Dispersed camping opportunities near Round Lake, Illinois remain limited, with most overnight stays concentrated at established RV campgrounds within a 30-mile radius. Located in Lake County at approximately 750 feet elevation, the Round Lake area sits within the Chicago metropolitan region where summer temperatures typically range from 70-85°F with moderate humidity. Winter camping requires preparation for temperatures that can drop below 20°F with occasional heavy snowfall.
What to do
Fishing at multiple lakes: Sycamore RV Resort offers two stocked ponds for catch-and-release fishing. "Very nice, private sites. Not many campers, lots of RVs. Folks in the office were very helpful," reports a visitor at Mud Lake East, which provides access to the Chain O' Lakes system. "There are tons of trails, a small fishing pond and ok bathrooms. The staff is very friendly."
Swimming options: The swimming beach at Sycamore RV Resort draws families during summer months. "Great fishing and nice beach for swimming. Very nice shower/laundry house," notes a camper. Another mentions, "Beautiful spot, very peaceful. We've been here for 3 months. There are two lakes, catch and release fishing. A small beach with a snack shack."
Hiking nearby trails: Chain O' Lakes State Park provides numerous walking paths. "Many trails and water hydrants," mentions one reviewer about Turner South campground. Another camper adds, "I used to live very close to this area and would hike it almost daily. It is small but has gorgeous views of the lake and lovely flora abound."
What campers like
Clean facilities: Northwoods RV Resort (formerly Paradise Camping Resorts) receives positive feedback for maintenance. "My first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery," shares one camper. The resort features 278 total camping spaces.
Community atmosphere: Seasonal campers particularly appreciate the social environment at various campgrounds. "The sites are pretty big. The campground is not congested at all. The people are very nice. Everyone waves to everyone," reports a visitor at Northwoods. At Lehmans Lakeside, one camper stayed "for three months this time as i get to business completed. The park was still kept up very nicely."
Swimming pools: Several RV parks maintain swimming facilities that receive positive reviews. "The pool is very clean and the staff helped us pick a better site upon arrival," notes a family staying at Northwoods RV Resort. At Wisconsin State Fair RV Park, "Clean facilities were average and clean. We didn't know it, but our site was 15 amp. On the same pole were two 30 amps. So we just use that because no one was there."
What you should know
Navigation challenges: GPS directions can lead to incorrect locations for several campgrounds. At Northwoods RV Resort, a reviewer warns: "This place isn't EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you'll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place."
Train noise considerations: Some campgrounds have nearby railroad tracks that create noise issues. When booking at Northwoods, the same reviewer suggests "you're going to want to ensure you haven't booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20."
Limited tent camping options: Several RV campgrounds near Round Lake restrict tent camping. At Lehmans Lakeside RV Resort, one reviewer noted: "A pull through style RV park. Great if you have a toy hauler style camper, but if you're used to boondocking/dispersed camping. Very very few spots with shade and trees." Similarly, Sycamore RV Resort prohibits tent camping entirely.
Tips for camping with families
Beach access considerations: When camping with children, verify beach status before booking. At Northwoods RV Resort, a family reports: "We came here because they showed a water obstacle course on their website. When we got here, we were informed that their beach hasn't passed health tests for the past few years. So no obstacle course or beach area."
Playground availability: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas. At Chain O' Lakes State Park, families can find "lots of wooded trails within the campground. Perfect if you have a boat and want access to the Chain of Lakes. Horse stables and guided rides for horse lovers." Pine Country features "the new pool, the game room, the playground, the beautiful new bath house."
Activity planning: Check with campground offices about scheduled events. Northwoods RV Resort has "activities provided by the campsite," though one visitor notes it's "definitely a more lay back and relax kind of place. Not a ton of stuff to do for kids." Another mentions that "Things started to slowly open up around the 4th of July. Now, it's our favorite place to go!"
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: For larger rigs, Lehmans Lakeside RV Resort accommodates substantial vehicles. "You can tell they're trying to remodel some of the sites. There is lots of grass so all the rain this weekend and we weren't muddy was awesome! Big park with tons of spots. The pull throughs were really long," reports one RVer.
Winter camping preparations: Several rv campgrounds around Round Lake, Illinois operate year-round. At Lehmans Lakeside, a visitor stayed for extended periods: "I stayed here for two weeks when I first started rv'ing full time while I finished up work and finalized the selling of the house." The campground provides "a well maintained laundry and shower facility. Propane, full hookups, fairly sized fenced in dog run area."
Utility considerations: Water quality varies by location. At Lehmans, "The camp water is high in Iron. The pot roads need service as thay do have a lot of pot holes. Good thing for the 5mph speed limit." At NAVSTA Great Lakes RV Campground, "The site was 60 ft, but the whole site was not concrete. We were there for one night, it rained and the whole site had puddles around it."
