77 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Prairie Grove, Illinois concentrate in several state parks and private resorts within a 30-mile radius. Chain O' Lakes State Park offers multiple camping areas including Fox Den, Prairie View, Turner Lake South, and Honeysuckle Hollow with tent and RV sites. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort provides cabin options and glamping accommodations alongside traditional camping. Most facilities offer both tent and RV camping, with several locations featuring full hookups and amenities for larger recreational vehicles.
The camping season in this region typically runs from early May through October, with most campgrounds closed during winter months. "The park gates close early as well - we returned one evening at 10:30pm and couldn't get back in with a vehicle. Had to go back in on foot. Good to plan ahead!" notes one camper about Chain O' Lakes State Park. Reservations are recommended, particularly for weekend stays during summer months when waterfront sites fill quickly. Most developed campgrounds provide drinking water, toilets, and fire pits, with varying levels of electric service. Several locations enforce alcohol prohibition policies, and campers should verify specific rules before arrival as enforcement has increased in recent years.
Chain O' Lakes State Park receives positive reviews for its multiple interconnected lakes and water recreation opportunities. Visitors appreciate the range of hiking trails, boat rentals, and horseback riding options. One camper described their site at Prairie View as "encased in foliage which gave us some privacy. I could see through the brush to neighbors but it was enough to give my dog a sense of peace without disturbances." Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort stands out for its family-friendly amenities, including a swimming pool, beach access, and organized activities. Campground selection varies from more developed sites with full hookups to more rustic options with greater privacy. Most camping areas provide reasonable access to water activities, which represent the primary draw for visitors to this region.
"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."
"The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms."
from $12 - $35 / night
Check Availability"The greatest asset here is undoubtedly the direct access to Turner Lake (although you could also have direct access over at Turner Lake South), giving families an EZ place to fish, paddle or simply explore"
"*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) we chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end"
"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
Check Availability"The group camp site is located pretty far away from the rest of the campsites, bathrooms, trails and amenities."
"We had a phenomenal time at Illinois State Park camping facilities! Space was clean, nature was alive, and the neighbors so friendly!"
from $25 / night
Check Availability"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."
"You can hear whatever highway is nearby pretty clearly and constantly. But if you’re not looking for something super remote then it’s fine!"
"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."
"It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "
"You can walk from one side to other no problem. Plenty of large and small RV's and Trailers with tent camping. Our home away from home, so relaxing!"
"We stayed here for a weekend and there were plenty of activities for the kids...the staff was friendly and the bathrooms were clean...our camp site was near the bathrooms, pool, and store so we were nice"
"Lots of biking and walking trails and plenty of off trail paths that lead to unique clearings, bridges, etc."
"tucked alongside a bike and walking path that goes through a beautiful forest preserve. The path is gorgeous dipping through forested sections, open fields, and lilly pad covered ponds!"
from $45 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Prairie View campground is in the Chain O Lakes State Park series. This is the no services campground. We could walk to fill up with water but no electric on site. Checking in was interesting."
"You could barely see the neighbors because of how overgrown the edges of the site were. We felt like we were in our own little bubble."
"While the highway riding was occasionally a bit harrowing, it was absolutely worth it for the beautiful views and camping here."
"Most of the sites were right on the road and you’d need to position your car right for privacy. The tent sites are clumped pretty tight together with a couple exceptions."
from $20 - $35 / night
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TravelerWe got a campsite with a concrete pad. Electricity 30 amp site. There is a dump station close to the registration office. Boat ramp available for campers. One cabin for rental overlooking the Pierce Lake $50/night for Illinois resident. Beautiful setting. Wild turkeys roaming through our campground.
ScoutBlackwell has clean bathrooms, offers hiking trails, boating (kayak rentals) or bring your own, fishing, archery, cycling. The gate locks at 7pm but you just call the night guard and he will let you in. They’re only open on Friday, Saturday and holidays. Would definitely stay again. Be aware Winfield Road has a lot of traffic so sites further away from that road are best. Heard coyotes about 3 am both mornings. Rangers were exceptional.
ScoutThe park is beautiful. The water is beautiful. They say it's a gated community, but it's open to the public 9 to 5 daily. At twenty five dollars per person. And then on friday and saturday night, the locals that park here for the summer start their party central including karaoke at the camper next door, and several others. I've never had a camcround with that loud of parties. And it's a weekend event. I like hearing and seeing people having fun but when the manager extends the curfew for the parties she's at (they kind of party hop), it starts to affect the enjoyment of the park. If we had to stay, we'd stay in the S## sites in the back, where you don't hear so much of the partying. And then during the day, the rules began. Kind of like the soup nazi.
TravelerThere’s a lot of things to do out here. We did some hiking with our boy. The site we were at was maintained. It’s a nice place to go camping.
LegendThere’s something wonderfully EZ about camping where the kids can wander down toward the water and suddenly the whole weekend seems to slow down ... and that’s the entire charm of Honeysuckle Hollow. Here at Chain O’Lakes State Park, Honeysuckle Hollow is the largest and most wide open of the park’s camping areas, with electric sites geared particularly well toward RV families, although the tradeoff is noticeably less shade and almost zero privacy between nearly every campsite, compared with neighboring Fox Den, which offers up much more seclusion and shade. The greatest asset here is undoubtedly the direct access to Turner Lake (although you could also have direct access over at Turner Lake South), giving families an EZ place to fish, paddle or simply explore the shoreline, while electric hookups, picnic tables, grills and a nearby restroom/shower building keep the actual camping comfortably simple. We especially loved those unhurried moments when the boys could wander toward the lake while dinner was getting started and everyone seemed perfectly happy just being outside together. The shower facility here is convenient, although we found it just slightly more dilapidated conditions than the bathhouse located closer to Fox Den. From what we saw, I’d choose one of the better-spaced sites toward the Turner Lake side of the campground, where EZ water access helps compensate for Honeysuckle’s limited privacy. I’d recommend Honeysuckle for families who value electricity, lake access and a lively campground atmosphere, particularly if having Turner Lake practically in your backyard matters more than having your neighbors hidden behind the trees. One point to note is that the pier was in an advanced state of disrepair and so we were not able to fully maximize this particular amenity - so if accessing Turner Lake is important to you and your family, we would recommend calling ahead to verify the condition of the pier.
GuideWe are traveling mid week in September so did not make advanced reservations. The registration booth attendant assigned us site 506. (We were not permitted to drive through to pick our own location before registering). Our site was grassy and a bit muddy after some significant rains, but it was cozy with trees and tall brush on all sides. Pit toilets at each loop with a shower building just 5 minute walk away. You can hear the din of the highway about .5 miles away, but an easy place to stay if you are traveling through. Electricity on site, water spigots nearby and dump station near the entrance.
GuideLast minute online reservation...They only have. 4 or 5 RV sites...full hook ups...about $60+-...right near gas pumps but any noise did not bother us weary travelers...Only downside was showers were not included....For the price certainly an included shower should be part of the deal...easy check in and check out.,..We used the Love's site due to its location to visit family and the fact that electric was available...We have medical equipment that requires a recharge at night plus it's just nice to have the AC if needed.
TravelerSimple campsite. We should have brought some leveling blocks, But otherwise my wife and I enjoyed the site for our rental RV. Short 10 minute walk to Lake Michigan. The camp store is fairly robust with friendly people working there. I appreciate that there are 2 lanes for dump/fill stations. My wife and I would absolutely stay here again.
LegendWe had a truly enjoyable stay and would’ve stayed an extra day if our travel schedule would’ve allowed. David was a wonderful host. Greeted us with a smile and escorted us to our site. We had our choice of 2 spots, both lovely. Picnic table and plenty of FREE firewood to keep us cozy. Wild turkeys roamed the grounds as well as the friendly ducks. All in all, a very peaceful evening and a special place.
Camping spots near Prairie Grove, Illinois center around county-managed forest preserves and state parks within driving distance. The region sits on glacial moraines that create modest elevation changes unusual for Illinois terrain. Winter camping options remain limited, with temperatures typically dropping below freezing from December through February and sites generally closing by late October.
Water activities on Chain O'Lakes: Turner Lake South offers excellent kayaking with abundant wildlife sightings. "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," notes one visitor to Turner Lake South.
Hiking through varied terrain: The hiking trails at Camp Reinberg provide diverse options through forest preserves with unexpected topography. "For nature that's close to civilization, Deer Grove Forest Preserve is the best. The trails through the grounds are varied and long--you can find something to suit just about any preference for suburban midwest hiking. There are plenty of paved trails as well as dirt, lots of fun little off-shoots into the woods, creeks run throughout, and there's even a little up-and-down thanks to ice age glaciers," reports a camper at Camp Reinberg.
Horseback riding options: Chain O'Lakes State Park maintains designated horse trails and rental facilities. A camper at Fox Den reports, "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."
Shaded, private sites: Privacy varies significantly between campgrounds and even within loops. At Honeysuckle Hollow, one camper notes: "We stayed here for a week over the summer in 2021. We had a back-in site on the north side of the campground. The campground was really busy during the weekend, but cleared out Sunday and we nearly had the whole loop to ourselves during the week."
Clean facilities: Paul Wolff Campground maintains high standards for bathrooms and common areas. "Busy campground in July. Smaller, mainly RVs. Friendly staff and friendly people staying on the grounds," explains one visitor to Paul Wolff Campground.
Reasonable rates: Basic tent sites at Thomas Woods can be as affordable as $12-25 per night, with electric hookup options available. "Limited to weekend camping, but spread out private-like tent sites. Camp hosts are super engaged and seem to love being caretakers. Hand pumps for water and well-kept pit toilets," reports one visitor.
Campground gates close at night: Several campgrounds enforce strict gate closing times. "A note that the park gates close early as well - we returned one evening at 10:30pm and couldn't get back in with a vehicle. Had to go back in on foot. Good to plan ahead!" warns a camper at Prairie View.
Seasonal pest considerations: Ticks and mosquitoes can be significant, particularly in early summer. "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks. Luckily our screen house pop up on a tarp that was sprayed ahead for tick repellent plus a blanket on top of that did the trick, but they literally fall out of the trees into people!" advises a camper at Honeysuckle Hollow.
Wildlife encounters: Raccoons are commonly reported at night. One camper at Thomas Woods Campground notes: "I enjoyed the fact the site was further off the main road which allowed for more privacy. Most of the sites were right on the road and you'd need to position your car right for privacy."
Secure sites for children: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort offers designated family areas with playground access. "We stayed in one of the tent sites across the road from the lakefront sites. The lake is beautiful and surprisingly picturesque as it is all nature preserve on the opposite side. The beach is large enough and there are clean bathrooms right there. The camp store sells treats and pizza, very convenient and makes for a more relaxing camping experience when traveling with young kids!" explains a visitor to Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort.
Seek out kid-friendly amenities: Some campgrounds offer specific children's programming during summer months. "Very big campground with mostly seasonals. Atmosphere is the perfect balance of fun and relaxing. Site size varies. Lots of fun activities," notes one camper at Fish Lake Beach.
Choose sites with proximity to bathrooms: At Prairie View, families appreciate the nearby facilities. "These campsites are as low as $12/night!! One of my favorite spots to test new gear. Family friendly. There's some small trails around as well that are beginner. There was electricity, however those sites are $25/night."
Electric hookup variations: Many campgrounds have shared electric boxes with varying distances to sites. "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. Electric is easily accessible, and water/sanitary is easy to get in and out of," reports a visitor to Fox Den.
Reservation recommendations: RV sites fill quickly at popular campgrounds during summer months. "This is a very popular campground. Lots of big rigs who seem to be staying for quite a while. Our relatives recommended this one since some of their friends use it for 'the summer.' A very nice, well manicured campground. Though a commercial-style, it does not feel like it. Sites are well spaced. Full trees around the perimeter, but not a lot for shade over the campsites," notes a camper at Paul Wolff.
Site spacing considerations: RV sites vary widely in proximity. "Our site was very shaded and quiet at night. The bath house was very clean. 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," explains one Fox Den camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Prairie Grove, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Prairie Grove, IL is Paul Wolff Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 21 reviews.
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