Best Equestrian Camping near Schaumburg, IL

Chain O' Lakes State Park offers equestrian trails but lacks dedicated horse camping facilities. The park features extensive bridle paths through wooded terrain and prairie landscapes, with trails designated specifically for horseback riding. While the park accommodates tent and RV camping in several loops including Turner Lake South, Fox Den, and Prairie View, none provide horse corrals or equestrian-specific campsites. The campground maintains clean facilities with both pit toilets and shower buildings available to all campers. Equestrians frequently visit the park for day rides but must trailer their horses in and out rather than staying overnight with them.

Burnidge Forest Preserve's Paul Wolff Campground includes an equestrian camping area where visitors can camp with their horses. The preserve features multiple trails suitable for horseback riding through natural prairie and wooded sections. Horse owners must bring their own portable corrals or use tie-outs as permanent stalls are not provided. The campground occasionally fills with equestrians and their horses, particularly during summer weekends. Trailer parking is available adjacent to the equestrian sites. Riders appreciate the well-maintained trails that connect directly to the camping area, allowing for convenient access without having to load and unload horses between rides. Reservations are recommended as the equestrian sites fill quickly during peak season.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Schaumburg, Illinois (9)

    1. Paul Wolff Campground

    20 Reviews
    Elgin, IL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (630) 444-1200

    $12 - $35 / night

    "The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms."

    "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."

    2. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    8 Reviews
    Round Lake, IL
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 546-2228

    $43 - $73 / night

    "Very Friendly Staff I received warm welcome from nice staff at the entrance gate. Tent Campground is nicely tucked inside by the lake. Quit place night time I can hear fish jumping from the water."

    "We biked around the campground during the days and took advantage of the adult only hot tub hours at night. It was a nice getaway from Chicago."

    3. Big Rock Campground

    18 Reviews
    Big Rock, IL
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (630) 232-5980

    $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."

    4. Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    12 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "We can both drive to work and then come back to relax. Close to some great places for antiquing if you don't want to hike the trails or fish."

    "There is a lot to do at this park from hiking to water sports to horse back riding. We did a nice short hike in area. We had a great time at this campground and would visit again."

    5. Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    13 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    29 miles
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61."

    "Trails were geared more towards horses and bikes, but there are plenty of walking paths, and we were able to find some hidden trails along the lake (read: unofficial)."

    6. Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Lake Geneva, WI
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 248-2528

    "Conveniently located next to Lake Geneva with a tiny roadside beach area. I recommend camping sites on the west side of the camping loop to cut down on sun. Not enough electric sites for campers."

    "We stayed at site 98- just barely big enough to fit our travel trailer in and right next to the showers and bathrooms. Not a great location, but fine."

    7. Leisure Lake Resort

    3 Reviews
    Joliet, IL
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 741-9405

    $37 / night

    "Quiet, family orientated, fishing lake, miniature golf, activities"

    8. Elkhorn Campgrounds

    4 Reviews
    Elkhorn, WI
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 723-3228

    "Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana. You might even be able to catch a show or two on site at the fair grounds, depending on the time of year."

    "Easy access to electric and/or water. If unsure, contact office. Site, restrooms, and showers were clean. There are a lot of sites but still felt like there was ample space."

    9. Kishwaukee Valley Farms

    Be the first to review!
    Woodstock, IL
    32 miles

    $74 - $100 / night

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Schaumburg, IL

101 Reviews of 9 Schaumburg Campgrounds


  • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Fine camping in Northern Illinois

    We stayed in the Turner lake 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. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com(where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61. Facilities are clean and well lit. Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill. This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood. To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north(including a bar& grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora. There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground. Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason. An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm& Orchard(which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market. 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:)

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2020

    Paul Wolff Campground

    Great value Chicago suburb campsite

    I've camped here four different occasions this 2020 covid-19 year. The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms. It is a super clean campground with multiple hosts and forest preserve staff. There are a large number of RV pads overlooking the prairie and a few along a grove of trees. I was lucky once to see the equestrian area full of campers with their horses. There are 9 walk-in tent sites about 10-20 yards from parking (the two at the end p7 and p9 are connected for groups that know each other). There are multiple ada sites and two "walk-in/ie roll-in" site in the tent-only area. It's a good mix of young people, retired people, and families. I've seen weekends with mainly RVs and one weekend with a quarter of the drive-in sites being tents. The most shaded sites are p1,3,5,7 and 9. Many of the sites in the middle are wide open with little shade but nice summer breezes. Prices are a great deal if you live in Kane county but still worth the trip if you live in another county. Firewood is $7 for about .75 cu ft (what you can fit in a milk crate.) There are a few trails and I've seen lots of butterflies, gold finches, hawks, deer, flocks of giant sandhill cranes, rabbits, ground squirrels, and of course actual squirrels. Lots of people (including me) bring their leashed dogs. The other campers have been polite and friendly. I wish there was more distance between sites in the water/electrical loops for more privacy, but I'd go every weekend if I lived in Kane county because it would be worth the resident price even tho there are so many RVs. Because there is electrical it is a peaceful campground with no generator noise.

  • M
    Jun. 2, 2021

    Paul Wolff Campground

    Not for #vanlife

    Full hook ups and electric sites plus some restricted Equestrian and walk in sites
    Not for #vanlife. I tried to pay for a tent site and was told “you’re not supposed to sleep in your car” “this campground is for RV’s only”

  • Jeff G.
    May. 21, 2019

    Big Rock Campground

    Wide open with very young trees

    Grass camping. The spaces are pretty level. The trees will be terrific in about 20 years. There is nothing much to do here, or nearby. It’s clean and the comfort stations are new. There is electric at the sites and water spigots throughout, although not really at each space. I saw where some campers hooked about 150’ of hose to spigots behind the loops to run to their campers. The dump station is good. It’s expensive, for what is there, if you are not a Kane County resident. There appears to be some equestrian space and trails. Quiet.

  • Joel R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 23, 2018

    Big Rock Campground

    No shade, no shower

    No Shade, and no showers. This is a relatively new campground not too far (about an hour drive) from Chicago. We looked at this place when we were looking for a spot to camp for a local wedding. But, no shade in the Illinois heat and no shower made it unacceptable. There were paved roads and the sites looked large and level. There was water and electric And a dump stations at the entrance/exit.

  • Brenton S.
    Jul. 1, 2020

    Elkhorn Campgrounds

    Affordable and friendly!

    Such a great little place to escape to or visit if you're just passing through. Nothing crazy fancy but hook-ups and fire pits available if needed. Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana. You might even be able to catch a show or two on site at the fair grounds, depending on the time of year.

  • C
    May. 31, 2017

    Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Typical State Park Campsites

    The state park is larger than expected with decent amenities (boat rentals, concessions, relatively clean pit toilets) and areas designated for trailer camping and tent camping.

    We stayed in the Turner South Loop, one of the older tent camping loops, and the age definitely showed. Most of the sites on this loop are pretty worn, with not much privacy. We stayed in T10, but would consider T9 if we returned to this loop for a different reserved site. The prairie loop looked a bit newer with bigger, less worn sites. Both loops had grill pits that were well-maintained for fires and campfire cooking.

    Trails were geared more towards horses and bikes, but there are plenty of walking paths, and we were able to find some hidden trails along the lake (read: unofficial). Overall, a place for relaxing and leisurely strolls and not hiking.

  • Bob C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 10, 2023

    Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

    Crowded weekend

    The campground was full for the weekend but emptied out on Sunday. Conveniently located next to Lake Geneva with a tiny roadside beach area. I recommend camping sites on the west side of the camping loop to cut down on sun. Not enough electric sites for campers.

  • Jeanne M.
    Apr. 20, 2018

    Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Great for local get aways

    Great for the times that we have to work weekends and still want to go camping. We can both drive to work and then come back to relax. Close to some great places for antiquing if you don't want to hike the trails or fish. The only big minus is the full hook ups fill up fast no spur of the moment camping unless it is early or late in the season. The other thing is ALL Illinois State Parks are now enforcing a no alcohol policy even if you are on your own site.


Guide to Schaumburg

Equestrian camping near Schaumburg, Illinois offers access to natural trails through Kane County's forest preserves and state parks. The region has over 50 miles of dedicated bridle paths within a 30-minute drive of Schaumburg. Average summer temperatures range from 60-85°F with humidity levels that can affect both riders and horses during peak season months.

What to do

Trail riding through forest preserves: Access multiple interconnected trails at Paul Wolff Campground with options for riders of various skill levels. "We were lucky once to see the equestrian area full of campers with their horses. There are 9 walk-in tent sites about 10-20 yards from parking," notes Marisa A.

Kayaking through Chain O' Lakes: Paddle along connected waterways with wildlife viewing opportunities at Fox Den Campground. "We chose Chain O Lakes because we enjoy kayaking and with 7 lakes connected by small tributaries this fit the bill. Rangers were helpful and delivered firewood to our site daily," reports Aida K.

Fishing in local ponds: Try shoreline fishing at multiple spots throughout the region's parks and preserves. "There is a lake for fishing and some trails," mentions Tara M., highlighting accessible fishing opportunities for campers without boats.

What campers like

Spacious equestrian campsites: Big Rock Campground provides level sites with ample room for horse trailers. "Nice campground with big, level sites. Even though they don't take reservations, there is plenty of space and availability. Lovely grasslands, ponds, hiking trails," shares Melissa C.

Family-friendly atmosphere: Campers appreciate the supervised environment and activities at Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort. "Very Friendly Staff I received warm welcome from nice staff at the entrance gate. Tent Campground is nicely tucked inside by the lake. Quit place night time I can hear fish jumping from the water," says Leo V.

Clean facilities: Several campgrounds maintain well-kept bathrooms and shower buildings. "Bathhouse could use to be cleaned a bit more regularly but overall a pleasant experience for the price," notes Ian C. about Chain O' Lakes facilities.

What you should know

Booking requirements: Horse camping sites fill quickly during summer months. Make reservations well in advance for equestrian camping facilities.

Water quality concerns: Some campgrounds have reported issues with water systems. "Water quality has been very bad. On one occasion, our pet had stomach issues after drinking tap water, which was concerning. The water is so unclean that our shower develops yellow stains within a day," warns Iryna R. about Leisure Lake Resort.

Alcohol policies: Rules vary by campground with some strictly prohibiting alcohol. "The only big minus is the full hook ups fill up fast no spur of the moment camping unless it is early or late in the season. The other thing is ALL Illinois State Parks are now enforcing a no alcohol policy even if you are on your own site," mentions Jeanne M.

Site privacy variations: Campgrounds offer different levels of seclusion between sites. "This campground is within a couple hours of Chicago so it makes a nice getaway for the weekend. Things were pretty filled up when we came here. However there is plenty of space around to find a spot on your own," notes Art S.

Tips for camping with families

Campground activities: Look for parks with dedicated youth programming and facilities. "This is a very popular campground. Lots of big rigs who seem to be staying for quite a while. Our relatives recommended this one since some of their friends use it for 'the summer.' A very nice, well manicured campground," shares MalibuDave42 L. about Elkhorn Campgrounds.

Beach access: Several campgrounds offer swimming areas for children. "The lake is beautiful and surprisingly picturesque as it is all nature preserve on the opposite side. The beach is large enough and there are clean bathrooms (no hot water in the showers) right there," Chloe N. explains.

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Kids enjoy spotting local animals along trails. "We hiked the trail and saw a mother deer feeding her 2 babies. Hard to belive that there is hiking trails like those in such a densely populated are just outside elgin, il," reports Tricia E.

Tips from RVers

Hookup locations: Water and electric hookups aren't always conveniently placed. "Cons: Walkup only - no reservations taken. $35 a night is a bit steep. AT&T signal is spotty at times. Water hookup is far behind camping pad - bring extensions!" advises Amanda K.

Site selection for horse trailers: RVers with horses should request specific sites that accommodate both RV and trailer. "There are a large number of RV pads overlooking the prairie and a few along a grove of trees," notes Marisa A., describing the layout at Paul Wolff Campground.

Weather considerations: Turner Lake South camping area provides storm shelter access during severe weather. "Bathrooms could've been cleaner but we were grateful for the facility which doubled as a storm shelter. There's indoor showers and bathrooms," Addison G. mentions about the area's safety features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Schaumburg, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Schaumburg, IL is Paul Wolff Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 20 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Schaumburg, IL?

TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Schaumburg, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.