lake South.

Seasonal activities for children: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort offers structured activities throughout camping season. "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," reports a visitor who appreciated the child-friendly atmosphere.

Tips from RVers

Electric hookup variations: Sites differ in electrical service arrangements. At Blackwell Family Campground, "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," notes a visitor who appreciated the universal electric access.

Water fill procedures: Some campgrounds have unique water access systems. At Camp Reinberg, a visitor explains, "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."

Pad variations between sites: RV site surfaces vary significantly. Paul Wolff Campground offers "a large number of RV pads overlooking the prairie and a few along a grove of trees," while at NAVSTA Great Lakes RV Campground, a visitor cautions: "It was a small RV park had a concert pad but not big enough for a 43 ft motor home. The site was 60 ft, but the whole site was not concrete."

Frequently Asked Questions

What amenities and facilities are available at Highland Park camping area?

While Highland Park itself doesn't have dedicated camping facilities, nearby camping options provide various amenities. Blackwell Family Campground offers electric hookups at all sites, level and clean camping spots, modern bathrooms, and reasonably priced firewood. They even provide discounted rates for DuPage county residents. At Prairie View — Chain O' Lakes State Park, you'll find more primitive camping with no electric hookups, though water fill-up stations are within walking distance. Most camping areas near Highland Park feature basic amenities like fire pits, picnic tables, and access to hiking trails.

Where is Highland Park campground located and how do I get there?

Highland Park is located in northeastern Illinois, approximately 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. While Highland Park itself isn't a dedicated campground, nearby Camp Reinberg offers camping options within the Chicago suburbs. To access Highland Park, take US-41 (Skokie Highway) or I-94 if coming from Chicago. For camping near Highland Park, Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park is accessible by heading north along Lake Michigan. Note that when visiting Illinois Beach State Park, navigate to the south entrance where the campground is located, as the north entrance doesn't offer camping facilities.

Is Highland Park in Illinois a good base for exploring nearby camping spots?

Highland Park makes an excellent base for exploring diverse camping options throughout northeastern Illinois. From here, you can easily reach Big Foot Beach State Park Campground which is conveniently located next to Lake Geneva with beach access. For those interested in exploring natural areas, Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park offers private sites and numerous hiking trails. For a quick weekend getaway, Big Rock Campground is about an hour's drive from Chicago with paved roads and accessible facilities. Highland Park's proximity to major highways makes it ideal for day trips to various camping destinations while enjoying suburban amenities.