Wadsworth, Illinois camping areas lie within an ecological transition zone where northern Illinois prairie meets woodland ecosystems. The region typically experiences summer high temperatures in the mid-80s°F with occasional humidity spikes above 90% during July and August. Camping opportunities around Wadsworth include options on small inland lakes and access points to the Fox River system that connects to the broader Chain O' Lakes waterways.
What to do
Kayaking on interconnected waterways: Chain O' Lakes State Park features multiple access points to explore the Fox River and connected lakes. "This is a great campground. If you like to kayak or canoe this is a great place to be. There is a water way fee per kayak or canoe per year but it is well worth it," notes a camper from Honeysuckle Hollow Camping Area.
Horseback riding: Richard Bong State Recreation Area offers equestrian trails and activities. "This place has everything a clean campground, great hiking trails, ATV trails, a nature center, a self-guided audio hike, fishing and more," reports a visitor to Sunset Campground.
Fishing from your campsite: Some lakefront sites at Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort allow fishing without leaving your tent area. A camper mentions, "I recommend the lakefront tent sites, they are spacious and you can fish right from your site! The lake is beautiful and surprisingly picturesque as it is all nature preserve on the opposite side."
What campers like
Private wooded sites: Fox Den Campground receives praise for its secluded camping spots. "Fox den at Chain-o-Lakes state park provides a more secluded camping experience than Honeysuckle or the 2 tent camping areas. Pads are pretty level, and each site has some semblance of privacy from other campers," shares a visitor to Fox Den Campground.
Lake access: Turner Lake South offers direct water access in a more natural setting. A camper reports, "The lake was very nice. We were able to kayak but be careful getting the kayaks in. Stairs down to the pier and the bottom of the lake is very mushy. The water was very clear and you could see the fish swim by."
Wildlife viewing: Sunset Campground at Richard Bong State Recreation Area features abundant wildlife. "If you enjoy bird watching or rabbit spotting, this is a great place to go. 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," notes a visitor to Sunrise Campground.
What you should know
Gate closure times: Park gates at Chain O' Lakes State Park close promptly at 10:00 PM. A camper from Prairie View Camping Area notes, "A note that the park gates close early as well - we returned one evening at 10:30pm and couldn't get back in with a vehicle. Had to go back in on foot. Good to plan ahead!"
Bathroom and shower conditions: Facilities vary widely between campgrounds. At Illinois Beach State Park, "Small shower house but water pressure is amazing. It's always quiet and the view is beautiful. Bugs were awful this stay."
Bug preparation: Insect activity can be intense, particularly at Richard Bong State Recreation Area. "It's a wetland, mosquitoes are happening, but the trade off is just about worth it. 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."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Choose sites with easy access to play areas at Chain O' Lakes. "We chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end as the ones closest to the main loop aren't very deep."
Tick prevention for children: Prepare for tick encounters, especially with young children. A parent at Turner Lake South Camping Area advises, "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks. Plan for toddlers and babies to have a contained covered screen house and have them wear hats or a wagon shade on walks so nothing lands in their hair."
Swimming options: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort offers kid-friendly water activities. "The beach is large enough and there are clean bathrooms right there. The camp store sells treats and pizza, very convenient and makes for a more relaxing camping experience when traveling with young kids!"
Tips from RVers
Electrical hookup location: At Honeysuckle Hollow, electrical boxes can be far from parking pads. "These sites share an electric box. Some spaces the box is further than 30 feet from the pad. A lot of the spaces are also crowded together. Recommend sites 23 to 46 for spacing and electric distance."
Dump station congestion: Holiday weekends create bottlenecks at facilities. A visitor notes, "They needed someone to control the traffic that comes from two different directions going to the dual dump stations. There's no honor system, especially on a holiday weekend."
Timing your stay: Weekdays offer significantly more space and quiet. "The campground was really busy during the weekend, but cleared out Sunday and we nearly had the whole loop to ourselves during the week. The park has many trails, which were nice."
