Several pet-friendly campgrounds near Elwood, Illinois offer full hookups and spacious sites for camping with dogs. Potowatomi Campground at Kankakee River State Park, Camp Bullfrog Lake, and Leisure Lake Resort all welcome pets at their tent, RV, and cabin sites. Hollywood Casino Hotel & RV Resort provides clean facilities and a safe location for travelers with pets, though some reviews note train noise from a nearby rail yard. Channahon State Park Campground permits dogs at their tent-only sites with access to picnic tables and toilets. Most campgrounds maintain standard pet policies requiring leashes and proper waste disposal.
McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove offers pet-friendly walk-in tent camping with easy access to the I&M Canal and bike trail. The spacious sites include enormous picnic tables and large fire pits. Martin's Camping Ground, though located near I-80 with noticeable highway noise, provides clean bathrooms and showers for campers with pets. Tameling Campground features a scenic wooded lake where dogs can enjoy nature walks along the water. Many campgrounds in the area remain open year-round, though some seasonal restrictions apply at properties like Leisure Lake Resort, which operates from March through November. Despite varying amenities and noise levels, the region offers numerous options for camping with dogs in different accommodation styles.
"Partial hookups (sewer just outside of park behind hotel). $46/night (+fees) for a pull-through spot. Pet-friendly. Pleasant park with good pad. Near busy road and shipping plant."
"Nice safe location. Flat, pretty large spots..picnic tables."
"Right at the start of Osage is an entrance to the crushed gravel bike path. It gave us a great hike through the trees. You can find picnic areas and playground equipment by following the bike path."
"There are a few water pumps and vault toilets within walking distance, but we were pretty close to the shower house, which had stalls for toilets and showers."
"If you like having access to a bathroom and shower its great and because no one really hd a tent here but us we had some privacy. It is next to a highway so be mindful of that."
$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."
$37 / night
"Quiet, family orientated, fishing lake, miniature golf, activities"
"Our family had an incredible stay at Leisure Lake Resort RV Park over Easter week."
"The beach and lake were always well maintained, and we had often enjoyed live music at the pavilion. You can even play mini golf here! I would highly recommend for anyone that can invest."
$20 - $35 / night
"The park is dog friendly. The campground is clean and quiet. There is no bath house, only port-a-potty's throughout the campground."
"Yes, it’s an hour from the city, but I’d take the drive over the bill at a nearby hotel. There’s an outhouse and plenty of places to plug in the RV, and cars/tents are welcome too."
"It is a bit away from businesses. However if you arrive by car you drive through the quaint town. Arriving by bicycle is even better. The Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail passes right by camp."
$25 - $45 / night
"We just purchased our first Winnebago and needed a spot close to home for a quick trial run. We have three small boys and they were very excited to camp."
TravelerVery friendly host at the gate! Just what my wife and I were looking for. Quiet campground not far off the highway! Didn’t expect this kind of camping in Illinois! Nicely wooded and picturesque area, similar to northern Wisconsin!
ScoutAlthough we camped in Illinois record rainfall, we still had a blast. Plenty of trees to hammock, clean bathrooms, and a great river view.
TravelerSmall campground but very friendly. A plus was the full hookups. The sights are very close together. Management is not over bearing and very friendly. Dog friendly lots of dogs this weekend nice size dog park! You overall great weekend
ScoutWe’ve been staying at this resort for several months now, and wanted to share some feedback based on our experience.
The pool only opened mid-summer.
Water quality has been very bad. On one occasion, our pet had stomach issues after drinking tap water, which was concerning. The water is so unclean that our shower develops yellow stains within a day, and we’ve had to install a five-stage filtration system just to make it usable.
We’ve also noticed that rules aren’t enforced consistently, and it sometimes feels like certain guests are treated unfairly. For example, while we were told that personal kiddie pools aren’t allowed, we’ve counted at least six others set up around the park.
Package delivery is only permitted under special circumstances, and only if pre-approved by staff.
Had an incident where a staff member criticized my swimsuit at the pool, despite it being modest and similar to what others were wearing. I wore this swimsuit to many pools for many years. Additionally, the beach area is often closed even during posted open hours, and pool hours or updates aren’t clearly communicated—you have to inquire to get any information.
The storm shelter is typically locked, making it inaccessible in emergencies, which is a major concern.
We’ve also had to fix the swing set at the playground ourselves multiple times, as it’s been broken for a while. Many of the park’s facilities and amenities are showing their age and could benefit from updates and maintenance.
That said, there are aspects we’ve truly enjoyed, and they’re the main reasons we’ve continued our stay: the spacious layout of the RV park, a nice lake, beach, pool, gym, and a dog park.
GuideBeautiful spot for our single overnight. Staff were great; friendly and helpful. Park was well kept, with lots of green around RV and tent sites. Nice pool, dog park, store, and even a stream system that wanders through the park (no swimming in the stream). Also close to Starved Rock State Park for some neat scenery and hiking. The only downside side is that some of the RV sites are a little close together - didn’t impact our stay though. Two thumbs up! :)
TravelerMany very nice permanent sites. We loved the dog park along with the many activities available. We come here at least once a year. Check out their information on their website.
If you want a quick local get away this is the place.
ScoutGreat stop for the night, It's new, gated and has basic amenities like a General store, Dog park and basketball court and tennis ball court for some activities if you have kids. Plenty of space and Convenient. We reserved and checked in online. The only complaint I had is the site we were at showed a ground fault on the 50amp Circuit so I had to use the 30 amp circuit but it's Nov so no need to run dual ACs minor issue but still make sure your using your EPM devices.
LegendAs we were driving eastbound on I80 that day, we spotted the Love’s RV Hookup, which is a new concept that this oversized fueling depot / travel store has been working on for the past year or so. Having checked out one of their other locations in Bloomington earlier in the year, which I have to admit, I was fairly impressed by, we decided to stop in here to have a look. Located just due east on the outskirts of little known Morris, Illinois just off I80, this little roadside stand isn’t the largest Love’s I’ve ever seen, but it sure does pack a punch.
If you do find yourself hustling and bustling east or west along the I80 corridor and are in need of a pit stop or an overnight stay, then the good folks at the Love’s RV Hookup have you covered. While the other Love’s I have stopped by seem enormous by comparison, this spot felt more like a corner convenience store that also had a fairly large fueling bay (4 double-sided pumps) in the front, primarily for cars and SUVs.
As you pull in, there’s 4 spots earmarked to the right of the entrance for RV’s. As you pull further along in front of the Love’s fueling bay, on the other side, an additional 6 or so slots exist for other RVs to park. In all, there’s 10 back-in RV slots available and inside you’ll find that there’s 7 individual shower stalls (all of which were in pristine, brand-new shape when we stopped by) along with a laundry facility, which we were happily surprised by, as well as a designated RV dump service, propane refill station and all of the typical hook-ups (water, 30 / 50 amp electric and sewage) along with WiFi. Inside, there’s of course the Love’s retail market, which was just decent, an ATM, Hardee’s and Naf-Naf (think Subway, but instead, Middle Eastern food). There’s even a small dog park here. As I hinted at, quite a lot here for such a small location.
If you would like something more substantial to eat, just head back west on I80 to the next exit, where if you head north there’s an IHOP, Chili’s, Bellacino’s Pizza or you can head on back to the TA Travel Center where they actually have a proper sit-down 24 hour restaurant called R-Place. If instead of heading north, you drive south on the main drag (Road 47), there’s a Buffalo Wild Wings, Pizza Hut, Starbuck’s, Wendy’s, Culver’s, Dunkin' and Burger King. But if you want something a bit more memorable, I would recommend either Morris Diner & Pancake House or La Casa Michoacana. And if you don’t mind a slightly longer drive back towards Ottawa, there’s 2 amazing places I would recommend that you won’t soon forget: Hank’s and Lone Buffalo.
Should you want to actually enjoy a bit of the nature around these parts, you can continue to head south on N. Division Street / Road 47 where you’ll come to 2 parks: Goold and Chapin, where either would make for a great place to stretch your legs, walk the dog or grab a picnic. If you’d like something a bit more splendid, then head on over to William G. Stratton SP or Gebhard Woods SP where you will be able to hike the I&M Canal State Trail.
While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:
Convenience: 5
Safety & Security: 4
Quality: 5
Peace & Quiet: 4
Amenities: 3
Overall, I scored this location a 4.
Happy Overnighting!
TravelerFriendly staff who were quick to respond to any issues. Partial hookups (sewer just outside of park behind hotel). $46/night (+fees) for a pull-through spot. Pet-friendly. Pleasant park with good pad. Near busy road and shipping plant. No wi-fi found except at hotel. Good phone connection. Garbage cans throughout park. Minutes from I & M Canal entrance on Houbolt and from JJC and I-80.
Camping options near Elwood, Illinois span Grundy, Will, and Cook counties across undulating lowland terrain averaging around 600 feet elevation. The area features a mix of canal waterways, wooded areas, and urban proximity with seasonal temperature ranges from below freezing in winter to humid 90°F summer days. Most campgrounds remain open from March through November, though some offer year-round availability with primitive facilities during colder months.
Canal trail cycling: McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove connects directly to the Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail, offering walk-in tent camping with easy trail access. "McKinley Woods offers me a lot of nostalgia since I grew up in the area. The main draw to this place is the tow path. I high recommend bringing a bike to enjoy the trail. The trail is also part of the Grand Illinois Trail network," notes Scott N.
Mountain biking: Camp Bullfrog Lake provides access to extensive single-track trails. "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," according to Tim K.
Water activities: Rent kayaks for $15/hour at Camp Bullfrog Lake. "The kayaks are $15 and hour and include life vests. The lake is pretty small but it was fun to putter around," shares Layla P. Fishing opportunities exist at multiple locations, with Kankakee River State Park offering both river and creek access.
Well-maintained facilities: Hollywood Casino Hotel & RV Resort receives positive feedback for cleanliness. "Clean campsite, clean showers & bathrooms!" reports Jeana K. The campground also offers amenities like "free ice, free coffee, and juice, and donut in the morning," according to James B.
Spacious, private sites: Many campers appreciate the layout at Kankakee River State Park. "The campsites are very spread out and you will have a very private quiet campsite," writes Phillip L. Another camper adds, "Spacious sites with lush jungle-like greenery grown in between, which provides perfect privacy."
Natural surroundings: Pet-friendly camping near Elwood offers diverse environments. "Tameling Campground and RV Park provides a "Quiet campground with scenic wooded lake," notes Thomas C. At Kankakee River State Park, Linda N. shares, "We were able to take the kids to some knee deep water to play (swimming is NOT allowed in the river)."
Noise considerations: Several campgrounds experience various noise issues. At Martin's Camping Ground, "Traffic from I80 is extremely loud with semi's all night long," reports Carol L. Similarly at Hollywood Casino, some campers note "Rail yard behind the row of trees. I believe they were humbling train all night long."
Water quality concerns: Leisure Lake Membership Resort has received reports of water issues. "Water quality has been very bad. On one occasion, our pet had stomach issues after drinking tap water, which was concerning. The water is so unclean that our shower develops yellow stains within a day," according to Iryna R.
Seasonal limitations: Many campgrounds have restricted seasons or services. At Hollywood Casino, one camper notes "Not a bad spot. Average and relatively inexpensive" but warns "No water before 4/15," indicating seasonal water restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Elwood, IL is Hollywood Casino Hotel & RV Resort with a 4.2-star rating from 5 reviews.
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