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Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Waukegan, IL

519 Reviews

Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park welcomes pets across its spacious campground located along Lake Michigan. The park features electric hookups at most sites with a mix of tent and RV camping options within walking distance of the shoreline. Chain O' Lakes State Park's numerous camping areas - including Fox Den, Honeysuckle Hollow, Prairie View, Turner Lake South, and Mud Lake East - all permit pets with varying amenities. Most offer fire pits, picnic tables, and access to toilet facilities, while several provide showers and electric hookups. Camp Reinberg stands out with cabin accommodations that accept pets alongside traditional tent and RV sites. The rocky beach at Illinois Beach State Park requires pets to stay in designated areas, with some visitors noting cleanliness issues including broken glass and trash that pet owners should monitor. Campers browse The Dyrt when exploring the best sites near Waukegan, Illinois.

Lake Michigan shoreline access provides dogs cooling opportunities during summer months when mosquitoes and flies can be particularly bothersome at Illinois Beach State Park. Sites are generally well-spaced with good separation between camping neighbors, offering both shaded and unshaded options for pet comfort depending on seasonal preferences. The state park trails showcase diverse ecosystems including dunes, forest, prairie and wetlands, though some paths become overgrown during peak growing season. Many campsites feature nearby water spigots for pet hydration, with bathroom facilities throughout the parks. Several campgrounds in the area experience occasional flooding, particularly noted at the 300-series sites at Illinois Beach State Park, which prompted management to redesignate them as walk-in sites. Sunrise and sunset viewing opportunities with pets along Lake Michigan make for memorable camping experiences despite occasional noise from nearby roads, trains and planes.

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Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Waukegan, Illinois (43)

    1. Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

    66 Reviews
    Zion, IL
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 662-4811

    $25 / night

    "They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly."

    "Showers are clean, electric worked perfectly, site was flat, and the staff is around a lot of you need something.

    The only downside in my opinion is the beach is super rocky."

    2. Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    14 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    16 miles
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) 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"

    "Campsite is nice, we're pretty close to our neighbors but not as bad as other places I've been. Walking distance to a fishing dock!"

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

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

    "It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "

    "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."

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

    13 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    16 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."

    "You can hear whatever highway is nearby pretty clearly and constantly.

    But if you’re not looking for something super remote then it’s fine!"

    5. Sunset Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

    23 Reviews
    Burlington, WI
    22 miles
    Website

    "I would recommend this for anyone for starting to step out of the comfort zone for the outdoors. very simple, many paths to walk, jog, or ride a bike. a small lake is near the further parking lot. dogs"

    "Pros: great hiking trails, nice lake to kayak on, family friendly beach and picnic areas

    Cons: Not great fishing, no dog friendly swim area, the beach/fishing pier/boat launch are all pretty far from"

    6. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    8 Reviews
    Round Lake, IL
    14 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."

    7. Camp Reinberg

    12 Reviews
    Palatine, IL
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (312) 636-9750

    $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!"

    8. Sunrise Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

    21 Reviews
    Burlington, WI
    22 miles
    Website

    "the property is HUGE and most things are about a 10 to 15 min walk from the campsites. lots of hiking, boating, swimming fishing and more! a great place for anyone!"

    "You can fish, hunt, hit the trail in your boots, or on your ORV. There is swimming but as kids I remember some people getting swimmers itch or chiggers from time to time."

    9. Prairie View — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    8 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    16 miles
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "Prairie View campground is in the Chain O Lakes State Park series. This is the no services campground. We could walk to fill up with water but no electric on site. Checking in was interesting."

    "It was me, my wife, our 8 month old daughter, and our dog."

    10. Mud Lake East — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    7 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    $12 / night

    "This State Park isn't too far off the beaten path which is nice. Fairly close to gas stations, convenience stores, etc. The park is clean, and has the bathrooms and utilities that would be needed."

    "There are numerous sites that are on a small lake with great sunset views. Sites are decent size but not much privacy in between sites. Lots of wooded trails within the campground."

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Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Waukegan, IL

57 Photos of 43 Waukegan Campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Waukegan, IL

519 Reviews of 43 Waukegan Campgrounds

  • jennifer Z.
    Oct. 22, 2023

    Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

    Surprising secret camp ground

    We love private campsites, far enough away from other campers, yet close enough to amenities. We chose a walk in site #16 which was nice but I wish we chose one a bit further in. Bathrooms where very clean. Trails are great. Pet friendly - we brought our small, quiet dogs. Dog friendly restaurant right next to the camp site.

  • Annabelle G.
    Jul. 29, 2019

    Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    Our all-time favorite place

    Absolutely beautiful, reasonable prices, electric available. Tons of restrooms, showers, laundry, and wonderful camp hosts. Huge beach area, dog park, fishing as well. Shop to buy items you may need and absolutely wonderful place. Open all year round

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 13, 2024

    Northwoods RV Resort

    New Campground Scent Emanates From this Freshly Minted RV Outpost

    My first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery (as it was October when we visited, it might be better described as brownery) surrounded by a fairly decent gated enclosure lined with perfectly pruned tall towering oaks. Upon arrival, you’ll find what looks to be a brand-spanking new log cabin office on the right after passing a seemingly freshly-minted activities center / community lodge complete with in-ground heated swimming pool and jacuzzi on the left.

    Amenities? As you could guess, this pet-friendly 60-acre RV resort has all the attractions in spades from pickleball, playgrounds, volleyball, log pergola patio, full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water & sewage), picnic tables, fire pits, BBQ grills, wagon rides, river access, picnic areas, bathhouses w/ showers & restrooms, cable TV WiFi (pretty poor connection though), gaga ball, game room, community room, billiards table, playground, wet bar, tabletop shuffleboard, community living room with large screen TV, DVD player w/ DVD library, clubhouse, dog park, horseshoes, hot tub, covered pavilions with picnic tables, catch & release ponds, inflatable water toys, jumping pillow, laundr-O-mat, propane refueling station and dump station.

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) This place isn’t EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you’ll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place and that you’ll need to double-back, cross the train tracks heading north and turn right just before arriving to High Road School of Belvidere (so if you see a school, you’ve gone too far); (2) You will want to take note that yes, you actually cross train tracks to get to this campground, so if you’re sharp, you’re going to want to ensure you haven’t booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20; (3) If you’re a tent camper, you can certainly stay here, but you will want to note that this is very much an RV outpost; (4) The best sites IMHO are those on the northernmost perimeter, as far away from the train tracks as you can get and that also border the Kishwaukee River with sites #S9-#S20 being excellent, as well as #S25-#S81, which are equally amazing; (5) If you are planning on using that amazing pool that you saw as you came in, make sure you call management a good day or two before you come in to ensure that they turn on the heater – when we were there for 2 days, by the time we left, the pool was still too cold to go for a dip; and (6) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up a meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler and want to venture out to try some local fare, just a short walk into the nearby town is Garden Prairie Café, which has a very simple menu offering no shortage of fried everything (fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.) and then there’s Pleasant Street Tavern, but that’s mostly cheap national beers and frozen pizza fare, so if you want something a bit more substantive, head west of here to Miles Bar N’ Grill that serves up typical Midwestern fare like cheese curds, pork tenderloin, Italian beef and a variety of fried fish like blue gill, cod and catfish.

    Happy Camping!

  • ron R.
    Aug. 19, 2024

    Lehmans Lakeside RV Resort

    My second stay here

    I was here for three months this time as i get to business completed.  The park was still kept up very nicely and this time I was here long enough to be able to see how.  The grass is mowed every week.  There is patroling at all hours for security.  The laundry machines are great the dryers ore good.  The dog park is clean and secure.  The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage.  The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year.  The store has many items you may need.  The showers are cleaned and work great.  The camp water is high in Iron.  The pot roads need service as thay do have a lot of pot holes.  Good thing for the 5mph speed limit.

  • J
    Aug. 14, 2022

    Happy Acres Kampground

    Great for families

    Staff was polite and helpful. They escort you to your spot. They hand out activity sheets for the weekend. Petting zoo, camp store, pool, lake/pond for swimming and fishing. Cell signal for ATT just one bar. No internet. Lots of full time residents. Lots of activities for kids. Pet friendly. They charge extra if you have visitors.

  • Kaitlin M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 20, 2025

    Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

    Relaxing but no water hook up

    We love camping here. It truly feels rural. Small shower house but water pressure is amazing. It’s always quiet and the view is beautiful. Bugs were awful this stay. They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly.

  • W
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Kettle Moraine Southern Unit — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    Campsite 034

    We liked this site because it was on the "quiet loop." No radios or pets allowed. I'm not sure about children! :) The sites are fairly close together and the trees are sparse, but it was a beautiful site and wonderfully quiet for the long weekend over the 4th of July 2017.

    You can walk over to an area that has hiking trails right out of the campsite. State park mountain biking trails are also close by, but you would need to drive to them. The showers were clean and when we used them, available. There is a playground right next to them as well.

    The campsite itself had a good log-stopper so you wouldn't drive too far into the woods, great fire ring, and picnic table. We had nice flat areas for our tents.

    I am not so sure I would have enjoyed myself if I'd been in another loop. The quiet was perfect!

  • Jack D.
    Jun. 11, 2021

    Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

    Great place to camp on Lake Michigan

    It’s a pretty nice campground. Showers are clean, electric worked perfectly, site was flat, and the staff is around a lot of you need something.

    The only downside in my opinion is the beach is super rocky. I would personally travel about 6 miles south to Waukegan Municipal Beach for tons of great sandy beach (North beach is a little walk be worth it). If you don’t have a Waukegan city sticker, the beach is free on weekdays and there is a per car fee on weekends and holidays for those that don’t have a sticker.

    The campground is quiet and the sites are well spaced out. The water pressure at the water spigots is a little low, but not too low. The dump station is clean and user friendly.

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 31, 2020

    Blackwell Family Campground

    Weekend Camping with lots of activities

    For years, this was our go-to campground for weekend nearby adventures. Over the years, the price has increased and at $30 per site for non-residents, it's a bit steep for tent camping for me (so I left off a star rating). All sites are electric, so if you are tent camping and want your fan or slow-cooker, then it's as good as it gets in the burbs. It's located in a beautiful wooded Dupage County Forest preserve. While the sites are pretty close together, there are a few good ones that feel more secluded. Designated chip bark tent sites are level. The grounds are very well maintained. While I didn't camp here this year, I took these photos the last weekend in October to give everyone a sense of how nice this campground could be for them. My favorite sites over the years were the ones closest to Silver Lake along the South Loop road because those sites have the best views. For privacy, my favorite site is #27 on the north loop road which makes you feel like you are alone in the woods. Other than plenty of hiking options including a big hill, the fishing is outstanding. There are lots of places along the lake and ponds to get an easy catch and release. There is also archery, a dog park, picnic areas, boat rental/ramp, and a compass course. It is a great place for families. I've brought cub scouts here and my kids' friends. Heads-up that sites 21 & 22 may not be able to see traffic on the busy Winfield Rd in the summer, but you will still hear it at those sites.

Guide to Waukegan

Camping near Waukegan, Illinois provides access to both inland waterways and Lake Michigan shoreline. The region sits at the intersection of northern prairie lands and the Great Lakes watershed, creating diverse habitats within short distances. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F with frequent evening thunderstorms, while fall camping brings cooler temperatures and fewer insects.

What to do

Boating and paddling: Chain O' Lakes State Park offers extensive water access with multiple lakes connected by channels. "I love to kayak through here because I don't need to paddle through the river unless I'm feeling competitive. I enjoy this route for the wildlife and nature scenery. I've seen beavers, minks, ferrets, and sand cranes on my two trips so far," notes a visitor to Turner Lake South.

Horseback riding: Several trails throughout Chain O' Lakes accommodate equestrians. At Mud Lake East, campers mention the equestrian amenities: "There is horse riding here as well. The views are breathtaking." The park offers both trail access for horse owners and guided rides for visitors without horses.

Hiking off the beaten path: For quieter trails away from crowds, experienced campers recommend exploring lesser-known areas. "If you go just past the entrance - pass by the playground - you will come to a stop sign. Keep going straight even though it will look like you are just walking into trees. A trail is there that was a nice place to explore. Even on multiple adventures, we did not pass anyone when we went hiking on it," shares a camper from Fox Den Campground.

What campers like

Proximity to Chicago: Many dog friendly campgrounds near Waukegan offer a quick escape from urban areas. "This used to be our traditional family camping area... I still enjoy all the wildlife we see but I will stick with hiking over camping here," reports a reviewer at Sunset Campground at Richard Bong State Recreation Area.

Clean facilities: Campers frequently mention well-maintained bathrooms at Camp Reinberg, with one noting: "Seriously the cleanest I've ever seen, even the ceilings were cleaned!" The Cook County Forest Preserve District maintains this campground with heated/air conditioned dining hall and modern shower buildings.

Fishing opportunities: Access to multiple lakes and waterways creates excellent fishing conditions. "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," shares a camper from Turner Lake South.

What you should know

Mosquito and tick conditions: Insects are a significant concern at many pet-friendly camping spots in the area. A visitor to Honeysuckle Hollow warns: "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks... they literally fall out of the trees into people! Plan for toddlers and babies to have a contained covered screen house."

Campground gates close at night: Several parks enforce strict entry hours. One camper at Prairie View notes: "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!"

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Waukegan, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Waukegan, IL is Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 66 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Waukegan, IL?

TheDyrt.com has all 43 dog-friendly camping locations near Waukegan, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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