Cabin accommodations are available at multiple locations within a one-hour drive of Highwood, Illinois. Winter cabin camping provides particular benefits with heated options available at year-round facilities. Most cabin locations offer direct trail access for hiking and biking with several providing waterfront access for fishing and boating activities.
What to do
Mountain biking access: Camp Bullfrog Lake offers direct access to mountain bike trail systems popular with experienced riders. "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," notes one visitor at Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Kayaking opportunities: Chain O' Lakes State Park provides water access through multiple camping areas. "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 one kayaker at Turner Lake South Camping Area.
Fishing from your site: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort features lakefront sites where anglers can fish directly from their campsite. "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! The lake is beautiful and surprisingly picturesque as it is all nature preserve on the opposite side."
What campers like
Proximity to Chicago: Located approximately 30 miles north of Chicago, cabin camping provides quick access to urban attractions while maintaining a natural setting. "We really like this place and was about a 30 minute ride from our place in the western burbs. Some of the areas best mountain bike single track is right here," reports a visitor from Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Budget-friendly options: Turner Lake South provides cost-effective basic cabin accommodations. "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," shares one camper.
Seasonal activities: Richard Bong State Recreation Area offers year-round programming. "This state campground fits both scenarios. Nice hiking trails, fishing accessible within the park, beautiful, splendid nights by the campfire," writes a regular visitor at Sunset Campground.
What you should know
Cabin reservation timing: Demand for cabins increases significantly on summer weekends. "Sites # 4 and 5 probably have the longest length parking pad. I believe this is a relatively newer campground. There is NO shade during the day. None at all due to the trees within the campground being small," explains a visitor about site options.
Wildlife encounters: Ticks and mosquitoes are common, especially in wooded areas and near water. "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!"
Bathroom facilities: Quality varies significantly between locations, with Camp Sullivan receiving mixed reviews. "They look like they haven't been cleaned or cared for in months and often have no toilet paper in the bathroom stalls. When I took a shower I found a small frog in it and I wish I was joking about that."
Tips for camping with families
Beach access for children: Fish Lake Beach provides a family-friendly swimming area with convenient facilities. "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. The camp store sells treats and pizza, very convenient and makes for a more relaxing camping experience when traveling with young kids!"
Cabin size considerations: Larger families should check specific cabin dimensions before booking. "The sites were large and wooded with nice fire ring set ups. The staff was very helpful answering any questions and giving recommendations. We stayed on a primitive/wilderness site for $12 with no electric. They will allow anyone on these sites-we even saw huge RV'S and 5th wheels on primitive sites."
Contained play spaces: For families with toddlers, Honeysuckle Hollow Camping Area offers structured play areas. "Sites are almost all flat thankfully, so no weird slopes to sleep on and easy for babies/toddlers to stay safe. Also seemed pretty respectful in the evenings with people toning down the noise."
Tips from RVers
Electrical considerations: Most cabin and RV sites offer only 30-amp service, with limited 50-amp availability. "We had a back-in site on the north side of the campground. We had 50 amp, but no water/sewer, although there was a water spigot next to our site that we could use to fill up jugs of water. The dump station was near the entrance to the camping loop and had potable water."
Water access challenges: Campers should check water hookup availability at Chicago Northwest KOA as some sites require manual filling. "Very nice campground. It's on the smaller side and the RV sites are a little close together but they have it set up where your RVs doors open on opposite sides so it gives a little privacy. We would definitely camp here again. Our boys loved it!"
Gate closure policies: Several campgrounds implement strict gate closure times. "The gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in… unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark."
