Great Falls Campground — Illini State Park
Closed Off Tent Camping
Although we camped in Illinois record rainfall, we still had a blast. Plenty of trees to hammock, clean bathrooms, and a great river view.
67 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Blackwell Family Campground, a pet-friendly destination in Warrenville, allows leashed dogs throughout the park while providing electric hookups at all sites. Set within a wooded DuPage County Forest Preserve, the campground features clean, level sites with wood chip tent pads and limestone vehicle areas. Dogs must remain on leashes no longer than 10 feet, and owners are required to clean up after their pets. Camp Reinberg in Palatine and Camp Bullfrog Lake in Willow Springs also welcome pets with similar policies. Both tent and RV camping options include electricity at each site, with water filling stations and dump facilities available. The 60-acre Silver Lake offers additional recreation for visitors with pets. Site prices run $20 for county residents and $30 for non-residents, and the park strictly enforces a no-alcohol policy.
Numerous hiking trails through the forest preserve provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with multiple connecting paths accessible directly from the campground. The main trail around Silver Lake offers a flat, 2-mile loop suitable for dogs of all activity levels. Despite being within a suburban area, the dense wooded setting creates a surprisingly secluded camping experience where you can forget you're in the middle of town. Rangers patrol regularly, providing both security and occasional evening activities for families. Gates close one hour after sunset and reopen at sunrise, preventing late-night arrivals or departures. Vault toilets are available throughout the campground while a central building provides modern restrooms and hot showers. Though traffic noise from nearby Winfield Road is audible at some sites, the north loop sites offer more seclusion and separation from road sounds.
"Just outside of Chicago, we have been staying here for quick weekend trips and absolutely love the proximity to home."
"I always loved going to the parks in Illinois with my grandparents when I was little. They love hiking and nature and definitely got me interested in it also. I love them and miss them everyday."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $12 - $35 / night
Check Availability"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!"
from $45 - $60 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $18 - $35 / night
Check Availability"Great site, not far from Chicago, but feels well away from city life. Tent sites around rim of a lake. RV sites and cabins as well."
"What’s great about this location is the access to the miles and mile of MTB and hiking trails just out the front step of your campsite."
from $20 - $138 / night
Check Availability"You can walk from one side to other no problem. Plenty of large and small RV's and Trailers with tent camping. Our home away from home, so relaxing!"
"Saw a few of their “puppy sites” that included a private gated area for dog owners. It poured all weekend but we still enjoyed the stay."
"There’s something so comforting about pulling into Sycamore RV Resort and seeing the sunlight dance across those two spring-fed lakes, giving you that immediate exhale that only a calm Midwestern campground"
"Postage stamp space on gravel but we had things to do outside the resort. Nice walking path around the two ponds. The ponds are very low due to drought this summer."
"They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly."
"Driving into rural northern IL felt like leaving the craziness behind. I brought my dog to an animal-friendly area of the beach, which was small and secluded."
from $25 / night
Check Availability"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. "
"Propane, full hookups, fairly sized fenced in dog run area, a lake with a beach front. Play ground for the kids and a strict 5MPH speed limit. "
from $45 - $70 / night
Check Availability"It pays to drive through the camp ground and note a couple sites that you are interested in and then book your site at the entrance during walk in days. "
"For us it's close to home, shopping and an RV dealership so it's pefect to "shake out" the camper and we can easily get anything we forgot or get stuff to repair anything that's not working."
from $12 - $50 / night
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Although we camped in Illinois record rainfall, we still had a blast. Plenty of trees to hammock, clean bathrooms, and a great river view.
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.
We’ve been staying at this resort for several months now, and wanted to share some feedback based on our experience.
The pool only opened mid-summer.
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, and we’ve had to install a five-stage filtration system just to make it usable.
We’ve also noticed that rules aren’t enforced consistently, and it sometimes feels like certain guests are treated unfairly. For example, while we were told that personal kiddie pools aren’t allowed, we’ve counted at least six others set up around the park.
Package delivery is only permitted under special circumstances, and only if pre-approved by staff.
Had an incident where a staff member criticized my swimsuit at the pool, despite it being modest and similar to what others were wearing. I wore this swimsuit to many pools for many years. Additionally, the beach area is often closed even during posted open hours, and pool hours or updates aren’t clearly communicated—you have to inquire to get any information.
The storm shelter is typically locked, making it inaccessible in emergencies, which is a major concern.
We’ve also had to fix the swing set at the playground ourselves multiple times, as it’s been broken for a while. Many of the park’s facilities and amenities are showing their age and could benefit from updates and maintenance.
That said, there are aspects we’ve truly enjoyed, and they’re the main reasons we’ve continued our stay: the spacious layout of the RV park, a nice lake, beach, pool, gym, and a dog park.
As we were driving eastbound on I80 that day, we spotted the Love’s RV Hookup, which is a new concept that this oversized fueling depot / travel store has been working on for the past year or so. Having checked out one of their other locations in Bloomington earlier in the year, which I have to admit, I was fairly impressed by, we decided to stop in here to have a look. Located just due east on the outskirts of little known Morris, Illinois just off I80, this little roadside stand isn’t the largest Love’s I’ve ever seen, but it sure does pack a punch.
If you do find yourself hustling and bustling east or west along the I80 corridor and are in need of a pit stop or an overnight stay, then the good folks at the Love’s RV Hookup have you covered. While the other Love’s I have stopped by seem enormous by comparison, this spot felt more like a corner convenience store that also had a fairly large fueling bay (4 double-sided pumps) in the front, primarily for cars and SUVs.
As you pull in, there’s 4 spots earmarked to the right of the entrance for RV’s. As you pull further along in front of the Love’s fueling bay, on the other side, an additional 6 or so slots exist for other RVs to park. In all, there’s 10 back-in RV slots available and inside you’ll find that there’s 7 individual shower stalls (all of which were in pristine, brand-new shape when we stopped by) along with a laundry facility, which we were happily surprised by, as well as a designated RV dump service, propane refill station and all of the typical hook-ups (water, 30 / 50 amp electric and sewage) along with WiFi. Inside, there’s of course the Love’s retail market, which was just decent, an ATM, Hardee’s and Naf-Naf (think Subway, but instead, Middle Eastern food). There’s even a small dog park here. As I hinted at, quite a lot here for such a small location.
If you would like something more substantial to eat, just head back west on I80 to the next exit, where if you head north there’s an IHOP, Chili’s, Bellacino’s Pizza or you can head on back to the TA Travel Center where they actually have a proper sit-down 24 hour restaurant called R-Place. If instead of heading north, you drive south on the main drag (Road 47), there’s a Buffalo Wild Wings, Pizza Hut, Starbuck’s, Wendy’s, Culver’s, Dunkin' and Burger King. But if you want something a bit more memorable, I would recommend either Morris Diner & Pancake House or La Casa Michoacana. And if you don’t mind a slightly longer drive back towards Ottawa, there’s 2 amazing places I would recommend that you won’t soon forget: Hank’s and Lone Buffalo.
Should you want to actually enjoy a bit of the nature around these parts, you can continue to head south on N. Division Street / Road 47 where you’ll come to 2 parks: Goold and Chapin, where either would make for a great place to stretch your legs, walk the dog or grab a picnic. If you’d like something a bit more splendid, then head on over to William G. Stratton SP or Gebhard Woods SP where you will be able to hike the I&M Canal State Trail.
While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:
Convenience: 5
Safety & Security: 4
Quality: 5
Peace & Quiet: 4
Amenities: 3
Overall, I scored this location a 4.
Happy Overnighting!
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.
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!
Friendly staff who were quick to respond to any issues. Partial hookups (sewer just outside of park behind hotel). $46/night (+fees) for a pull-through spot. Pet-friendly. Pleasant park with good pad. Near busy road and shipping plant. No wi-fi found except at hotel. Good phone connection. Garbage cans throughout park. Minutes from I & M Canal entrance on Houbolt and from JJC and I-80.
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.
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.
Suburban campgrounds near Wayne, Illinois provide forest preserve access within an hour of Chicago's urban center. The area features several county-managed camping facilities that cater to dog owners with specific pet policies. Most of these campgrounds sit at elevations between 700-900 feet above sea level with a mix of prairie and woodland environments that support diverse wildlife.
Hike extensive trail systems: Big Rock Campground features prairie landscapes with ponds and hiking paths. "Lovely grasslands, ponds, hiking trails, but the lack of trees and privacy isn't my preference. Still great option not far from Chicago," notes Melissa C. who camped at Big Rock Forest Preserve.
Fish in well-stocked waters: Multiple ponds offer fishing opportunities without leaving the campground. At Sycamore RV Resort, "Great fishing and nice beach for swimming. Very nice shower/laundry house," says Ryan B., making it an excellent option for anglers visiting dog friendly campgrounds near Wayne.
Try archery: Some preserves maintain free archery ranges for campers. "The trails are nice and the water is crystal clear. Nice place for a winter hike. Canoe rentals and free archery range," shares Christian V. about recreational options in the area.
Clean, modern facilities: Many Wayne-area pet-friendly campgrounds maintain excellent bathroom facilities. "The shower facilities were clean and the staff very friendly," reports Laura Z. about her stay at Camp Reinberg, where amenities receive regular maintenance.
Proximity to Chicago: The convenient location makes these spots perfect for quick weekend getaways. "Just outside of Chicago, we have been staying here for quick weekend trips and absolutely love the proximity to home," writes Marc W. about one local campground.
Surprising seclusion: Despite suburban locations, many sites offer unexpected privacy. "For nature that's close to civilization, Deer Grove Forest Preserve is the best. While the camp sites are small, the amenities are super clean and the rentable cabins as well," says Kristy G. about Camp Reinberg.
Gate closure policies: Many forest preserves lock entrance gates after sunset. "The gates close for the park an hour after sunset," warns Rich M., which prevents late-night arrivals or departures.
Resident vs. non-resident pricing: County residents pay significantly less than visitors. "Price is very reasonable and the people are great. Easy to get in and out. Lots are nice and well kept," explains Mike M. about the pricing structure at Paul Wolff Campground.
Alcohol restrictions: Several forest preserves prohibit alcohol consumption. "We'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," mentions Marisa A., who appreciated the enforcement of rules.
Take advantage of ranger programs: Many preserves offer educational activities led by staff. "The staff provides both security and occasional evening activities for families," notes one visitor to the area's dog friendly campgrounds.
Choose sites with playground access: Some campgrounds feature designated play areas. "This is a little gem in DuPage County. We live in the area and went here when our child was a baby, as we didn't want to be far from home. The grounds include a lake for boating, hiking trails, and bike paths. There is also an archery range, and some ranger programs," explains Jen E.
Look for beach areas: Swimming access provides excellent family entertainment. At Lehmans Lakeside RV Resort, "They have a huge lake with paved paths that we were able to walk the first night (not raining) and the beach looks like it will be fun to enjoy in the summer," shares Rose F.
Check water hookup distances: Water spigots may be located far from pads. "The water hookups are kind of far from the individual sites (make sure you have extra hose)," advises Rodney D. from his experience at Big Rock Campground.
Consider site levelness: Many older campgrounds have uneven sites. "Sites are level and clean and they have modern bathrooms. We take our kayaks to the lake during the summer," reports Marc W. about one of the better-maintained options.
Prepare for limited shade: Newer campgrounds often lack mature trees. "This is a pretty new camp site, so the trees need some time to get big enough to provide some shade," explains David W., highlighting a common issue at recently developed pet-friendly campgrounds near Wayne.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Wayne, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Wayne, IL is Blackwell Family Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 22 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Wayne, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 67 dog-friendly camping locations near Wayne, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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