Camping options near Union, Illinois include seasonal and year-round facilities within a 30-minute radius. The region's landscape features a mix of forest preserves and prairie terrain at approximately 900 feet elevation, creating diverse habitats for wildlife. Summer temperatures typically range from 65-85°F, while spring and fall camping offer more moderate conditions with occasional rainfall that can affect site conditions.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Chicago Northwest KOA offers family-friendly fishing, while nearby campgrounds provide access to stocked ponds. "We stayed at 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," notes one camper at Paul Wolff Campground.
Hiking trails: Multiple hiking trails at varying difficulty levels run through the region's preserves. "There are miles of trails. On one hike we were on paved, sifted gravel, grass and single trek trails. There are a lot of loops giving you options. When we left we still hadn't hiked all of them," reports an Art S. at Paul Wolff Campground.
Swimming access: Some facilities maintain dedicated swimming areas or beaches for hot summer days. "The pool area was nice, but tons of kids. CG was very kid friendly, with tons for them to do," observes a reviewer about Chicago Northwest KOA.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Site layout varies significantly by location. At Thomas Woods Campground, "Most of the tent spots are spaced out enough to provide privacy and quiet. Firewood is cheap on-site and delivered to your site on demand," explains Matt K. Another reviewer notes, "I stayed in one of the tent camping sites with a little walk up (parking for a car available about 50 feet away). Nobody else was camping within sight of me."
Clean facilities: Many campers highlight maintenance standards. "The campground is beautiful wish it was open more than the weekend's," states one visitor to Thomas Woods. Another reports, "Bathrooms are immaculate and are locked with electronic key cards" at Sycamore RV Resort.
Wildlife viewing: The natural settings attract diverse wildlife. "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 area just outside elgin, il," reports a camper at Paul Wolff Campground.
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds in the area fill quickly during summer months. "Stayed here for a week, nice clean campground, quiet and beautiful lake for fishing, close to town, but yet just far enough out," notes a reviewer at Sycamore RV Resort.
Seasonal operations: Check operating dates before planning trips. "I've been here two other weekends. Generally quiet and many of the tent spots are spaced out enough to provide privacy and quiet," reports a Thomas Woods camper.
Shower availability: Facilities vary widely between campgrounds. At Rock Cut State Park, "Shower buildings were clean enough, but very old with bad shower heads." Another camper mentions, "We stayed in the White Oak area and used our tent. This location was close to the shower house."
Ambient noise: Some campgrounds experience noise from nearby roads or railways. "You can hear the highway at night which kinda takes away from the nature vibes but overall I was very happy with our one night stay," reports a visitor to Rock Cut State Park.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. A visitor to Chicago Northwest KOA observed, "Did a quick stay with the kids for a Friday and Saturday night. 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."
Family-oriented activities: Scheduled events often target younger campers. "Lots of activities for kids on the weekends. People are nice to you. Plus they have a quiet time at night. So people and kids can go to bed without a bunch of noise," shares a reviewer about Chicago Northwest KOA.
Child-friendly water features: Several facilities maintain swimming options. At Northwoods RV Resort, "The pool is very clean and the staff helped us pick a better site upon arrival. They also have a very pretty river to fish."
Tips from RVers
Site access considerations: RV site configurations vary across facilities. At Chicago Northwest KOA, "It's on the smaller side and the RV sites are a little close together but they have it set up where your RVs doors open on opposite sides so it gives a little privacy."
Electric reliability: Power capabilities differ between campgrounds. A reviewer at Rock Cut State Park shares, "We stayed at site 4 which is electric hookup and it was a huge area! The kids had so much space to run around and explore. They loved the well pump."
Seasonal hookups: Water access changes seasonally at some locations. "We live less than five minutes from Rock Cut and wanted to test out our pop up camper. It's off season so the showers were not open yet but there were open toilets," notes a camper.
