Best Tent Camping near Kingston, IL

Recent Tent Reviews in Kingston

528 Reviews of 12 Kingston Campgrounds

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 16, 2024

  Hansen's Hideaway Ranch and Family Campground

  Out-N-Da-Boondocks Working Ranch Camping Experience

  Ever dreamt of working / living / camping on an actual working horse ranch?  Then you've arrived at the perfect spot.  As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:

  Highlights: (1) Great hiking and kayaking in nearby Rock Cut State Park & George Fell Nature Preserve; (2) Supreme amount of peace & quiet; (3) Authentic feeling like you are actually on a working horse farm; (4) Sites are spacious and nicely shaded; (5) Excellent, well-maintained amenities like a game room, arcade, playground, small swimming pond, clean restroom & showers; (6) Very friendly and welcoming CG staff; and (7) Ample space to wander around and get lost in nature

  Lowlights: (1) This CG is very remote; (2) There is nothing nearby to either stock up on supplies or grab a bite to eat, so when you come here, bring everything with you that you’ll need

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 15, 2024

  Franklin Creek State Natural Area Equestrian Campground

  Primitive Equestrian Camping in the Prairies

  Located just northwest of the little hamlet called Franklin Grove, which is just due north of Ronald Reagan’s birthplace in Dixon, Franklin Creek State Natural Area Equestrian Campground is ideal if you are one of those primitive campers who want to take their noble steed(s) with them for the night in order to gallup along some pretty amazing horse-friendly trails. While there’s not a lot in the way of amenities here, if you need a post to tie up your horse, a round-about where they can go for countless circle walks along with plenty of hay to keep them fed, then this location might just be ideal for you.

  What I enjoyed most about Franklin Creek State Natural Area is the 882 acres of fresh prairieland that feels fairly untouched and ready for some eager exploration. There’s several small natural springs completely shadowed by endless forests of hardwoods along with all of the natural fauna that you would expect in these parts like gray and fox squirrels, white-tailed deer, racoons, chipmunks, beavers and opossums. If you’re a bird watcher, you’ll enjoy the flycatchers, warblers, and woodpeckers, vireos as well as barn and horned-rim owls. And according to the information I found on-site, there’s more than 19 species of fish that you can find in the fresh water streams, creeks and rivers here.

  From an amenities standpoints, while you will find 4 picnic shelters (Bartlett, Sunday, Banker and Hausen-Knox, all of which can be reserved), restrooms, potable drinking water, stand-up grills and fire pits, there is very little in the way of amenities in the actual equestrian campground apart from water spigots with a picnic shelter, restrooms, running water, show area and the occasional picnic table. The equestrian trails offer more than 12 miles of horse hoofing fun and the terrain is heavily forested with just slight variable grades increasing and decreasing around fairly easy-to-maneuver turns. You’ll also discover that there is a very nice stream here that the kids will love jumping across and / or wading in searching for crawdads or small fish.

  What you’ll enjoy most about being here, apart from the peace & quiet as well as the abundance of serenity is that this place has a really nice connection with history as it features a fully functioning grist mill that goes all the way back to early Americana where corn meal and wheat flour were made from the stream currents of water passing by that would fuel the grist mill. On weekends, you can actually take the kids to this site, located just 70 yards west of the Equestrian Campground for a super-cool interactive exhibition. Other activities here that you can access include an archery range, cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking, biking, hunting and even snowmobiling.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Should you get tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or on-board RV mini-fridge, then you are in luck as with in the nearby town of Franklin Grove, given its very small population of just slightly more than 1,000 souls shouldn’t have many restaurants (let alone stop lights), but thankfully for your sake, it does. Apart from the Casey’s gas station, which actually serves up some pretty awesome pizza believe it or not, there’s 3 proper restaurants all serving ‘down home Midwestern comfort food’ that are each pretty delectable: Lincoln Way Café, Rooney’s and Rev on 38; (2) If you are looking to explore a slice of history in these parts and the grist mill just isn’t your thing, head due west to Dixon where you can go explore the boyhood home of Ronald Reagan. There’s also nearby Chaplin Creek Historic Village featuring an old salt box farmhouse as well as a one room school, which will take you back to the late 1800s before the world knew modernization and technology; (3) Although the trail hiking at Franklin Creek State Natural Area are very good, should you be on the hunt for much more challenging trail hiking or biking, then head on over to either White Pines Forest State Park or Castle Rock State Park, both of which are only about a 20 minute drive from here and offer very large areas to explore; (4) Should you come with kayak or canoe and are looking for some good challenging currents to get some excellent oar-rowing in, you will struggle to find that here at Franklin Creek State Natural Area, so I highly recommend towing your watercraft over to the banks of the Rock River where you will be richly rewarded; and (5) When you are ready to book this particular equestrian campground, just go to the IL SP site to book it: https://camp.exploremoreil.com/location/221.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  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!

• 

  Tori K.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 4, 2024

  Sunset Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

  Close to family

  Recently camped here while visiting some family in the Racine area. Was nice and close to them and was a nice place to stay!

  Lost of campsites between the two campgrounds. Sunset offered electric or non-electric sites. Shower building, flush toilets, vault toilets, dump station, playground. Firewood sold at the visitor center via a vending machine, card only.

• 

  Jonathan J.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 3, 2024

  Lowden State Park Campground

  Just Ok

  The rustic campground was closed for winter. The main campground was half closed off also. Everyone was funneled in to one area so there was no privacy. The statue was pretty cool though.

• 

  Jon L.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 23, 2024

  O'Connell's RV Campground

  BULLET HOLES IN MY AIRSTREAM!

  BULLET HOLES IN MY AIRSYTREAM. Yes, you read that correctly. I had 4 bullet holes in my Airstream and to date, O'Connell's has NEVER RETURNED ANY CALLS OR EMAILS regarding this incident. A police report was made, photos were taken, and still nothing. Thousand Trails should be aware of this, but I'm guessing they are not. What if your kids were playing outside? My neighbor had a bullet hole in her shed and he also posted about it. O'CONNELL'S IS DANGEROUS, stay away from the new "Premium" lot section. I paid extra for this?

• 

  Addison G.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 23, 2024

  Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

  Awesome choice for campers on a budget

  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. Bathrooms could’ve been cleaner but we were grateful for the facility which doubled as a storm shelter. There’s indoor showers and bathrooms. There are also cabins at this campsite, not sure on pricing tho

• 

  Brian O.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 17, 2024

  Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

  Fine camping in Northern Illinois

  We stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com(where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. 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. Facilities are clean and well lit. Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill. This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood. To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north(including a bar& grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora. There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground. Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason. An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm& Orchard(which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market. One last thing, 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:)

• A

  Alexandria P.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 11, 2024

  Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

  A bit deceptive

  So this place is much less dog friendly than is advertised. Dogs aren’t allowed in large swaths of the park nor on the (tiny tiny, bordered by loud highway) beach. Lake Geneva is very pretty, but the area is obviously very wealthy and obviously geared toward retirees without dogs or with tiny dogs they leave at the RV (to bark, constantly, at their next site neighbors. Until the owners get back.)

• 

  Abbe W.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 10, 2024

  Whitewater Lake — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

  Nice Campground, Great Location for Hiking the Ice Age Trail

  The campground was clean and quiet. We were in the East Loop. The on-site host was super friendly and helpful with firewood and ice. Pit toilets, no showers. Easy access to Ice Age Trail from the campground. Nice hike to Rice Lake.

• 

  Deb M.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 18, 2024

  Sycamore RV Resort

  Beautiful, peaceful camping

  Beautiful spot, very peaceful. We’ve been here for 3 months. There are two lakes, catch and release fishing. A small beach with a snack shack. Well run and maintained. Reasonably priced

• 

  Kenny P.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 7, 2024

  Thomas Woods Campground

  Great place for secluded camping

  Camped here on a whim. Amazing area. Super friendly hosts. The only thing I wish was a little more accessible is the website. I didn't know what kind of site I was getting, what it looked like, or if it was a hike in site or not. Turns out mine was, but it was not an issue for me on this trip. Site 30 for anyone interested.

• S

  Susan C.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 25, 2024

  Holiday Acres Camping Resort

  Beware

  Review: Holiday Acres Campground Our recent stay at Holiday Acres Campground was nothing short of a nightmare. From the moment we arrived, we felt unwelcome and targeted by both the staff and the locals. It's hard to say definitively if this place was racist, but the behavior we experienced certainly felt that way. Firstly, we were harassed and intimidated by the locals. They would drive around our campsite at night, yelling racial slurs and other offensive comments. This created a disturbing and unsettling atmosphere that made our stay extremely uncomfortable. The staff were equally unpleasant. We were falsely accused of peeing in the pool without any evidence, which seemed more like an excuse to target us than a genuine concern. Additionally, one staff member consistently displayed unprofessional and rude behavior. She berated one of us and treated him condescendingly, as if he were a boy rather than an adult. She exhibited this condescending behavior with the locals as well. Requests for assistance were met with eye rolls and obvious reluctance. Her dismissive and offensive attitude was consistent throughout our stay. The final straw came when we were kicked out for calling her a name after she persistently treated us with disrespect. While name-calling isn't appropriate, her behavior towards us was intolerable and unprovoked. The facilities were also abysmal. The bathrooms constantly smelled like fart, possibly due to the high sulfur content in the water, which only added to the overall negative experience. The showers were yellow with orange bits that could be scraped off, and the lack of cleanliness was appalling. The playgrounds looked so poorly maintained that you could get a splinter just from looking at them. To make matters worse, we were falsely accused of stealing by a local camper. Despite promises to review security footage, no evidence was provided, and no apology was offered for the false accusation. The pool area was another disappointment. The pool was cold, likely because it had just been filled. While the pool area itself was nice, it lacked lounging chairs, which would have enhanced comfort and relaxation. Overall, our experience at Holiday Acres Campground was horrific. The combination of harassment from locals, the hostile attitude of the staff, the filthy facilities, and the lack of amenities made for an extremely uncomfortable and distressing stay. I would strongly advise anyone considering this campground to stay far away, especially if you are looking for a welcoming and respectful environment.

• 

  ron R.

  Ranger

  

  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.

• W

  Wendy T.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 10, 2024

  Nature’s Way RV Park

  Great setting

  Just 5 minutes to Starved Rock state park and one mile from interstate 80. Great country setting with full hook ups, pool, laundry, camp store and showers.

• 

  Darshon J.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 27, 2024

  MacQueen Forest Preserve

  Well Kept Campground

  Well maintained bathrooms, great secluded sites. Super easy no registration its first come first serve. I will be goin again with my family.

• 

  Andrew A.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 21, 2024

  Camp Tuckabatchee

  RJ the camp director smokes pot on the job

  This new director smokes pot while children are out there camping! This is a children’s camp! My children will never be returning

• 

  Julia B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 18, 2024

  Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

  Nice lake

  The campsites are kinda small but not on top of each other. Had some raccoons at night even after we locked up everything in the car. The lake was very nice. We were able to kayak but be careful getting the kayaks in. Stairs down to the pier and the bottom of the lake is very mushy. The water was very clear and you could see the fish swim by. This loop is best for tent camping. The other loops are basically all rvs. The boat launch to the fox river was nice too but it does get busy.

• 

  Chris P.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 9, 2024

  Happy Acres Kampground

  Worse place of the trip

  Tried to stay here. Called several times. Left several messages. We were heading that way and decided to stop in and see if they had availability. Pulled in and there was a lady inside the office and it was locked. She gave me an evil look then ignored me. Called twice from the parking lot from inside my rig while staring at the woman. She ignored the call.

• 

  Rebecca C.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 30, 2024

  Rock Cut State Park Campground

  Not well maintained

  We have a 30 amp trailer. When we got there, the electricity wasn't working. It was 93° on a Saturday. We called the Rangers and asked them to look at our site breaker since it kept tripping. They came, told us the park was old and not updated but then ultimately told us it was our trailer. We had to rent a motel for the night because we couldn't even pull out the slide or anything. This was after spending about 6 hours pulling apart all the electrical in the trailer. Went to camping world the next day just for us to use their plugs and it was fine. We thought maybe it was our cord so we bought a new one and still nothing. We called the Rangers again who came to look at it. Told us that the park was just so old that it probably couldn't keep up and moved us to a 50 amp sight. The 30 amp plug there would work for about 2 mins and then would keep tripping again. So we ended up having to go back to camping world to get an adapter to use the 50 amp. Wasted about 30 hours of our trip over their electrical not being updated and they knew that. Tried to reach out to get the first night reimbursed since we literally couldn't even stay there or use our trailer. Was told we had to come back the next day to speak to the head ranger, came back and he wasn't there again. Was told he would call us two different times and never got a call. Will never stay here again.

• 

  Danielle D.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 22, 2024

  Northwoods RV Resort

  Great for seasonal camping

  The sites are pretty big. The campground is not congested at all. The people are very nice. Everyone waves to everyone.

  We came here because they showed a water obstacle course on their website. When we got here, we were informed that their beach hasn't passed health tests for the past few years. So no obstacle course or beach area.

  The pool is very clean and the staff helped us pick a better site upon arrival. They also have a very pretty river to fish.

  There is no store. The only thing available is firewood. If you need anything at all, there is a Walmart about ten minutes down the road.

  The site is nice and grassy but there are a ton of bugs; mostly gnats.

  All in all, it's a very clean place with great people. The pool is wonderful. The parks are great. But it's definitely a more lay back and relax kind of place. Not a ton of stuff to do for kids.

• 

  Linda N.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 11, 2024

  Blackwell Family Campground

  Great little getaway

  This was our first time camping tryout and we had a blast. It is deep enough in the forest preserve to feel like camping but is not far from our home, which allows for a quick getaway. The campsite was very clean and the staff/ranger nice and knowledgeable. The ranger offers evening entertainment for the kiddos and during our stay, blew gigantic bubbles for the kids to chase around.

  The toilets on the loops are vault and the ones by the main entrance are flush. Didn't use the showers on this trip but both facilities were well maintained and clean. 

  As other reviewers said, since it is in the forest preserve, the gates close an hour after sunset and reopen at sunrise. The ranger did cruise through the sites to make a formal announcement so that visitors could leave. It is also close to a main road and you could easily hear cars passing by throughout the night. We will definitely be revisiting as a quick getaway spot.

• 

  Addison G.

  Guide

  

  May. 14, 2024

  Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

  Super cute little campsite

  We stayed in Honeysuckle Hollow for a night. Not many people were there that night, as it thunder stormed. However site was well kept and concession stand available by the boat dock with everything you might need.

• 

  Susan K.

  Scout

  

  May. 12, 2024

  Thomas Woods Campground

  Thomas Woods Campground

  The campground is beautiful wish it was open more than the weekend's. The campground host needs to lighten up and shes out on the gator every 30 minutes, that gets annoying, also since we have also worked as campground hosts you don't run around with the gator giving people rides. It is a shame but we won't camp here again.

  They should check up on the campground host and hire one with a pleasant personality

• 

  J H.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 18, 2024

  Crazy Horse Campground

  Used to be a great place to camp

  Unfortunately, I can no longer say this is a great, affordable place to stay. The weekly rates increased by over $75 a week for the full hookup sites this season.  

  There was also a link to last years pricing still active until 4/16 that has since been deactivated when I asked to have my pricing adjusted to that amount. Seems deceptive to me, having 2 different prices in 2 different places on their site.  They will not honor the price and told me if I don't like it I can find somewhere else to camp. 

  Also, they no longer offer kayaks, which was the big draw to the campground. 

  We may keep our reservation this year, but likely won't be back next season.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 9, 2024

  Castle Rock State Park Campground

  Get a Kayak to Camp Here in this Primitive Campground!

  Located just 4 miles or so south of Oregon in north central Illinois, Castle Rock State Park is located along the snakelike Rock River, where Route 2 parallels a scenic drive full of nice foliage and heavily forested areas that are interrupted from time to time by deep gorges and ravines, sandstone bluffs, heavily forested dells and limestone-sheathed rock formations. If you’ve come this way to do some decent hiking, with more than 6 miles of moderate landscape, you’ll be rewarded for finding this place off the beaten path. And during the winter months these hiking paths make for great cross-country skiing and tobogganing. What’s super unique about this place is that you’ll discover in some areas of the park outcrops of the native forest, seemingly untouched over time, but yet, in others, the Midwest prairie sneaks up and surprises you just when you least expect it.

  As for the campground itself, be forewarned, you cannot drive or even hike into this campground – as it is accessed only by boat along the Rock River. And while there is supposed to be a boat dock right in front of the Castle Rock State Park Campground (just look at the photo of the map), I never found one, and I careened up and down the Rock River a number of times, so be prepared to get wet and muddy when trying to access this very secluded and often sparsely populated spot. I could only speculate that as we were in shoulder season, they hadn’t put the dock back in place yet as perhaps it was taken down during the winter? In all, there are only 9 sites to choose from and while fairly well-maintained, meaning that the grass is cut and the shrubbery trimmed back some, this is a very primitive site with virtually nothing, apart from a few in-ground rectangular fire rings w/ grill covers, a handful of stand-up grills and a couple of scattered picnic tables to make use of. There is only a single bathroom that can be accessed and there are no showers.

  From an historical perspective, you will find all sorts of rich Native American history up and down the Rock River, which in its original native tongue was called Sinnissippi, which is Sauk for ‘Rocky Waters.’ Here in this place, the Sauk and Fox tribes lived in peace until the advance of colonists in the early 1800’s, when the great Sauk chief, Blackhawk, led his and other tribes out of the area, only to return a few years later to ignite a series of battles called Blackhawk Indian Wars, which ended in less than a year and ultimately led to Blackhawk’s capture. If you have the time, I would highly recommend you drive further north just past Oregon where you can see the massive 10 story statue commemorating the Great Chief Blackhawk at Lorado Taft, which is another fantastic place to get in some hiking, explore nature and connect to this amazing patch of land.

  Insider’s tips: (1) While you can’t hike or drive in to this campground, you can canoe or kayak in, and decide to hike out of the campground, where I would strongly recommend ascending the single gravel lane that takes you up to Route 2, where you can cross the road and access all of the great hiking trails that are, here including Pond Trail with 2 miles of easy-to-moderate trails and Oak Ridge Trail, which is a bit more challenging, but only a single mile in length, with Fox Trail the shortest at a half mile, but quite scenic. These 3 trails make up the South Trails; (2) The far better and more challenging hiking is to be had in the North Trails, where you’ll have to hike down along Route 2 for a bit or hitch a ride, but here there’s a total of 5 trails to choose from: River Bluff (.5 mile), Wildlife Viewing (1 mile), Heather Valley (2 miles), Timber Edge (1/4 mile) and Forest Ridge (1 Mile). These make up the North Trails; (3) There’s also a sweet little picnic area up here in the North Trails called Aspen Ridge that is nice, and closer to the river, near River Bluff trail, where you’ll see the picturesque Old Orchard picnic area, which I highly recommend; (4) When you head downstream to access the Canoe Campground, be sure to stay on the right, as you’ll encounter a number of islands in the river that will block your view, so row close to shore in order to spot the campsite; and (5) You’ll access the boat launch up river from the entrance of the State Park, which is just beyond the Castle Rock Scenic Overlook and Wayside Area, but before you reach Aspen Ridge picnic area.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 3, 2024

  Hi-Tide Recreation

  Crowded Water Wonderland Family Camping Experience

  OK, let’s put the most important thing here in perspective – you are in north central Illinois and there should be absolutely no reason to find a beach anywhere in this state apart from a few select places bordering Lake Michigan, right? Other than this, finding a proper beachhead is impossible. Yet, here at Hi-Tide Recreation, the sandy beach is exactly what you’ll find and what a great time it is for the whole family, complete with all of the many on-water distractions and entertainment options this place offers from sand castle building, waterslide, ‘moonwalk,’ ice berg (a 15’ climbing wall in the center of the lake), water trampoline, log roll, rocket balls, floaties, inner-tubes as well as floating ‘lilly pads’ and shallow waters for the young kids. Let’s just say, in the heat and humidity of a Midwest summer, Hi-Tide offers a really great respite with this toy-packed lake refuge.  

  As for the campground, upon entry, you will have no other choice but to head straight to the main lodge where you will check-in. Here you’ll meet the crew that run this place as well as see the market that’s here, offering up just about anything you could think of (and quite a bit of what you didn't imagine) while you are camping: ice, propane, s’mores, ice cream, chips, soda, water toys, firewood, fishing supplies, RV maintenance items and campground gear. You'll also discover an arcade complete with video games as well as air hockey, foosball and billiards.

  Behind the market, you’ll find both pedal carts for rent as well as a pretty decent 9-hole mini-golf course that has recently been upgraded. There’s also a picnic area back here, lakeside deck, fishing dock, further afield as well as an in-ground community heated pool and playground just in front of the main office. The on-site restroom and shower facilities are first-rate, offering sparkling clean and well-maintained showers, toilets and even baby changing stations. There’s also an on-site laundr-O-mat located right near the shower / restroom facilities with 4 sets of coin-operated washers and dryers. On-site, you’ll find a proper dump station as well as designated dumpsters throughout the entire property. A handful of reservable small pavilions (no electric, 60 people max) and large (electric, 80 people+) are offered for rent at $50/day and $100/day respectively as well as a very small ½ mile hiking loop that follows the Little Indian Creek, which is kind of a joke, but hey, it’s a nice stroll.

  Like most entertainment-themed campgrounds like Hi-Tide, every week has a theme, so there’s planned activities like bingo, hayrides and disco parties to keep both young and old alike busy and entertained. In short, what’s the upside to being here at Hi-Tide? Well, if you have a young family and are looking for a lot of distractions and planned activities that allows you to enjoy a fairly mindless planning experience that you can either participate in with the kids or just let them run wild and do their thing, well then, Hi-Tide has you covered in spades. Nobody is going to get bored in this place!

  Downside? While it is true that you are out in the middle of nowhere, which has a semblance of feeling as though you are engaging in nature, with all of the entertainment and distractions that you will discover here, along with arguably the biggest downside – the place is completely overrun with management packing in RVs and 5th Wheelers as close to each other as possible – it will be actually pretty difficult to truly commune with nature. This is a campground campus that packs RVs in pretty snug, while feigning at offering tent campers some nice flat land to pitch a tent, and for those that don’t have either, you can still rent a cabin. But make no mistake about this place, you are in a little ‘camping city’ and everywhere you go, you’ll have endless options to distract you and keep you entertained, as well as being overwhelmed by the sheer sense of over-crowdedness. So, if you want peace and quiet and some really pristine moments with nature and wildlife, this really isn’t going to be the place you want to call home for a night or two under the stars.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you get tired of rustling up beans & franks for dinner and want to try out some local fare, you’ll have to drive a decent distance from here to get to anything, let alone of quality. The closest place you could consider is Somonauk, located on 34 just continuing due east where there’s just a few joints: Hot Diggity Dogs, Rambo’s Bar & Grill where Uncle Milty’s Pizza Palace is located right next door too, but the standout favorite in town is Country Kitchen for down-home Midwestern comfort food; (2) If you have any form of watercraft, you won’t really be able (or want) to use it here on the small lake that Hi-Tide has, especially with all the kids swimming, but nearby and just east is Lake Holiday which makes for a very great place to dip your kayak, canoe or outboard in; (3) For kicking back and enjoying some drinks, I highly recommend Tin Roof Tavern right on 34, where Teeks serves ‘em up strong, there’s a juke playing good tunes and even a mechanical bull riding, but was unfortunately not working when we were there; and (4) If you are looking for a real outdoors encounter with nature that may (or may not) include camping, give Shabbona Lake State Park a visit – it’s only 20–25 minutes from Hi-Tide and has everything, whether that’s fishing, hunting, hiking, biking or kayaking – you’ll be amazed at what you have so nearby. 

  Happy Camping!