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Equestrian Camping near Lake Bluff, IL

8 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

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    Chain O' Lakes State Park accommodates horses with extensive bridle paths throughout the property, though it does not offer dedicated equestrian campsites or corrals. Multiple campground loops are available, including Turner Lake South, Fox Den, and Prairie View, with varying levels of tree cover and site privacy. While horses can access designated trail systems, overnight horse boarding facilities are not provided within the park boundaries. Turner Lake South loop features steel fire pits with adjustable grills, clean restrooms, and showers located between Turner and Fox Den loops. The campground is situated two miles from the front gate, providing ample separation from day-use areas.

    The park's extensive trail system includes designated horse trails that connect with snowmobile routes during winter months. Riders can access multiple points of entry, with Oak Point picnic area and boat launch offering an alternative access point to the Fox River trails. For those bringing horses, the closest private boarding options are located in surrounding communities. Chain O' Lakes is particularly busy during summer months with motorboat activity on the water, while the trail systems remain less congested. The park gates close at 10 PM with tire shredders preventing re-entry after hours, an important consideration for those planning evening trail rides or returning from off-site stables. The combination of water access and wooded trails makes this location popular despite limited on-site equestrian amenities.

    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Lake Bluff (8)

    Filters    Tent onlyRVCabinGlampingPetsEquestrian

      1. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

      4.3(8)16mi from Lake BluffRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "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."

      from $43 - $73 / night

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

      4.3(12)20mi from Lake BluffRVs, Tents

      "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."

      "There is a lot to do at this park from hiking to water sports to horse back riding. We did a nice short hike in area. We had a great time at this campground and would visit again."

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

      3.9(13)20mi from Lake BluffRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "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."

      "Trails were geared more towards horses and bikes, but there are plenty of walking paths, and we were able to find some hidden trails along the lake (read: unofficial)."

      4. Paul Wolff Campground

      3.9(21)30mi from Lake BluffRVs, Tents

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

      "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."

      from $12 - $35 / night

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      5. Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

      3.6(23)35mi from Lake BluffRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Conveniently located next to Lake Geneva with a tiny roadside beach area. I recommend camping sites on the west side of the camping loop to cut down on sun. Not enough electric sites for campers."

      "We stayed at site 98- just barely big enough to fit our travel trailer in and right next to the showers and bathrooms. Not a great location, but fine."

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      6. Big Rock Campground

      3.8(18)50mi from Lake BluffRVs, Tents

      "Clean, with large sites, about a 5 mile walk around the nearby lake- saw several deer and rabbits - T-Mobile worked just fine- no Wi-Fi"

      "Open campground with nearly zero tree. We had a great campfire but didn’t take advantage of the whole park to explore. She wants to again this year but we will spend more time hiking."

      from $18 - $35 / night

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      7. Elkhorn Campgrounds

      4.3(4)44mi from Lake BluffRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana. You might even be able to catch a show or two on site at the fair grounds, depending on the time of year."

      "Easy access to electric and/or water. If unsure, contact office. Site, restrooms, and showers were clean. There are a lot of sites but still felt like there was ample space."

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      8. Kishwaukee Valley Farms

      Be the first to review35mi from Lake BluffTents, Glamping

      from $74 - $100 / night

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    Equestrian Camping Reviews near Lake Bluff, IL

    99 Reviews of 8 Lake Bluff Campgrounds

    • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
      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:)

    • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
      Aug. 16, 2020

      Paul Wolff Campground

      Great value Chicago suburb campsite

      I've camped here four different occasions this 2020 covid-19 year. The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms. It is a super clean campground with multiple hosts and forest preserve staff. There are a large number of RV pads overlooking the prairie and a few along a grove of trees. I was lucky once to see the equestrian area full of campers with their horses. There are 9 walk-in tent sites about 10-20 yards from parking (the two at the end p7 and p9 are connected for groups that know each other). There are multiple ada sites and two "walk-in/ie roll-in" site in the tent-only area. It's a good mix of young people, retired people, and families. I've seen weekends with mainly RVs and one weekend with a quarter of the drive-in sites being tents. The most shaded sites are p1,3,5,7 and 9. Many of the sites in the middle are wide open with little shade but nice summer breezes. Prices are a great deal if you live in Kane county but still worth the trip if you live in another county. Firewood is $7 for about .75 cu ft (what you can fit in a milk crate.) There are a few trails and I've seen lots of butterflies, gold finches, hawks, deer, flocks of giant sandhill cranes, rabbits, ground squirrels, and of course actual squirrels. Lots of people (including me) bring their leashed dogs. The other campers have been polite and friendly. I wish there was more distance between sites in the water/electrical loops for more privacy, but I'd go every weekend if I lived in Kane county because it would be worth the resident price even tho there are so many RVs. Because there is electrical it is a peaceful campground with no generator noise.

    • M
      Jun. 2, 2021

      Paul Wolff Campground

      Not for #vanlife

      Full hook ups and electric sites plus some restricted Equestrian and walk in sites
      Not for #vanlife. I tried to pay for a tent site and was told “you’re not supposed to sleep in your car” “this campground is for RV’s only”

    • Jeff G.
      May. 21, 2019

      Big Rock Campground

      Wide open with very young trees

      Grass camping. The spaces are pretty level. The trees will be terrific in about 20 years. There is nothing much to do here, or nearby. It’s clean and the comfort stations are new. There is electric at the sites and water spigots throughout, although not really at each space. I saw where some campers hooked about 150’ of hose to spigots behind the loops to run to their campers. The dump station is good. It’s expensive, for what is there, if you are not a Kane County resident. There appears to be some equestrian space and trails. Quiet.

    • Joel R.The Dyrt PRO User
      Oct. 23, 2018

      Big Rock Campground

      No shade, no shower

      No Shade, and no showers. This is a relatively new campground not too far (about an hour drive) from Chicago. We looked at this place when we were looking for a spot to camp for a local wedding. But, no shade in the Illinois heat and no shower made it unacceptable. There were paved roads and the sites looked large and level. There was water and electric And a dump stations at the entrance/exit.

    • Brenton S.
      Jul. 1, 2020

      Elkhorn Campgrounds

      Affordable and friendly!

      Such a great little place to escape to or visit if you're just passing through. Nothing crazy fancy but hook-ups and fire pits available if needed. Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana. You might even be able to catch a show or two on site at the fair grounds, depending on the time of year.

    • C
      May. 31, 2017

      Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

      Typical State Park Campsites

      The state park is larger than expected with decent amenities (boat rentals, concessions, relatively clean pit toilets) and areas designated for trailer camping and tent camping.

      We stayed in the Turner South Loop, one of the older tent camping loops, and the age definitely showed. Most of the sites on this loop are pretty worn, with not much privacy. We stayed in T10, but would consider T9 if we returned to this loop for a different reserved site. The prairie loop looked a bit newer with bigger, less worn sites. Both loops had grill pits that were well-maintained for fires and campfire cooking.

      Trails were geared more towards horses and bikes, but there are plenty of walking paths, and we were able to find some hidden trails along the lake (read: unofficial). Overall, a place for relaxing and leisurely strolls and not hiking.

    • Bob C.
      Jul. 10, 2023

      Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

      Crowded weekend

      The campground was full for the weekend but emptied out on Sunday. Conveniently located next to Lake Geneva with a tiny roadside beach area. I recommend camping sites on the west side of the camping loop to cut down on sun. Not enough electric sites for campers.

    • Jeanne M.
      Apr. 20, 2018

      Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park

      Great for local get aways

      Great for the times that we have to work weekends and still want to go camping. 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. 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.

    Guide to Lake Bluff

    Chain O' Lakes State Park features a range of trails for equestrians and hikers spanning 3,230 acres across Lake County, Illinois. The park's system of natural glacial lakes and marshes creates unique seasonal conditions for campers, with peak visitation in May through September. Trail users should be aware of shared usage with snowmobilers during winter months, when temperatures can drop below 20°F.

    What to do

    Fox River trails access: Oak Point picnic area serves as an alternative access point for the Fox River trails at Chain O' Lakes State Park. "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," notes Brian O.

    Kayaking through connected waterways: The park's seven lakes connected by narrow channels create ideal conditions for paddlers seeking wildlife viewing. "I love to kayak through here because I don't need to paddle through the river unless I'm feeling competitive. I've seen beavers, minks, ferrets, and sand cranes on my two trips so far," explains Cora M. from Turner Lake South.

    Fishing access points: Multiple shoreline fishing areas are available throughout the park, with clear water visibility in many locations. "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," reports Julia B.

    What campers like

    Privacy between campsites: Fox Den campground offers more separation between sites than other loops in the park. "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)," writes Ian C.

    Affordable tent camping: Budget-conscious campers appreciate Turner Lake South for its reasonable rates. "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," shares Addison G.

    Convenient location: The proximity to Chicago makes Paul Wolff Campground appealing for weekend getaways. "I've camped here four different occasions this 2020 covid-19 year. The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms. It is a super clean campground with multiple hosts and forest preserve staff," states Marisa A.

    What you should know

    Reservation requirements: Advanced planning is essential for securing preferred sites, especially during summer months. "This IL state campground fills up quickly on the weekends over the summer. The best sites for those hoping for privacy are in Turner Lake South and Mud Lake East. While these sites are usually slated for walk-ups on the weekends, it seems like a lot of people go early on Thursday or even Wednesday to secure their sites for the weekends," advises Marisa A.

    Equipment needs: Water connections at some campgrounds require additional equipment. "Water hookup is far behind camping pad - bring extensions!" warns Amanda K. about Big Rock Campground.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Lake Bluff, IL?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Lake Bluff, IL is Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort with a 4.3-star rating from 8 reviews.

    What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Lake Bluff, IL?

    TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Lake Bluff, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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