St. Charles, IL is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are St. Charles campgrounds just for you. Find the best campgrounds near St. Charles, IL. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
$20 - $30 / night
"Just outside of Chicago, we have been staying here for quick weekend trips and absolutely love the proximity to home."
"I always loved going to the parks in Illinois with my grandparents when I was little. They love hiking and nature and definitely got me interested in it also. I love them and miss them everyday."
$12 - $35 / night
"Half of them were in the Prairie and the other half was tucked into wonderfully private spots with burn pits and picnic tables. We hiked the trail and saw a mother deer feeding her 2 babies."
"The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms."
$18 - $35 / night
"Clean, with large sites, about a 5 mile walk around the nearby lake- saw several deer and rabbits - T-Mobile worked just fine- no Wi-Fi"
"Open campground with nearly zero tree. We had a great campfire but didn’t take advantage of the whole park to explore. She wants to again this year but we will spend more time hiking."
$45 - $60 / night
"Lots of biking and walking trails and plenty of off trail paths that lead to unique clearings, bridges, etc."
"tucked alongside a bike and walking path that goes through a beautiful forest preserve. The path is gorgeous dipping through forested sections, open fields, and lilly pad covered ponds!"
$20 - $138 / night
"Great site, not far from Chicago, but feels well away from city life.
Tent sites around rim of a lake. RV sites and cabins as well."
"What’s great about this location is the access to the miles and mile of MTB and hiking trails just out the front step of your campsite."
"You can walk from one side to other no problem. Plenty of large and small RV's and Trailers with tent camping. Our home away from home, so relaxing!"
"We stayed here for a weekend and there were plenty of activities for the kids...the staff was friendly and the bathrooms were clean...our camp site was near the bathrooms, pool, and store so we were nice"
"Postage stamp space on gravel but we had things to do outside the resort. Nice walking path around the two ponds. The ponds are very low due to drought this summer."
"Stayed here for a week, nice clean campground, quiet and beautiful lake for fishing, close to town, but yet just far enough out."
$25 / night
"If you find yourself out in these parts near Shabbona in north central Illinois it is because of either one of two reasons - you are incredibly lost and stumbled across this hidden natural preserve gem"
"All within easy walking distance to the lake. Camp store and two boat rental spots allow for flexiblity on busier weekends."
$45 - $70 / night
"Propane, full hookups, fairly sized fenced in dog run area, a lake with a beach front. Play ground for the kids and a strict 5MPH speed limit. "
"We couldn’t reach the WiFi from our site but it was good closer to the lake. They also have free TV but we didn’t hook up to that."
$12 - $50 / night
"Normal Illinois state park. Not a lot of services but good size sites and peaceful. Lake with canoe rentals and fishing. Nice walking trails."
", with Highway 173 to the west and Harlem Road to the east."
ScoutPlan ahead! The location requires a 2 night stay minimum.
GuideThis is my second time staying at Bullfrog lake. The first time I was in spot 2 which had more privacy but felt more cramped. This time I was in spot 18 which felt like it had more space but had almost no shade.
The camp hosts are really hit or miss. One guy was so nice and took a bunch to photos for me of me kayaking. The other guy seemed mad to be alive lol.
The kayaks are $15 and hour and include life vests. The lake is pretty small but it was fun to putter around.
Unfortunately the wood I bought from the camp store took forever to catch flames—my other two neighbors had the same issue.
Bathroom/shower facilities were clean and well stocked.
Overall I’d definitely stay here again.
ScoutI reserved 5 nights, paid in full. After just one night, management cancelled my stay because my service dogs(Maltese) supposedly barked. I was fully cooperative, kept them quiet, and even documented this in emails. There was a stray cat near my RV that caused the issue, but instead of solving it, they forced me to leave. No refund for 4 nights. This is unfair, discriminatory, and against ADA law.
ScoutNice and clean areas, staff was very professional and helpful while I was there
ScoutFar enough from the city lights, close enough to civilization. Cozy, small park with friendly staff and plenty of amenities. You can walk from one side to other no problem. Plenty of large and small RV's and Trailers with tent camping. Our home away from home, so relaxing!
GuideIt's a wetland, mosquitoes are happening, but the trade off is just about worth it. If you enjoy bird watching or rabbit spotting, this is a great place to go.
We're from the south, so we are used to mosquitoes, but I have seldom been around so many all at once. Thankfully we had a pop-up screened gazebo that made sitting outside our tent much more enjoyable. I will say this though, even with there being more mosquitoes constantly attacking, I did not have the reactions to them like I do the mosquitoes back in Alabama and Mississippi. I wasn't itching much at all.
But back to the fun part. It was pretty hot a couple days while we were there and to take a break from the heat, we enjoyed the ac in the car and drove around the recreation area and the campgrounds. 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.
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. This was a nice feature given that many other campgrounds you are stacked in like cord wood.
Our first night there, we left the rain fly off of the tent and just enjoyed the stars and the satellites streaking across the sky.
Overall, it was a rather enjoyable week. The shower/bathrooms were nice and clean, though I will admit the shower got too hot even for my wife. It is an easy drive from the recreation area to Kenosha or other points of interest and Lake Michigan is worth a visit if you aren't from the area.
TravelerThis is a pretty new camp site, so the trees need some time to get big enough to provide some shade.
The flush toilet building was very clean, but there was no TP in the ladies' room. And I have to wonder why you would build a new campground without showers?
It is very close to the cities so we will stay here again.
GuideStayed the weekend. Definitely felt the urban community close by with ambulances and firetrucks noises in the background. They close the gates after 10pm was weird but overall ok. No electric or water hook ups can’t keep your vehicle close to your campsite. The good the bathroom are in good shape and the staff was friendly.
TravelerWe would gladly stay here again!
Great campsite with the best staff ever! The sites are clean and very well maintained. We loved the staff patrolling the grounds. The trail system is great for walking the dogs. And I even grew to like the no alcohol in the preserve rule.
The vault toilets are clean but smell like vault toilets at 95 degrees. There is one very clean flush toilet building but no showers. They don't advertise showers, but this is the newest and nicest campsite I have seen without showers. There is some shade, but you have to search for it.
Camping near St. Charles, Illinois, offers a mix of beautiful nature and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near St. Charles, IL, offers a variety of experiences for everyone. Whether you're in an RV or tent, there's something for you in this beautiful area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near St. Charles, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near St. Charles, IL is Blackwell Family Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 22 reviews.
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