Looking for the best options for camping with dogs near Oregon? The Dyrt can help you find the best campsites for you and your dog. Search nearby pet-friendly campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Located 10 miles northeast of Rockford, Rock Cut State Park is a 3,100-acre recreation area that encompasses two natural grasslands, a natural creek area, a nature preserve and 162-acre Pierce Lake. The area was designated a state park in 1957 as a way of preserving a local polititian’s favorite fishing hole. Prior to this, the park and wider area has a long history of Native American residence, including the Mascouten, the Winnegabo, and the Chippewa. With abundant water and preserved natural areas, the park now supports a thriving habitat for local birds, fish and wildlife. And with year-round camping and outdoor activities, you can experience the many seasonal sides the park has to offer.
The campground at Rock Cut provides 270 sites that can accommodate tent campers, as well as RV and trailer campers up to 40 feet. Back-in sites are mostly grassy and equipped with picnic tables, cooking grills and electrical hookups. The campground provides water faucets, restrooms, showers, and a dump station; the water and dump station are not available November through April. One of the park’s multiuse trails runs right through the campground, and provides access to the larger trail network. Most of the campground’s facilities are ADA accessible. Dogs are permitted in the park, but must remain leashed; alcohol is not permitted.
For recreating in temperate seasons, more than 40 miles of hiking, cycling and equestrian trails allow you to explore the park’s woodlands and prairies. These are ideal ways to observe some of the local birds, animals, and wildflowers. For fun on the water, paddle around in a canoe or kayak, take a dip at Olsen Beach, or go fishing for some of the lake’s largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, pike and walleye. Several picnic areas throughout the park are ideal for group or family gatherings. In the snowy season, many of the park’s trails are open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, with gear rentals available. For more family fun in the area, check out the nearby Volcano Falls Adventure Park.
For those who want to include an overnight stay in their visit to Rock Cut, the campgrounds provide electricity at the site, water hydrants at the beginning of each camping loop, sanitary dump stations, showers, toilets, a boat launch and playground equipment. There are 210 Class A Premium sites and 60 Class B/S Premium sites. There is also a primitive cabin (it has electricity, but does not have water or plumbing facilities).
From November - April, only electricity is available; there is no access to water or dump station.
Equestrian camping is restricted to a site on Hart Road, is only available on a first-come, first-served basis and the Ranger will collect the fee at your site in the evening.
Rock Cut is an alcohol-free park and campground, and this rule is strictly enforced.
$12 - $50 / night
Rock River Valley is home to 385 acres of paradisiacal forest, perfect for weekend getaways and family recreation. White Pines Forest State Park offers a serene backdrop for an ideal camping trip, smack dab in the heart of the vast rolling forest and dramatic Illinois bluffs. Featuring modern camp facilities, as well as up-to-date lodging, it’s easy to see why one might consider taking a voyage here. Not only are the amenities plentiful, the local geography is pretty stunning too. Gentle creek beds run against rich earthy banks through the park’s mossy cliffs and dangling vines. During the spring, wildflowers become plentiful, as trout lily, bloodroot, spring beauty, hepatica, and more all blossom into full bloom.
One of the most notable features of the park is a concrete ford which spans across the creeks. This enables drivers to pull directly up to the creek bed, and drive through the various streams. There’s even an accessible path leading straight to the bank for those interested in checking out the wildlife or taking advantage of the fishing nearby.
It goes without saying that picnicking is extremely popular here. In fact, there are over 100 campsites that feature their own picnic area, as well as various benches and clearings placed strategically throughout the park.
Thanks to the variety of campsite options, it’s really easy to find camping here at any time of year. White Pines is unique in that it boasts Class B/S Campsites vehicle access and spacious shower/flush buildings nearby. There are also 3 electric sites, however they are non-reservable. Likewise, group campgrounds cannot be reserved so be sure to wake up early for priority camping!
$10 - $20 / night
The Shabbona Lake SRA campground has available 150 Class A Premium campsites, with 90 campsites available for advanced reservation through www.reserveamerica.com. Additionally, 60 campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. All sites have electricity, picnic table, fire rings, and vehicle access. A sanitary dump station is available to all campers. One family is allowed per campsite, or four unrelated adults with up to two tents. Campers must be ready to camp upon arrival. The campground may be closed during the spring thaw due to road conditions. Alcohol is prohibited. To check on the status of the campground or for further information, call 815-824-2106 during the week or the campground check station at 815-824-2565 on weekends. There is also a Campground Store on-site that offers firewood, groceries, snacks, ice cream, camping supplies, fishing tackle, and boat rentals. Camp Cabin Two rent-a-camp cabins are available at the park. The rustic cabins have two rooms and will accommodate a maximum of six people. They are located on the shore of Shabbona Lake. Electric baseboard heat allows year-round use of the cabins. No Pets are allowed in the cabins with the exception of service animals. Youth Group Shabbona Lake's Youth Group camping area will accommodate two groups of up to 50 campers each. Water and privies are available at the site, but there is no electricity.
$25 / night
Leave your worries and hassles at the entrance gate. This RV Resort in Illinois has fun the whole family can enjoy! O'Connell's RV Resort in Amboy continues to draw families to the Sauk Valley by providing great fun and the opportunity to reconnect in a relaxing outdoor environment. An Illinois campground located just 90 miles west of Chicago and 80 miles east of the Quad Cities, O'Connell's RV resort in Illinois is both convenient and inviting. At this RV Resort, we work hard to be the best campground in Illinois offering fun that the whole family can enjoy. Grab your bathing suit and bring the entire family to one of our 3 pools and 2 waterslides or let the kids play in our arcade. With the most games of any campground in or around Illinois, the fun never stops here at O'Connell's RV Resort! At O'Connell's, there's never a dull moment! The campground features an award winning themed activity program geared to all ages. Park your car, stash your keys and come enjoy the beauty of nature and the variety of activities at O'Connell's RV Resort.
$60 - $90 / night
Castle Rock State Park is located along the west bank of the Rock River in Ogle County, three miles south of Oregon, on Ill. Rt. 2. Castle Rock camping is centrally located in the Rock River Hills region of Illinois, and its rolling topography is drained by the Rock River. The park is representative of the Rock River Hills area with rock formations, ravines and unique northern plant associations. A sandstone bluff, adjacent to the river, has given the park its name.
$6 / night
Located on the outskirts of Rockford’s beautiful countryside, Blackhawk Valley is one of the best-kept secrets of the Midwest! You don’t have to leave the resort to have fun with a playground, mini golf, or basketball (just to name a few) or you can choose to just kick back and relax as you soak up nature at its finest. This resort is complimented on the well-kept grounds and clean facilities, the huge mature oak trees that provide great shade, and the large level campsites.
Life preservers are required for boating in the rivers. Swimming is prohibited.
$15 - $25 / night
Family owned and operated, we pride ourselves on being an affordable FUN destination for families of all sizes. You will never be charged additional daily fees for your own dependent children, nor will you incur any "resort fees" typical of our industry. Your nightly site rental fee or annual Seasonal fee is all you pay to enjoy most of the amenities and services that we have to offer! Our planned activities and themed weekends will keep your group entertained for the entirety of your stay! You are welcome to participate in all of our activities or just sit back and RELAX, while taking in the beautiful scenery and serenity of our remote setting on 130 acres. We offer annual Seasonal sites and overnight, weekly and monthly site rentals for tents and campers. For those that desire the comforts of home, we offer rental options including park models, cabins and travel trailer rentals. Leave behind the hustle and bustle of your every day life, and escape to Green River Oaks Resort for a few days, a weekend, a month or join us for the whole season! We welcome reunions and camping groups of all sizes. Come see what you've been missing!
Legend
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!
Legend
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!
Legend
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!
Guide
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.
Traveler
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?
Traveler
I originally went to this campground a couple years ago for a music festival, but I discovered how much fun it was. the people were incredible. the staff was really awesome so I continue to make it back at least once a year
Traveler
This a really nice campground with a lot of recent upgrades. Great location, excellent piece of land, and the owners are super friendly. Sites give you TONS of room and they are all FHU.
Traveler
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
Scout
Nice grassy sites, very vlean redtrooms.
Scout
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.
Traveler
I got a primitive tent site in an area all to myself, with a shower house just down the road, in a beautiful and quiet campground for $10 cash. You really can’t beat that. Campground is separate from the park so you don’t have to pay a park entrance fee to stay here.
Scout
We stayed at this campground over Labor Day. The owner intentionally doesn't fill all of the sites in order to give people more space- a great luxury over a holiday like this. The sites are pretty small and only one 'sleeping structure' is allowed on each site but we found that Jeff was very willing to let us put up two tents (one for my wife & I
+ one for the kids) because we were in the same family.
The bathrooms and showers were very neat and well maintained. We didn't use the showers because they were paid but our friends did and had good things to say about them.
The campground has a very nice playground (the favorite of the trip for one of my kids) and a lounge where anyone staying at the campground can rest with A/C, wifi, a phone charging area, and some board games.
The primary drawback is that there isn't a lot of outdoor activities to do in the area. All the land is private so there's not great hiking (a little in the state park about 20 min drive away), IL law allows waterways to be privately owned so you can't kayak the river, etc. Galena is nearby if you want to go shopping and we really enjoyed going to Terrapin Apple Orchard and picking some apples (if you're there in the Fall). But all in all I would say this is a great campground to rest and relax at- probably not ideal for outdoor adventures.
Legend
Our RV GPS took us off I-39 for a nice country drive to the campground (CG). Google Maps wanted to bring us in off I-80, which also works as the CG just off I-80. The CG check in time is 2:00 PM. We called and they said it would be fine to come in a half hour earlier. Upon arrival, we checked in at their office that has a nice sized store that sells sundry, gifts, and camping stuff. Check-in was fast and we were off to pull through site L-1 with FHUs in the far side of this large CG. The pull through was plenty long enough for our 40’ 5th wheel and F450. The utilities were centered on the pad so that was nice as I was able to dump both black tanks with a 10’ hose. There’s a shower house on this side of the CG as there are also tent sites in this area. Water pressure was good at about 50 psi and we got between 2 and 3 bars on Verizon. When we checked in, we just got a map and no rules or information sheet. Their rules etc. are on their website. There was a well maintained picnic table and an old fashioned rock fire pit, which was kind of cool. The pool is up front by the office/club house. And the large playground along with a dumpster is at the entrance to the back CG area. Up front by the office, there’s a small fenced dog area that we didn’t use and another dumpster as you head out of the CG. They also have Wifi in that area, but not throughout the CG, which was fine with us for our overnight stay. As we were in the back of the CG, we did not notice highway noise. The shower house in our area also had laundry consisting of two washers and two dryers. You can rent golf carts here along with selling wood and ice. The sites are nicely spaced for a private CG, but we would not call them spacious. Loves and a Dollar General are nearby. You can also buy sundries in the campground's store and gift shop. We enjoyed our short overnighter.
Scout
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.
Ranger
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.
GuideFound this on our way to Colorado from Michigan and what a Gem. We don't like crowded campgrounds and happy to give up some amenities to have some elbow room, peace and quiet. No water hookup but spigot nearby. No sewer hookup but dump station on-site.
So fun to hike and explore a series of canyons along the Illinois River. Nearby Ottawa has all the city amenities and nearby Utica in the opposite direction a quaint strolling town, bike paths.
Will return!
Guide
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.
Traveler
Well maintained bathrooms, great secluded sites. Super easy no registration its first come first serve. I will be goin again with my family.
Scout
This new director smokes pot while children are out there camping! This is a children’s camp! My children will never be returning
Traveler
Nice quiet place no neighbors usually bothering you showers and toilets could be better but overall ok
Scout
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.
TravelerWhile this location is much newer, it checked everything off my box. Small dog area (not the best fencing though if your dog is an escape artist), pool, showers, RV amenities, amazing park for children, front office has everything you could imagine. The site is large enough for a nice dog walk and a very short drive to starved rock.
ScoutThe 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.
Legend
It would be EZ enough to miss this little campground outpost as you find yourself navigating across I88 searching for the perfect little patch of prairieland to call home for the night in these parts where the cicadas sing endlessly, crisp towering stalks of golden sweetcorn easily outnumber the local residents and where, somehow, it seems as though time has just come to a grinding halt here in north central Illinois. So, if you find yourself driving one of those monstrous over-the-top RVs or hauling a 5th wheel behind you in search of a slice of what this flat, prairieland has to offer you, then this small RV-only lakeside campground might just work for you and your camping plans.
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, especially after learning this was ALSO the case at the only other nearby campground over at Crystal Lake. Unlike this latter camping outpost, Leisure Lake makes no qualms about saying that they have zero plans to allow tent campers anytime soon, so if that’s what you’ve got in mind, keep on looking for higher ground, mi bredren.
Contrary to the non-stop, almost carnival-like amenities that you will find over at Crystal Lake (you’ll have to read my review on to understand the very long laundry list of family-friendly amenities that are offered there), here at Leisure Lake you will either be incredibly happy with or utterly disappointed by the stark contrast in terms of just basic, nearly non-existent amenities here. One thing is sure, if you are looking for greater solitude, enhanced peace & quiet and less distractions in which to truly embrace what this area of God’s green garden has to offer, then you might actually have found the perfect location. These are the amenities you will find here at Leisure Lake Campground: typical 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage hook-ups, community showers & bathrooms, private access to Leisure Lake, which honestly, is more like a pond IMHO, picnic tables and a fire ring. Yup, that's it.
As for the campground itself, it likely doesn’t get any simpler. There’s about 60 or 70 RV slots that encircle the namesake Leisure Lake and while every site is lakefront, the only real difference between sites is that the northern side doesn’t have much shade or privacy and parallels the only road that runs past these parts, whereas the eastern side has closer access to what looks like a beach house and has the best views particularly around sunset as these sites are westward facing, followed by the southern side which has a bit more shade / privacy and has only the swoosh of traffic coming of I88 to content with (albeit the highway is elevated, so the whole property doesn't really experience any traffic noise per se).
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) 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 nearby 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; (2) If you come here expecting (like most people I would imagine) that you can swim in this lake ... you would be mistaken, as there is absolutely no swimming in this pond, which was a bummer to learn about, and honestly, I have to question 'WHY?!' (as coming from FL, I can't imagine there's alligators to contend with);(3) If you are camping here you can fish for free, but if not, the owners want to charge you $5 for dropping a line, which seems silly; (4) While the prices are modest at $32 per night / $190 per week, it feels a tad steep considering you really aren’t getting much of anything on the amenity front, but I guess that’s for you to decide; (5) Should you find yourself getting ‘cabin fever’ here (due to the lack of just about anything in the way of diversions) then just due west of here a few miles down the road, you can find Centennial Park which offers up playground areas, baseball diamonds, paddle boat rentals, shelters with picnic tables, tennis courts and hiking trails; and (6) even if you could dip your canoe or kayak in Leisure Lake, trust me, you would be bored in under 10 minutes as the pond is just too small, but good luck for you, nearby there’s Hennepin Canal or the more challenging Rock River to choose from, either of which will provide ample hours of fresh water exploration, sight-seeing as well as angling and, the best part? No one will charge you $5 for the right to drop a line!
Happy Camping!
ScoutThe 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
ScoutVery quiet. Lost of space.
Legend
Located literally just a few stone’s throw due west of the tiny town of Wyanet, which is just a few miles west of better-known Princeton, you will access this little spec of undisturbed primitive camping bliss first via the major Highway 80, running east-west, and then, eventually via Route 6, which is more like a well-paved country backroad than anything else. While you will be hard pressed to find Hennepin Canal Lock 21 on your GPS, trust me, if you simply head west out of Wyanet, you will eventually find this jewel in the middle of nature.
If you didn’t already know, the Hennepin Canal, and its series of locks & dams will eventually connect you with two of the most amazing rivers in the entirety of the US: the mighty Mississippi as well as the murky depths of the Illinois River – both of which are great for kayaking BTW. Should you choose to follow the canal in its entirety, you will be ushered through the minuscule townships of Mineral, Sheffield, Wyanet, Tiskilwa and Bureau – all of which are fairly emblematic of small Midwestern blue-collared towns that still to this day possess an equal amount of charm and hospitality, which the area is very well known for.
Given that you can’t actually make a reservation here (or at any of the campgrounds along the Hennepin Canal for that matter) as this spot and the 5 others that make up the Hennepin Canal Lock camping options are only offered on a first-come, first-served basis, one thing is for certain: if you planned to truly ‘get away from it all’ you really can ‘have your cake and eat here too’ at Hennepin Canal Lock 21. While there is no actual check-in or check-out time, occasionally there is a park ranger that will come by to check on the location and collect those $8 nightly fares, although we never came across a ranger during our entire canal-navigating weeklong journey. You should also note that all of the campgrounds up and down the canal are class C camping, meaning that these primitive camping sites do not have showers or electricity, so either bring your own or, better yet, learn to live without these conveniences for a few days and actually embrace the opportunity to connect with nature.
As you arrive, ultimately via Route 6 & Route 34, you will need to hang a left (coming westbound from Wyanet), where after just a short jig heading due south, you will find the first of 5 camping areas on either side of the main road you are driving down. On the right, in addition to the camping area, you will discover the first of 3 restrooms and just slightly beyond that, the boat launch. If instead of turning right to follow this first encampment, you head left, following the Hennepin Canal, you will see a small camping area on your immediate left, followed by a water spigot, after which you will come across another much larger camping area that has the second restroom facility. Opposite of these 2 camping areas on the other side of the road, there are 2 small camping areas that run right along the canal. If you go back to to the main road, from which you just came, and continued south across the little land bridge and hang another left, you will go around a small pond that will eventually present the third and final restroom facility as you go up a slight incline, where on your immediate right will be the sixth and final camping area that has been reserved for equestrian campers, of which there’s about 4-5 individual sites complete with a wooden hitching post to tie your horses down.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Of all the camping options up and down the Hennepin Canal, while Canal Lock 21 is likely the largest and has more campsite offerings, it is still very basic and primitive, apart from the restroom, boat launch, picnic tables and fire rings that you will find. If that bothers you or you are simply looking for a spot with more space to explore, then likely the Hennepin Canal camping options aren’t for you, and instead, you may want to look just a bit further afield to another amazing place called Johnson-Sauk SP; (2) Should you grow weary of fixing ‘franks & beans’ again for dinner over your roaring fire, while there isn’t much out in these parts, if you are looking for some local fare, over in nearby Wyanet, you’ll find an abundance of just 3 options: Casey’s for well-made, fresh pizza; Harley-K’s Filipino Restaurant, which might actually just shock you!; or Ecky’s Tap, which is fairly darn amazing actually, but only serves up booze. For anything else, head on into Princeton, where there’s tons of options; (3) There is no potable drinking water anywhere at any of these locks up and down the Hennepin Canal apart from at the Visitors Center, so ensure you bring your own water or a filtration system; (4) Should you have your own kayak or canoe, the Hennepin Canal is very nice to explore, although at times difficult to navigate, especially when you come to each of the sets of locks and dams. If that is bothersome and you simply want to get some oaring in without having to take your watercraft in and out of the water every 30 minutes or so, then head on over to Goose Lake just southwest of Hennepin, which is a fantastic lake to explore and has some decent fishing as well; and (5) If you are on the look-out for simply amazingly fresh meats to ‘slap on the Barby’ then head on over to Wyanet Meat Locker, which has fresh venison, pheasant and of course, all of the typical Midwestern carnivore fare like brats, Ribeyes, burgers and pork chops, which all would be DELISH on that flip-open BBQ grill you have back at Canal Lock 21.
Happy Camping!
Frequently Asked Questions
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