Camping cabins near Roselle, Illinois provide overnight accommodations in the northwest Chicago suburbs where elevation ranges from 750-850 feet above sea level. Most cabin rental locations operate from April through October, though Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area maintains year-round availability. Winter cabin options require additional planning as temperatures typically drop below freezing from December through February.
What to do
Kayaking on the lake: At Camp Bullfrog Lake, rentals cost $15 per hour including life vests. "The kayaks are $15 and hour and include life vests. The lake is pretty small but it was fun to putter around," notes camper Layla P.
Hiking through varied terrain: The trails at Camp Reinberg offer diverse landscapes within a short distance. According to one visitor, "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."
Mountain biking: The trail system near cabin rentals supports extensive riding options. "The mountain bike trails were awesome. If you're a trail rider, you must stay here. The lack of shade won't matter because you'll be riding all day. There are miles and miles of trails. We saw several vehicles carrying top of the line bikes in and out all day," reports Tim K.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Turner Lake South receives positive feedback for maintenance. "Bathroom/shower facilities were clean and well stocked," notes a visitor, while another mentions "The shower houses are dated, yet I have seen them clean."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The wetland areas provide good animal watching. "If you enjoy bird watching or rabbit spotting, this is a great place to go. 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," reports Tim H. at Sunset Campground.
Lake activities: Fishing is a popular activity for cabin campers. "The lake has produced a lot of trophy fish, if that's your thing. Otherwise it's quiet and peaceful. We like to go just to chill and read out out in the woods," notes Scott C.
What you should know
Reservation essentials: Book early for premium spots during summer. "This IL state campground fills up quickly on the weekends over the summer. While these sites are usually slated for walk-ups on the weekends, it seems like a lot of people go early on Thursday or even Wednesday to secure their sites for the weekends," advises a camper at Turner Lake South.
Wildlife precautions: Take measures against pests. "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 and all surfaces wiped down," warns a visitor at Honeysuckle Hollow.
Site variations: Different campsites offer different privacy levels. "Sites are pretty close to each other, but neighbors were quiet. Beautiful little lake," notes Lawrence B., while another camper points out, "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."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Choose cabins with recreation facilities nearby. "Plenty for the little kids to do, and the text message communication was great with regards to weather updates or any goings on around the campground," notes Dan B. at Chicago Northwest KOA.
Level sites for safety: Sites without slopes are better for young children. A camper at Honeysuckle Hollow notes, "Sites are almost all flat thankfully, so no weird slopes to sleep on and easy for babies/toddlers to stay safe."
Tick prevention: Take precautions in wooded 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!" warns a family camper.
Tips from RVers
Water access planning: Some campgrounds have limited water hookups. "There are no water spigots at the RV sites. The staff has to hook up a very very long hose and will bring it to your site. You can get water, it's just an inconvenience for you and them. But they do it with a good attitude," reports a reviewer at Camp Reinberg.
Electric site limitations: Hookups vary between campgrounds. "Sites #4 and 5 probably have the longest length parking pad. There is NO shade during the day. None at all due to the trees within the campground being small," notes an RVer at Camp Bullfrog Lake.
Accessible bathroom options: Shower facilities vary widely. "I would rate them at a 4/5...not the best we've seen, but by far not the worst," while another camper notes "The bathhouses are newer and kept fairly clean. I don't think they're checked everyday though because the ladies stalls were out of toilet paper our second morning."