Kankakee River State Park Equestrian Campground offers dedicated facilities for riders visiting with horses in northeastern Illinois. Located in Bourbonnais, this campground sits at approximately 600 feet above sea level within a region characterized by rolling hills and deciduous forests. Trail riders can access more than 12 miles of horse-friendly paths with varied terrain that follows the Kankakee River's natural contours. The campground operates seasonally from April through October, with closures during winter months.
What to do
**River exploration: Trail riders can explore the scenic landscape along the river at Potowatomi Campground — Kankakee River State Park. As one camper notes, "There are some rock cliffs that are suspended over the Kankakee river and also over a creek that feeds it. These are great for climbing and scaling. Additionally, there are Indian caves through the creek where you can still find arrowheads."
**Equestrian trails: The trails at Kankakee River State Park Equestrian Campground — Kankakee River State Park provide riders with varied terrain. While the campground itself has few reviews, nearby equestrian campers report good riding conditions with terrain suitable for different skill levels throughout the 4,000-acre park.
**Fishing spots: Anglers can find productive fishing areas within a 30-minute drive at Leisure Lake Resort. One visitor mentions that the "fishing lake" is among the amenities that made their stay enjoyable despite other issues with facilities.
What campers like
**Spacious layout: At Leisure Lake Resort, campers appreciate the arrangement of sites, with one reviewer noting they enjoyed "the spacious layout of the RV park, a nice lake, beach, pool, gym, and a dog park" despite having concerns about other aspects of the resort.
**Natural privacy: Horse campers appreciate natural separations between sites at Kankakee River State Park Equestrian Campground that create barriers for keeping horses separate. These vegetation buffers help maintain safety for animals and riders.
**Wildlife viewing: Many campers at Matthiessen State Park Equestrian Campground — Matthiessen State Park enjoy the abundant wildlife. One visitor reported, "Occasionally, if you are especially quiet, you'll come across no shortage of white-tailed deer or wild turkeys foraging through the crabapple and plum trees that are scattered throughout the forest here."
What you should know
**First-come basis: Many equestrian campgrounds in the area don't take reservations, operating on a first-come, first-served basis. A visitor to Matthiessen State Park Equestrian Campground explains: "There is no reservation system and all sites are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. There's a registration envelope that you'll pick up when you arrive at Matthiessen SP."
**Water quality concerns: Be prepared with water filtration if visiting Big Rock Campground. A camper shared this experience: "Water hookup is far behind camping pad - bring extensions!" Another noted challenges with water quality, advising: "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."
**Limited shade: Many campgrounds in the area lack mature trees for shade, particularly at the newer facilities. One reviewer mentioned about Big Rock Campground: "This is a pretty new camp site, so the trees need some time to get big enough to provide some shade."
Tips for camping with families
**Educational nature experiences: Families with children may enjoy the nature center at Potowatomi Campground. A recent visitor shared: "We did have a really awesome time at the main office/nature center, where my kiddos got to feed and hold a variety of reptiles!"
**Open play spaces: Paul Wolff Campground offers room for children to play. One camper noted, "Our site was perfect with trees to hang a hammock on and for the kids to run around."
**Weather preparations: Families should be aware of potential shelter issues during storms. One camper at Leisure Lake Resort warned: "The storm shelter is typically locked, making it inaccessible in emergencies, which is a major concern."
Tips from RVers
**Hookup extensions: RVers staying at equestrian campgrounds should bring extra hoses and cables. A Big Rock Campground visitor advised: "The water hookups are kind of far from the individual sites (make sure you have extra hose)."
**Site selection considerations: At Potowatomi Campground, RVers should research specific sites before booking. One camper shared specific site recommendations: "We had four sites on Osage loop for tent camping. Two were very small (14&15), and little grass for tent setup, fine for RV or trailer campers... Wish we knew more about individual site layout."
**Level pads available: RVers appreciate the level pads at many area campgrounds. A visitor to Big Rock Campground noted: "Nice campground with big, level sites. Even though they don't take reservations, there is plenty of space and availability."
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