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.
What to do
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.
What campers like
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.
What you should know
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."
Tips for camping with families
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.
Tips from RVers
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."
