Best RV Parks & Resorts near Lena, IL

This campground offers sites with electricity for RVs but some of the sites seem pretty narrow to use RV awnings. We booked an RV site but decided to camp. The site had a picnic table and fire ring but since it was an RV spot not a lot of good tent placement options. There are numerous pit toilets to use. The park has hiking trails that are accessible from the campground. The lake has a walking trail, kayak ramps and boat ramps.

Our second time staying - so that says a lot. We were here almost a year apart. The campground is 10min from a Midwest uncle we visit on our cross country trips. The campground is neat, tidy, cared for and I’m a lush location right on the banks of the kewaukee river. Site was big, level and grassy. You drive up on to it which works just fine for our class C. We spent just under 12 hours on-site this time but enough to use the play ground, big open fields, bathrooms and full hook ups for our big drive day. I’m sure we’ll be back.

We stayed here twice over the last several years. It is close to some family friends (whom I like to visit but not stay with! lol) and has a lot to offer. We have stayed in the primitive campsites but there are other accommodations available including full hook up RV sites. Sites cannot be reserved so you need to hope for a walk-in availability. One of the coolest things about this park is that you can see how the river carved into the limestone and shale and created cliffs and canyon. I really get into that type of seeing the power of nature over time kind of stuff. Typical midwestern wild life is abundant. Raccoons, deer, rabbits, squirrels, chimpmunks and a lot of birds will be seen my most who visit I assume. We saw a single hawk the first time but were told there are many (which was confirmed our second visit) and a lot of different birds but we are really slow with learning to identify them. The primitive campsites are what you would expect. There were more rocks on the tent pad than usual but nothing that can't be cleared with a few sweeps of your boot.

This campground has gorgeous scenery, since it is literally ON the banks of the Mississippi River. The campground is primarily concrete sites for RVs and there is a smaller grassy area set aside for tents only.

Pros: fishing, beautiful location, clean vault toilets and shower house, firewood on site for $5 a bunch, and sites aren't too crowded together. Lots of wildlife to enjoy- turtles, birds, muskrat, and fish.

Cons: Since it is right on the river and there is also lots of marsh, the bug situation was a bit much, especially when there was no breeze. Bring a screened canopy if you want to enjoy the outdoors without swatting bugs all the time. There is a single trail but the bugs made it unbearable. We hightailed it thru the supposed 40 mins trail in 30 just to escape them. The other con is that there are so few tent sites. If you are a tent camper, there are a handful of sites set aside between 2 big loops of RV spots (see red circle on map). The spots were hard to find on the map and we had to carry all out gear from the parking spot to our site so not ideal.

We love this state park for family camping. The sites for RVs have electrical, but no water. The bathrooms are OK, its what you expect from a state park. But the hiking around the park is amazing. There are tons of trails, and 2 wooden observation towers to climb so you can see all the way to Madison on a clear day! If it's a hot summer day, enjoy the swimming pool or head over to Cave of the Mounds where it's always cool. There's also a biking camp ground right off the Ice Age Trail, which makes it a great stop for an overnight or just a break. You're also close enough to drive to Mt. Horeb if you need more action or beer.

We've always enjoyed this campground because the overnight camping are has fewer sites, and therefore less crowded. It's a nice shaded area with some tight spots. If you are in a tent, some even have gravel pads for a level area that drains well. For RVs, be sure to select a bigger site than you think you need. Sometime's it's tricky to maneuver your camper so big rigs may want to stay elsewhere. Our 30 ft. travel trailer fit fine, with some skilled driving. Lots of trees for shade or hammocks, and bigger fields and picnic areas if you need some space to play frisbee.

First, once you are here and settled, the rolling hills and man-made lake are truly peaceful. I have camped here for over 30 years, and seen many changes. Unfortunately, this State Park is the hardest hit by the budget crisis. The roads are a pot-hole obstacle course, and the bait shop/boat rental, and restaurant is closed. There are always three campers taking advantage of the Campground Host position, but nine times out of ten, you have to wait until well in to the evening for the one, overworked, ranger to check you in. Surprisingly, the bath house is always clean. Do not plan on mountain biking...the trails are open to everything, and the road apples are impossible to avoid...not a pretty site as mountain bikes do not have fenders. The absolute most annoying thing about this park is that there are "gawkers" that constantly flow from Lena, and zig-zag the entire campgrounds. All Saturday evening, after church on Sunday, and anytime you are outside of your camper, you can expect gawkers driving by at 3mph, staring like the village idiot. The only humor is to stand there and make like you are filming them, or taking their picture...although some seem to like even that...WIERD!!! (None of them have car passes or trailer hitches...or, a life.)

Blue Mounds State Park is a great campground.  I love the area all the trees.  They have hike in campsites, bike in campsites and regular campsites.  They also have a group area.  If you are in a tent you will have great luck, I would advise in a trailer or Motor Home to inspect you site closely before you say yest to it, or you may be like us and change it 3 times.  Not very many level sites unless you can get up on the tent pad.  At one we thought was fairly level our tires were a good 3 inches off the ground in front.  We finally found one we could live with.  They have limited sites with Electricity so also if you need that look around.

I will have to say that the facilites are really nice and very clean in fact I have never seen a bathroom floor that clean on a weekend.  

Speaking of weekends it does fill up most weekends so you will need to make reservations unless you want to use the hike in sites.

They have a recreation are also in the park that has a beautiful pool.  Picnic areas that are great and towers you can go up to see the Mounds. 

WE have spent 2 times there this summer and will be back next summer.

If you are there there are a few areas to visit.

Mt Horeb the Troll Capital.  It is a small town about 20 miles if that.  Has a Troll theme and you can see the trolls all over the town.  Some good restaurants and one of the weekends we were there was the Art   Tour it is in the entire area and had some great art studios you could visit.

Cave of the Mounds is another place you have to visit.  This is a great cave during the week they give guided tours on the weekend it is self guided but have docents around explaining everything.  Well worth the money and trip.  This is about 5 miles from the Park.

I will say no internet and cell phone was very spotty. It is also one of the darkest areas if you are into the stars, just put something on for Mosquitos. 

All in all a good solid 4, only down side was we were in a Motor Home and the not level sites was not the best.

The sites are very well isolated and shaded, and have a well maintained gravel and packed earth surface. Not great for staking a tent, but doable. Excellent for RVs but some sites are non-electric. There are no other hookups, but there is a dump station. Every site has a fire pit and a picnic table. Many sites have a slight slope. Trail access to both the state park trails and to the Military Ridge Trail which runs nearby.

I stayed two nights in a tent and really struggled to find an ok spot on my site to pitch it, between the slope and the occasional roots and rocks. I managed to get stakes in but only at great effort. It looked like some other sites may have been better suited.

There is a raccoon problem here. They were definitely snooping through my things on the first night. Heard coyotes during the night in the distance.

Overall I'm pretty happy with my stay due to the location in the park, and most of the issues I had would be moot with an RV.

As you find yourself heading east on I88 gunning it towards the Windy City or heading in the other direction fleeing it, should you find yourself looking for a nice slice of campground heaven to call yours for the night or even a week, then I highly recommend you give Crystal Lake RV Park your consideration. To begin with, in a matter of mere minutes after you get off I88 (either exit 41 or 44) head north towards the hamlet of Rock Falls, where you’ll find yourself dusting off those weary ‘road warrior’ digs and setting up camp in no time if Crystal Lake RV Park is your destination. And especially if you are coming with kids, you and your brood will be in for one nice little surprise as the family-friendly amenities and community you’ll discover here are excellent.

One quick note, so as not to waste anyone’s time here – in case you missed it in the headline, there is no tent camping at this property, which was a major bummer to learn. In speaking with the owner though, the campground has had lots of trouble with mi tent-pitchin' bredren on account of littering, irritating other fellow campers and apparently partying into all hours of the night in what is meant to be a kid / family-friendly campground. They did mention though that they are working on a creating a separate area that would be made available at some point in the future, so call ahead if you want to make sure.

To begin with, like me, you will likely be a bit confused on how to find this place, so while you can easily see the campground’s sign from Highway 30 next to a big ‘ol pond, also known as Crystal Lake (which is not just the namesake of the property you are destined to soon enjoy, but the major draw to this roadside outdoor haven) don’t turn down left on that first lane you see, otherwise you will be driving into a rather not-so-nice weekly hotel that apparently goes by a very similar name. Instead, take your second left, which is Emmons Ave, where you will head north and take the second left on 17th street, which will eventually dead-end at your intended campground destination.

Now that you’ve actually arrived at the campground, you’ll see a rather large office building that looks more like a makeshift oversized farm machine shed, but have no worries, the massive Crystal Lake RV Park sign that is in front of this building isn’t lying to you. This is in fact the main office where you’ll check in. Once inside, you’ll be greeted by the owner as well as distracted by the many amenities that exist here such as video games, an adult arcade featuring casino gambling kiosks, 40x40 meeting room, laundry room and recreational room featuring individual his / her bathrooms, with shower stalls inside and around the corner in a separate access point. Scattered throughout are 6 family-style bathrooms that are brand-spanking new. Oh, and they’ll sell you booze at this campground office too – in fact, the office feels more like one-part bar than it did a CG office.

While we’re on the subject of amenities, this place sure does pack a lot into a small place, including: 350-foot sandy beachhead right on Crystal Lake, which this campground has exclusive access to and that also features a fairly decent snack bar featuring hot dogs, nachos, pizza, ice cream and candy / chips as well as a lakefront picnic pavilion. There’s shallow and deep-water toys such as 4 water slides, water mat, rolling log and aqua duel with another slide on it. Additional diversions also include a grade-A go-kart racetrack – yeah, I couldn’t believe it either! a campground with an actual go-kart racetrack! – that sits right alongside the lake itself. There’s a rope swing along with a water trampoline that also features another slide and log as well as an aqua tower with its own slide and cliff. Did I mention that there’s an aqua golf course on the lake too?! And if fishing is your thing, you can do that right here on Crystal Lake, but you’ll have to head towards the southern end of the lake where it’s deeper, you know, so you don’t accidentally hook one of the kids playing in the water, right?!

The campground itself is pretty basic and easily organized with a single wide oval loop, much like a football field, but dissected in the middle with a single 1-way lane offering up other RV slots. In all, there’s some 35 pull-thru and 37 back-in sites offered up on a daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal rentals complete with all of the typical hook-ups you would expect: water, sewage and 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric as well as cement patios, large gravel diagonal slots with picnic table and fire ring. WiFi is included as complimentary. Slots are all a minimum of 50’ wide and 65’-90’ long, which is incredibly spacious by anyone’s standards.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) If you come with either canoe or kayak entowe, then you’ve hit oaring heaven with both the thinly placid Hennepin Canal – that borders the property and has a nearby boat launch just south of the property back on 1st avenue – or the raging Rock River to choose from, either of which will provide hours of fresh water exploration and angling; Oh, and if you don’t have your own kayak or canoe, fret not, this campground will rent you one for $10 / hour or there’s a handful of nearby operators you can rent from; (2) In the event that you can’t find a particular attraction or activity you might be looking for at Crystal Lake RV Park, which I would honestly find very difficult to do, then just due west of the property is Centennial Park offering up playground areas, baseball diamonds, paddle boat rentals, shelters with picnic tables, tennis courts and much more; (3) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is in your onboard mini-fridge or you just want to try out some local fare, then across the street you’ll have a few fast food joints to choose from like Culver’s and Burger King, but there’s a few other spots I would recommend first like nearby Rock Falls Candlelight, which is simply fantastic and a bit upscale for this area or the very modest A’s Kitchen; (4) Don’t discount the fishing option here at Crystal Lake, which is stocked with both large- and smallmouth bass, yellow perch and lake trout, but don’t forget to bring your fishing license(although I don’t know how they would enforce a non-licensed angler as this lake is private); (5) Feel free to bring your cooler to the beach as the property doesn’t mind people who are camping on the property to dial-up their BYOB and BYOF desires; and (6) IMHO, the best slots (#14-19 and #69-72) are those on the perimeter and back-up against the tree-line, offering up a bit more shade and privacy.

Happy Camping!

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.

Prophetstown is a park that has a great deal of history about the Battle of Tippecanoe which happened on November 7th, 1811.  It was a conflict between a coalition of 14 tribes and 1,200 troops.  The indians lost and moved on to Wildcat Creek.  The park has replicas of both the indian village and the white settlement of white settlements. There are excellent bike paths and wonderful explanation of the geology of the park.  The campsites are electricity and full hookup.

Nice CG with full hookups, tables, fire rings, hard pads. Sits right along railroad. Showers, RR, recycling, host site at site #1. Marina, downtown Clinton nearby.

Smaller CG has full hookups, trash dumpster, fire pits (no wood available at CG), city playground adjacent, with football field, horseshoe pits, shelter, bb court, hiking trail along Deep Creek, showers/restrooms.

Stropes is nice (formerly Shaws) and so is the new management. It's a peaceful place to unwind. Seems best for RVs/Campers.

This campground is tucked into a little area next to a Walmart, Culvers, and Mini golf course. It sits between east Dubuque and Galena. When we stayed they had a dirt bike rally. They have a lot of property you can't see from the road, and honestly we had driven by this place many times but just never stayed. 

The staff in the store was great and very helpful. They have a ton of sites (125) that range from tent all the way to full hookup. If you get along the outsides you have a lot more privacy and better chance they will be level. If you aren't worried about sharing a conversation with your neighbor then you can pick anything. We were up the street from a "girls" weekend where they had turned the bed of a pickup into their own pool since the properties pool was closed due to the pandemic. 

Lots to do here with the ability to play mini golf on a very nice course, walk through the trees and property, and get ice-cream from culvers. I imagine this place is a great place for group sites. 

They also had some cabins to stay in but we chose not to stay there. Instead we found a partially shaded area at site 109.

Let’s begin by highlighting what an amazing family-oriented, mega-campground compound this is, perfectly situated on Lake LaDonna, which offers up non-stop fun for every member of your family - young and old alike. And it doesn’t matter if you’re driving an RV, hauling a 5th Wheel or looking to pitch a tent – whatever you are bringing to camp out underneath the stars out here in the Midwest prairieland, no worries, Lake LaDonna Family Campground has a spot for you. And even if you don’t have anything, it’s not a problem, as this campground will easily rent you one of their A/C-equipped cabins (either Primitive of Deluxe) that offer up a stove-top, oven, refrigerator, wet bar and full-sized bathroom with shower. 

Throughout the entire campground, you’ll find there’s tons of shade with ample amounts of giant oaks lining the pathways and roads along with 2 meandering streams that create a really cool natural vibe. The most consequential amenity here at LaDonna is, of course, the lake itself, which provides a pretty amazing white sand beachhead. This is unusual because of, well, let's be frank, here smack dab in the middle of north central Illinois, there should not be any beachheads, so you’ve got to appreciate this man-made convenience that offers up a perfect spot for sunbathing, sipping Mai Tais or building a sandcastle. There’s tons of water toys here including two oversized Funbrellas that offer a decent amount of shade during a hot summer day. You’ll discover there’s a rope swing deck that sits atop a pirate ship, where you can plunge through 30 foot tall waterfalls before hitting the nice cold lake water. Waterslides, trampoline, floating innertubes and water spray cannons are also a blast for the kids that will be sure to keep them entertained all day long. As a parent, what I appreciated most of all is the fact that LaDonna has very well-trained, certified lifeguards who remain constantly vigilant about keeping an eye on your kid’s safety, leaving us parents to enjoy our time worry-free. 

Off the water, the amenities don’t stop, and also include: basketball courts, beach volleyball courts, kids playground, outdoor stage and pavilion, live music, themed weekends, full-service lodge and market selling snacks, beverages, groceries, ice, candy, sundries, beach toys and firewood. Let’s just say, if you forgot anything, it’s definitely a drive from here back to civilization, but LaDonna has you covered, once again. For RVers, there’s full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric and water) along with flat pads that are easy to get set-up on for just about any size of RV. There’s a designated dump station in the corner of the campground that you would have passed just as you crossed the railroad tracks to access the entrance of LaDonna right on Harmony Road. Most all sites come with a BBQ grill, fire ring and picnic table. 

As for the downsides, there are really just two to be aware of. First of all, if you are just a day camper or looking for a nice long weekend to enjoy out in the midst of nature, you will feel like a second-class citizen here at Lake LaDonna, who places much more focus and provides greater service and access to those RVers who are seasonal. And from a business standpoint, while I understand it, as a weekend tent camper, it’s certainly a draw back. What do I mean? Well, if you book a weekend like we did, you are only allowed certain spaces to choose from that are earmarked for overnight or non-seasonal campers, which have basically been isolated right next to the train tracks. This is the second, but arguably, the biggest negative for LaDonna – if you are located right next to the train tracks, at least once a night, if not 2-3 times a night, you will be startled awake by the blaring horn of the train and after it passes, a good 10-15 minutes of a roaring train, which our kids were certainly frightened of. So if you do come, a simple solution is to bring ear buds, if your negotiation efforts aren’t good enough to land you a spot somewhere far enough from the tracks where the commotion won’t disturb you. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you do end up renting one of the cabins, be sure to remember to bring your own bed linens, towels, toiletries and anything you need to make use of the kitchen. I have to admit, when I heard that the cabins didn’t come furnished with this stuff, I wasn’t as interested; (2) While the Pioneer cabins are moderately priced at $75-$85, I thought the Deluxe cabins were a bit pricey at $129-$149 for what they offered; (3) Should you be interested in getting some good hiking in, head back east to Route 2, where you can access the decent trails at Castle Rock State Park, 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; (4) The far better and more challenging hiking over at Castle Rock SP can be found with the North Trails, where 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; (5) There’s also a sweet little picnic area up here in the North Trails area called Aspen Ridge that is nice, and closer to the river, near River Bluff trail, you’ll see the picturesque Old Orchard picnic area, which I highly recommend; and (6) When you get tired of trying to figure out that next meal from your on-board mini-fridge or from the depths of your roto-molded Cordova cooler, head east to Oregon (the town, not the state, mind you) and try out Jay’s Drive-In, which will take you back to the 1950’s where you can pull up, stay seated in your car and have a server take your order from the parking lot, or head on inside, where you can put some quarters in the juke box while munching on any of the traditional burgers and hot dog combinations you might imagine, although I HIGHLY recommend trying out one of their pork tenderloin sandwiches and washing it all down with a chocolate cake shake.  Yeah.  A cake shake.  Go ahead, just process that!

Happy Camping!