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Northern Illinois near Ringwood provides several camping options within a short drive, with Chain O' Lakes State Park serving as the primary destination. Located about 10 miles from Ringwood, this park features multiple campground loops including Fox Den, Turner Lake South, Prairie View, and Honeysuckle Hollow, each offering different experiences and amenities. The region sits near the Wisconsin-Illinois border, allowing campers to access additional options like Big Foot Beach State Park in Lake Geneva and Richard Bong State Recreation Area. Most campgrounds accommodate both tent and RV camping, with varying levels of hookups and services. County-managed areas like Thomas Woods Campground in Marengo and private options such as Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort in Volo round out the camping landscape.
Reservations are essential during peak summer months when waterfront sites fill quickly. According to one camper who stayed at Turner Lake South, "This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove." Many Illinois state parks enforce a no-alcohol policy, even at individual campsites. Gate closure times are strictly enforced—Chain O' Lakes gates close at 10 PM with tire shredders preventing late entry. Weather conditions include hot, humid summers when shade becomes valuable, and sites with tree cover are preferred. The camping season generally runs April through October, with some facilities closing water systems by late October.
Site privacy varies significantly between campgrounds in the area. Turner Lake South receives praise for "nice and private sites," while Honeysuckle Hollow is described as "open and row after row of RV sites." Water activities dominate the recreational options, with Chain O' Lakes being "one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season." Fall visits offer a quieter experience with less crowding. Hiking trails throughout the region range from paved paths to natural surfaces, with many campers noting the abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities. Facilities typically include a mix of flush toilets and pit toilets, with shower buildings centrally located between camping loops rather than within each individual campground.
"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"
"Conveniently located next to Lake Geneva with a tiny roadside beach area. I recommend camping sites on the west side of the camping loop to cut down on sun. Not enough electric sites for campers."
"We stayed at site 98- just barely big enough to fit our travel trailer in and right next to the showers and bathrooms. Not a great location, but fine."
from $19 - $37 / 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. "
"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."
"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"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"I would recommend this for anyone for starting to step out of the comfort zone for the outdoors. very simple, many paths to walk, jog, or ride a bike. a small lake is near the further parking lot. dogs"
"Had some cool amenities like the off road park and multiple fishing spots. Has a winery and cool dive bars all within 10 min. Only downside is all the noise from the road and the drag strip near by."
from $21 - $39 / night
Check Availability"This State Park isn't too far off the beaten path which is nice. Fairly close to gas stations, convenience stores, etc. The park is clean, and has the bathrooms and utilities that would be needed."
"There are numerous sites that are on a small lake with great sunset views. Sites are decent size but not much privacy in between sites. Lots of wooded trails within the campground."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"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
Check Availability
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 options near Ringwood, Illinois center around a wetland ecosystem formed during the last ice age. The region connects several state parks across the Illinois-Wisconsin border, with several campgrounds accessible by boat. Water levels fluctuate seasonally, affecting site conditions particularly in spring when water systems reopen after winter closures.
Kayaking on Turner Lake: Turner Lake South provides direct lake access with multiple put-in spots. "The lake was very nice. We were able to kayak but be careful getting the kayaks in. Stairs down to the pier and the bottom of the lake is very mushy. The water was very clear and you could see the fish swim by," notes a camper at Turner Lake South.
Hiking on varied terrain: Trails at Marengo Ridge offer both woodland and prairie environments. "What we enjoyed the most was the variety of hiking trails. They aren't the longest but we were able to vary the route up to keep it fresh for our dog to sniff out her adventure. Some of grass and others were dirt. The wildflowers caught our eye," reports a visitor at Thomas Woods Campground.
Horseback riding: Chain O'Lakes State Park maintains trails for equestrian use. "There are amazing trails through park for people to hike, bike, or ride horse on," shares a reviewer from Honeysuckle Hollow.
Wildlife viewing: Many sites offer excellent wildlife spotting opportunities throughout the seasons. "I have seldom seen as many rabbits as we saw. There were relatively few campers during the week and just about every other campsite had at least a bunny or two," writes a camper at Sunset Campground in Richard Bong Recreation Area.
Varying privacy levels: Different campground loops provide different experiences. "What drew me to this campground was how private the individual sites were. Each campsite is cut back into the trees so that most are at least semi-private," notes another Sunset Campground visitor.
Off-season tranquility: Fall camping offers fewer crowds and cooler temperatures. "We stayed in the Turner South loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites," reports a camper at Fox Den Campground.
Gate closure enforcement: Strict entry cutoffs apply throughout the area. "One last thing, the gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in… unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark."
Insect preparation: Mosquitoes and ticks can be intense, particularly in wetland areas. "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!"
Wildlife encounters: Nighttime visitors are common at campsites. "The raccoons at night here are no joke. The second it's dusky, they come scavenging for absolutely anything food has touched. So basically, eat dinner and do s'mores early, then everything must be packed into cars for the night."
Campsite selection: Choose sites based on your family's needs. "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 as the ones closest to the main loop aren't very deep. Closer to the center of this row is best," advises a parent at Honeysuckle Hollow.
Child-friendly recreation: Some campgrounds offer multiple activity options. "This is a great campground. If you like to kayak or canoe this is a great place to be. There is a water way fee per kayak or canoe per year but it is well worth it," notes a visitor to Honeysuckle Hollow.
Budget-friendly options: Basic campgrounds offer lower rates. "These campsites are as low as $12/night!! One of my favorite spots to test new gear. Family friendly. There's some small trails around as well that are beginner," shares a camper at Prairie View.
Hookup logistics: Electric posts can be tricky to access at certain campgrounds. "Some spaces the box is further than 30 feet from the pad. A lot of the spaces are also crowded together. Recommend sites 23 to 46 for spacing and electric distance."
Weekend versus weekday stays: Crowd levels vary dramatically by day of week. "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."
Water access: Water availability changes seasonally. "We had 50 amp, but no water/sewer, although there was a water spigot next to our site that we could use to fill up jugs of water. The dump station was near the entrance to the camping loop and had potable water."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Ringwood, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Ringwood, IL is Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park with a 3.9-star rating from 15 reviews.
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