Northern Illinois offers a mix of forest and prairie landscapes surrounding Sycamore, with elevations around 850-900 feet above sea level. The region experiences distinct seasons with warm, humid summers reaching the upper 80s and cold winters where temperatures can drop below freezing. Local campgrounds range from rustic tent sites with minimal amenities to full-service RV resorts with electrical hookups and modern facilities.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Pierce Lake at Rock Cut State Park provides excellent fishing conditions. "The lake has nearly 40 miles of hiking trails, including equestrian trails and an equestrian campground. There is boating and fishing as well as swimming in the lake," notes Matt S., who describes the park as "the largest State Park in Northern Illinois."
Hiking trails: MacQueen Forest Preserve offers secluded hiking paths through wooded areas and along the Kishwaukee River. "Massive forest preserve area for excellent hiking. Some fellow campers were doing a diy tubing right to the campground. About a 2 hr lazy river tube from Kingston or 5hrs from Genoa on the slow moving S. Branch of the Kishwaukee River," shares Marisa A.
Kid-friendly activities: Chicago Northwest KOA in Union provides numerous facilities for children. "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," reports Dan B., while another camper noted, "This KOA has very limited full hook up sites... CG was very kid friendly, with tons for them to do."
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Paul Wolff Campground offers large, well-maintained sites. "We like this campground because it's close to home and its clean/large campsites," writes Tara M. Another camper mentions, "Site 37 and enjoyed our stay. There are vault toilets but the large number of big RVs meant they were not used often leaving them almost like our private restrooms."
Privacy and seclusion: Thomas Woods Campground provides a sense of isolation despite being near populated areas. "I stayed in one of the tent camping sites with a little walk up. Nobody else was camping within sight of me, which was nice," explains Emily H., while another reviewer stated, "This was a well laid out campground, with some sites right on the roads and some buried back in the woods away from everyone (we chose the latter and felt like we had the place to ourselves)."
Affordable primitive options: MacQueen Forest Preserve offers exceptional value for basic camping. "The very best part? You're in the middle of the country, with gorgeous sunsets, and the primitive camping is only $4," shares Amy G. Marcus D. adds, "I don't have a lot of experience with fishing, but the places with access to the river were not good locations for fishing... I will definitely be going back this year especially since it's close to me and it's only $5/night."
What you should know
Seasonal restrictions: Many campgrounds have limited operating seasons. Thomas Woods is "limited to weekend camping" according to Marisa A., while Pine Country operates from "April 20 to October 15."
Water quality issues: Multiple campgrounds have water concerns. Lehman's Lakeside RV Resort has "camp water high in iron" according to a reviewer, and MacQueen Forest Preserve warns, "There is water, but it is not, I repeat is not, potable."
Train noise: Several campgrounds experience regular train disturbances. "If you cannot sleep to the sound of trains at night, this is not the campground for you. I don't mind them at all, and rather enjoy the sound, but there were probably three of them that went by in the middle of the night rather close to the campground," advises Amy G. about MacQueen Forest Preserve.
Tips for camping with families
Group campsites: Big Rock Campground features open spaces ideal for family gatherings. "Nice campground with big, level sites. Even though they don't take reservations, there is plenty of space and availability," notes Melissa C. Another camper adds, "We did our first (family of 5) camping trip at Thomas Woods. We were at site 4 which is electric hookup and it was a huge area! The kids had so much space to run around and explore."
Swimming options: Several campgrounds offer swimming opportunities. "Nice fishing ponds and fun beach!! But no tent camping," reports Abby W. about Sycamore RV Resort. Another camper shared, "Campground is very well maintained with gravel pads. Nice lake for fishing and a beach area for the kids to go swimming."
Educational nature experiences: Rock Cut State Park provides wildlife viewing opportunities. "Got bird watching on your mind? Well, you're in luck, because here at Rock Cut SP you can spot an amazing array of foul including bald eagles, American robins, northern cardinals, barn owls, mourning doves, indigo buntings, eastern bluebirds," describes Stuart K.
Tips from RVers
Water hookup extensions: Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area requires planning for water access. "Water hookup is far behind camping pad - bring extensions!" advises Amanda K. regarding Big Rock Campground, while another camper notes, "I saw where some campers hooked about 150' of hose to spigots behind the loops to run to their campers."
Electrical reliability concerns: Electrical systems at some campgrounds may be outdated. "We had to rent a motel for the night because we couldn't even pull out the slide or anything... Told us that the park was just so old that it probably couldn't keep up and moved us to a 50 amp sight," reports Rebecca C. about Rock Cut State Park.
Site leveling: Most campgrounds have relatively level sites for easy setup. "The spaces are pretty level. The trees will be terrific in about 20 years," explains Jeff G. about Big Rock Campground, while another camper noted, "Site was not level but it had a lot of shade which was nice. Had horrible WiFi, no cable and limited reception."
