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Best Tent Camping near West Dundee, IL

583 Reviews

Tent camping options near West Dundee, Illinois are limited but include a few notable locations within reasonable driving distance. MacQueen Forest Preserve offers primitive tent camping with walk-in sites spaced approximately 50 yards apart, providing privacy and seclusion. The campground features self-service check-in and costs only $4-5 per night, making it an affordable option for tent campers seeking a natural setting about an hour from the Chicago suburbs.

Campers at MacQueen Forest Preserve must carry their gear from the parking area to individual sites, with a wagon and dolly available to assist with transport. The campground provides basic amenities including fire pits, picnic tables, and vault toilets, but no drinking water—the well water pumps are marked "not for drinking." Sites are divided between wooded areas and open meadow settings, with sites 1, 2, and 8 being the most forested and offering the best river views. The campground is accessible year-round but may experience occasional flooding during heavy rain periods.

The tent sites at MacQueen Forest Preserve provide a surprising level of privacy despite being relatively close to civilization. Sites are sufficiently spaced to prevent visual contact with neighboring campers, and the preserve offers direct access to the Kishwaukee River for fishing or paddling opportunities. Night sounds include distant trains and wildlife. According to one visitor, "This is where to go if you don't like pitching a tent in a field of RVs." Another camper noted, "It's a nice, secluded place with great sites. Super easy no registration, it's first come first serve." For tent campers seeking additional options, Channahon State Park offers walk-in tent sites surrounded by trees along the Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail, which provides excellent biking opportunities for visitors arriving by bicycle.

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Best Tent Sites Near West Dundee, Illinois (8)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near West Dundee, IL

12 Photos of 8 West Dundee Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near West Dundee, IL

583 Reviews of 8 West Dundee Campgrounds

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2020

    MacQueen Forest Preserve

    Secluded Hike-in Tent Campsites on the Kish

    This is where to go if you don't like pitching a tent in a field of RVs. There is one wheelchair accessible tent site on a blacktop path in the forest canopy. This is a very primative campground with 1 set of Vault toilets. The other campsites require a walk/hike along a gravel path for completely wooded sites or cross a football sized meadow for open air sites. There are several well-water pumps "not for drinking." Each campsite has a fire pit and a picnic table. Pack out your garbage for the dumpster in the parking lot. There are only 9 sites total. VERY private and secluded. Tents only! 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 which can be pretty deep in places.) Absolutely NO ALCOHOL. Cost for tent sites is only $4 per tent or tent-like structure. There are primitive cabins for rent and a large lodge if you rented the structure for an event here. By their facebook page, it looks like there have been beautiful weddings here. This is a former scout camp flanked by more forest preserves. The ranger is very nice and the entrance is locked from sunset to sunrise. I hesitated even posting this tent-camping primitive heaven, because I almost want to keep it for myself and the locals. Please practice leave no trace and follow the rules if you go so this place stays open. Dog friendly, but must be leashed all of time or a $50 fine. My dog loved the trails and river crossings! Gorgeous hidden gem about an hour into cornfield country from Chicago NW suburbs like Woodfield Mall. I had cell service at one spot in the parking lot, but it was fleeting with T-mobile. A fellow camper had the best private spot (#2) which other than the ada site was the best because it was closest to the parking lot, yet she still had a festival/yard cart to pull her gear up a gravel path. Make sure you bring yours or are outfitted with backpacking gear. Like anywhere, prevent insect deforestation and don't bring firewood, it's fine, they have plenty.

  • H. K.
    Jun. 26, 2022

    Camp Bullfrog Lake

    Nice but very little shade

    We stayed in the primitive tent area near the back of the park. It is walk in.

    There was a pole for a lantern, a picnic table, a fire ring and tent pad. There is one clean flush toilet and shower per each gender (the shower stall was spacious with plenty of hooks and benches). There were also vault toilets not too far away. The water spigot was pretty far away though. There were plenty of garbage cans.

    There were a few small trees but very little shade. On hot days I think a pop up shade shelter would be necessary to make it bearable.

    Overall it was pretty quiet.

    The last night we were there a large group of people with their tents showed up. There were not enough tent pads or picnic tables for all of them. I don't know if it was the park that booked so many people or if it was the group that overbooked.

  • Meg
    Jun. 12, 2022

    Rock Cut State Park - Staghorn Campground

    Beautiful View (site 20), serious slope

    We LOVE site 20 as does everyone else who books this one up quick. Literally the only downside is that you have no flat spots anywhere on the site, which killed our backs sleeping in tents.

    Pros - lake view, but a safe distance down the hill so no worries about the kids at the campsite.

    On the end with tons of privacy, full row of trees and a ton of space until the next site. It’s like your own mini oasis.

    Lake is also fabulous. We decided to rent instead of hauling our own kayak and they were clean, affordable and quick process.

    Cons - lol that hill is no joke. Pit toilets I wouldn’t touch with a 10ft pole, but that’s pretty typical.

  • D
    Aug. 3, 2025

    Paul Wolff Campground

    No showers

    We would gladly stay here again!

    Great campsite with the best staff ever! The sites are clean and very well maintained. We loved the staff patrolling the grounds. The trail system is great for walking the dogs. And I even grew to like the no alcohol in the preserve rule.

    The vault toilets are clean but smell like vault toilets at 95 degrees. There is one very clean flush toilet building but no showers. They don't advertise showers, but this is the newest and nicest campsite I have seen without showers. There is some shade, but you have to search for it.

  • Marisa A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2020

    Paul Wolff Campground

    Great value Chicago suburb campsite

    I'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 for the check-in shack and bathrooms. It is a super clean campground with multiple hosts and forest preserve staff. There are a large number of RV pads overlooking the prairie and a few along a grove of trees. I was lucky once to see the equestrian area full of campers with their horses. There are 9 walk-in tent sites about 10-20 yards from parking (the two at the end p7 and p9 are connected for groups that know each other). There are multiple ada sites and two "walk-in/ie roll-in" site in the tent-only area. It's a good mix of young people, retired people, and families. I've seen weekends with mainly RVs and one weekend with a quarter of the drive-in sites being tents. The most shaded sites are p1,3,5,7 and 9. Many of the sites in the middle are wide open with little shade but nice summer breezes. Prices are a great deal if you live in Kane county but still worth the trip if you live in another county. Firewood is $7 for about .75 cu ft (what you can fit in a milk crate.) There are a few trails and I've seen lots of butterflies, gold finches, hawks, deer, flocks of giant sandhill cranes, rabbits, ground squirrels, and of course actual squirrels. Lots of people (including me) bring their leashed dogs. The other campers have been polite and friendly. I wish there was more distance between sites in the water/electrical loops for more privacy, but I'd go every weekend if I lived in Kane county because it would be worth the resident price even tho there are so many RVs. Because there is electrical it is a peaceful campground with no generator noise.

  • S
    Oct. 2, 2020

    Rock Cut State Park - Staghorn Campground

    Good Tent Sites

    We visited this spot last summer as a place to stay for 1 night on our way farther north.

    We really enjoy tent camping and prefer walk-in/hike in sites so we can have some privacy away from other campers. The campsites were decently dispersed and the ground was nice and grassy so it was pretty comfortable.

    We always want more space between campsites, but I think the privacy level was fine. The tent sites are right off the parking lot where the boat ramp is so maybe on a busy weekend it would be a little loud, but overall a nice night for us!

    We left in the morning to continue our drive so we didn’t spend much time checking out the hiking trails.

    We did however go checkout the beach which wasn’t much to write home about. If I remember correctly, we had to pay a fee to enter. Always happy to support a state park. We just figured since we were already paying to camp there, it wouldn’t cost extra. I’m pretty sure we paid an admission fee and didn’t stay for long. It was across the way and requires a drive instead of a hike to get there.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 12, 2020

    Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Well maintained and clean

    Very impressed with this state park! It was huge, almost 3 miles just to our site! The showers were clean. The spots were large and wooded with nice fire ring set ups. The staff was very helpful answering any questions and giving recommendations. We stayed on a primitive/wilderness site for $12 with no electric. They will allow anyone on these sites-we even saw huge RV'S and 5th wheels on primitive sites.

    There are amazing trails through park for people to hike, bike, or ride horse on.

    Spring Grove is a tiny town nearby with a little corner bar called “The Grove”. They serve amazing food with great service. Very clean! I recommend checking it out if you’re looking for some good food.

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 15, 2021

    MacQueen Forest Preserve

    Beautiful primitive campground I almost don't want to tell anyone about

    $4 individual primitive site

    Note: 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. There's a little bit of road noise, but not disturbing at all in the middle of the night. There's also a river on one side of the campground, but it can only be heard if you were at one particular campsite.

    This is one of those places that's so awesome, you really don't want to tell people about it. It used to be an old boy scout camp, and now they let the public use it. There are eight primitive campsites here, and they're spread out at least 50 yards apart. That's right, at least 50 yards. You can't see the campsite next to you, and they all have a picnic table and a fire ring. You do have to walk into all of them, but they do have one wagon and a dolly you can use to tote things in. It's an easy walk, on a crushed gravel road and mowed trail, and they do have one space near the parking lot that's handicap accessible. About half of the campsites are in a meadow at the back end of the campground. It would be beautiful for stargazing! There's also a giant fire pit with benches. The perfect area for a small group camp (as long as each party paid for the campsite that's back there).

    There's vault toilets and the one I used wasn't terrible, but it is primitive. There's even a light switch inside with a functioning light! There is a ranger house at the very front, and I get the impression that there's the possibility that someone actually lives there. The campsite looked very well maintained, like it had been freshly mowed around the edges.

    Even if the rangers don't actually live here, they're here regularly and it's obvious.

    The very best part? You're in the middle of the country, with gorgeous sunsets, and the primitive camping is only $4.

    There is water, but it is not, I repeat is not, potable.

    There are trash cans and dumpsters. There's also a lodge and pavilion which can be rented out for separate cost.

    I'll definitely be back next time I'm through this area. It's all self-checking, you just use the pay box in the parking lot.

  • Kristy G.
    Oct. 26, 2020

    Rock Cut State Park - Staghorn Campground

    Close proximity to Chicago, beautiful lake, nice trails

    We stayed on tent-only site 009 which gave us a small view of the lake through the trees, a direct trail to the lake to sit with our morning coffee, and plenty of space between sites so we couldn't see or hear any neighbors. It's a short walk in to the site from the parking area in that section (maybe 50 ft total) and parking is easy and plentiful in the lot. We brought our own potty so I can't speak on the cleanliness of the facilities, but I can say they store their firewood indoors which was excellent for nice dry wood that was easy to start and burned hot.

Guide to West Dundee

Tent camping near West Dundee, Illinois requires venturing beyond the immediate area as local options are sparse. The region sits at approximately 750 feet above sea level in the Fox River Valley, characterized by rolling hills and prairie remnants. Most nearby campsites require a 30-60 minute drive from West Dundee, with seasonal temperature variations from below freezing in winter to humid 80-90°F summers.

What to do

Paddling access on the Kishwaukee River: MacQueen Forest Preserve campsites offer direct river access for fishing or paddling. According to one camper, "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 which can be pretty deep in places.)"

Biking opportunities: Channahon State Park Campground provides excellent cycling access. "The Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail passes right by camp. You can stop for a rest or stay the night. It's a nice stopping distance if you are riding from Chicago to Starved Rock. The trail is crushed gravel and is a beautiful ride."

Wildlife observation: While camping at McKinley Woods, visitors can experience diverse wildlife. "At night, you can hear owls and distant trains, but motorboats and jet-skis begin around 6:AM."

What campers like

Affordability: MacQueen Forest Preserve offers primitive camping at budget-friendly rates. A visitor noted, "The very best part? You're in the middle of the country, with gorgeous sunsets, and the primitive camping is only $4."

Privacy between sites: Tent campers appreciate the spacing at several area campgrounds. As one camper at MacQueen described, "There are eight primitive campsites here, and they're spread out at least 50 yards apart. That's right, at least 50 yards. You can't see the campsite next to you."

Accessible options: McKinley Woods: Frederick's Grove offers ADA-compliant sites. "In McKinley Woods proper there is a large camping area and two of the sites have concrete pads for ADA accessibility."

What you should know

Limited water access: Potable water can be scarce at primitive sites. One MacQueen camper warned, "There is water, but it is not, I repeat is not, potable."

Weather impacts: Some areas experience flooding during heavy rains. A McKinley Woods camper shared: "Nothing was mentioned about this site being a flood zone. Our night went from on and off light rain to three hours of down pour rain. With that said our site was flooded once we woke up. We had three inches up the the fire pit."

Transportation of gear: Many tent sites require walking from parking areas. According to a visitor at Snug Harbor Inn Campground, "The Galapagos tent campsite is elevated and a short distance from the loop road, and has a nice view of the lake."

Tips for camping with families

Consider site location carefully: Some sites offer better family features than others. At MacQueen Forest Preserve, "About half of the campsites are in a meadow at the back end of the campground. It would be beautiful for stargazing! There's also a giant fire pit with benches. The perfect area for a small group camp."

Site spacing benefits: The layout at certain campgrounds allows children space to explore without disturbing others. As noted, "Snapper 4, 5, 6 and 7 would be nice for group camping because they are all very close to one another and a bit more private, set away from the rest of the campsites."

Park hours vary seasonally: McKinley Woods has strict closing times that affect planning. "The park closes early, 8PM in summer, and earlier still off season. Check the fine print on your reservation!"

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options near West Dundee: Most nearby campgrounds primarily accommodate tent camping. At McKinley Woods, one visitor noted their surprise: "First off, we didn't realize this was a walk-in campground, the details on the Will county site were vague, and the satellite photo showed a paved road. The road is a path."

Snug Harbor provides full hookups: Unlike most area options, Snug Harbor Inn Campground offers RV amenities. A visitor confirmed, "Great three tiered camping spot. Full hookup, and great views. Has a pub/restaurant with good food."

Check site dimensions before booking: RV sites at area campgrounds may have limitations. One camper mentioned, "This is primarily an RV/mobile home campground, but there are some nicely tucked away tent camp sites."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near West Dundee, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near West Dundee, IL is MacQueen Forest Preserve with a 4.7-star rating from 6 reviews.

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