Best Campgrounds near Winnebago, IL

Terrific access to electric site near the bathroom! All to ourselves

If you’ve been up and down the I90 corridor in Illinois and haven’t had the chance to swing by Rock Cut SP, whether just entering the Land of Lincoln or fleeing to the Cheesehead state to the north, which is less than 10 minutes from this nature outcrop, you’ll want to ensure you stop by this multi-campus campground gem. Whether while driving your RV, pulling that 5th Wheeler behind you or looking to strike up your tent in a primitive camping area, Rock Cut SP has so many options that you’ll be excited by all of the options that exist here in this wetland prairie.

But before just arriving to this perfectly squared natural outcrop encompassing more than 3,000 acres of woodlands encasing a pristine Pierce Lake, you’ll have to navigate which of the 7 campgrounds to book: Staghorn, White Oak, Prairie View, Plum Grove, Hickory Hills, Equestrian or Youth Group. And if 7 campgrounds aren’t enough, there’s also a solo cabin you can rent as well as 3 other smaller, really intimate primitive camping spots (that are actually my favorite) with the following names: Hawk, Crow and Owl, which sit along the same lane opposite the Youth Group campground.

For this particular review, I will be zeroing in on detailing Prairie View, which is the very first campground you will come across after entering Rock Cut SP from its northernmost entrance, with Highway 173 to the west and Harlem Road to the east. Once you enter the park, you will follow the long winding nicely paved two-lane circuit until you begin seeing the signs highlighting where to go for the various campgrounds. Once you access this road, you’ll come across a small building with a ranger where you will check in, after which, you will pass by a designated dump station before coming around a small bend where you will take your first left.

The sites begin with #500 and as you circumnavigate the simple circular loop, you will pass by about 2 dozen or so slots that are nice flat paved slots perfect sized for just about any RV or 5th Wheel. There is a single his / her restroom along with trash area at the beginning of the loop just past sites #503 and #504. To access the shower, you will need to go back to the main road and hike it down the road with your towel and toiletries, which I have to admit, is the biggest bummer about this particular campground. If having close access to shower facilities is important to you, then you may want to contemplate staying at other campgrounds here like Staghorn and White Oak, which offer closer proximity.

On the amenities front, Rock Cut SP offers up a swath of them, if the 7 campgrounds weren’t enough of a nod that this place is jam packed with just about everything you could think of, and then some. In addition to all of the camping options, of course, one of the greatest assets here is the very massive Pierce Lake, which is great for fishing, boating, kayaking and swimming. To launch your watercraft, you’ll head south to Hickory Hills campground where on the eastern side of this area you’ll be able to find the boat launch. In the Prairie View campground, in addition to restroom and waste disposal, you’ll also have access to running water spigots at each site along with running electric. The small community amphitheather is located centrally just past the campstore and before reaching the Hickory Hills campground. There is a camp store in the middle of Rock Cut SP that offers up ice, firewood, ice cream, snacks, games, limited groceries and a number of other sundries you might need while camping. Additionally, there are 5 shelters that have electricity, with water and restrooms nearby and each shelter available through a reservation system. Two of the shelters (Red Oak and Puri Crest) also have children’s playgrounds nearby.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Once you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your onboard RV fridge, fret not, and just head out of the park where you will find a handful of dining options: Tom & Jerry’s, Fresh Start Café, Waffle Shop, Golden Chopsticks Buffet, Sunrise Family Restaurant, Beef-A-Roo (in fact, there’s like 4 of these that the park is surrounded by), but one of my absolute favorites is Green Fire, which is a really nice farm-to-table joint; (2) IMHO the best sites here in Prairie View are those that are located furthest from the main road, for the obvious reasons being less traffic, less noise and more privacy. As such, look at sites #512, #514, #516 and #518, which are all located on the exterior of the circle, thus providing the greatest amount of intimate nature experience; (3) Got bird watching on your mind? Well, you’re in luck, because here at Rock Cut SP you can spot an amazing array of foul including bald eagles, American robins, northern cardinals, barn owls, mourning doves, indigo buntings, eastern bluebirds, Canadian geese, red-bellied woodpeckers, brown thrashers and many others; (4) Tired of nature and just want to get some really cool culture in you? Then head just due south of Rock Cut SP to explore Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House, which is simply amazing; and (5) If you come bearing watercraft like canoe or kayak, while Lake Pierce is wonderful and great for fishing, if you want something a bit more challenging, then head due west to the Rock River, where you can drop in from a number of launch sites, however I strongly recommend Atwood Homestead Forest Preserve.

Happy Camping!

As you find yourself heading east on I88 gunning it towards the Windy City or heading in the other direction fleeing it, should you find yourself looking for a nice slice of campground heaven to call yours for the night or even a week, then I highly recommend you give Crystal Lake RV Park your consideration. To begin with, in a matter of mere minutes after you get off I88 (either exit 41 or 44) head north towards the hamlet of Rock Falls, where you’ll find yourself dusting off those weary ‘road warrior’ digs and setting up camp in no time if Crystal Lake RV Park is your destination. And especially if you are coming with kids, you and your brood will be in for one nice little surprise as the family-friendly amenities and community you’ll discover here are excellent.

One quick note, so as not to waste anyone’s time here – in case you missed it in the headline, there is no tent camping at this property, which was a major bummer to learn. In speaking with the owner though, the campground has had lots of trouble with mi tent-pitchin' bredren on account of littering, irritating other fellow campers and apparently partying into all hours of the night in what is meant to be a kid / family-friendly campground. They did mention though that they are working on a creating a separate area that would be made available at some point in the future, so call ahead if you want to make sure.

To begin with, like me, you will likely be a bit confused on how to find this place, so while you can easily see the campground’s sign from Highway 30 next to a big ‘ol pond, also known as Crystal Lake (which is not just the namesake of the property you are destined to soon enjoy, but the major draw to this roadside outdoor haven) don’t turn down left on that first lane you see, otherwise you will be driving into a rather not-so-nice weekly hotel that apparently goes by a very similar name. Instead, take your second left, which is Emmons Ave, where you will head north and take the second left on 17th street, which will eventually dead-end at your intended campground destination.

Now that you’ve actually arrived at the campground, you’ll see a rather large office building that looks more like a makeshift oversized farm machine shed, but have no worries, the massive Crystal Lake RV Park sign that is in front of this building isn’t lying to you. This is in fact the main office where you’ll check in. Once inside, you’ll be greeted by the owner as well as distracted by the many amenities that exist here such as video games, an adult arcade featuring casino gambling kiosks, 40x40 meeting room, laundry room and recreational room featuring individual his / her bathrooms, with shower stalls inside and around the corner in a separate access point. Scattered throughout are 6 family-style bathrooms that are brand-spanking new. Oh, and they’ll sell you booze at this campground office too – in fact, the office feels more like one-part bar than it did a CG office.

While we’re on the subject of amenities, this place sure does pack a lot into a small place, including: 350-foot sandy beachhead right on Crystal Lake, which this campground has exclusive access to and that also features a fairly decent snack bar featuring hot dogs, nachos, pizza, ice cream and candy / chips as well as a lakefront picnic pavilion. There’s shallow and deep-water toys such as 4 water slides, water mat, rolling log and aqua duel with another slide on it. Additional diversions also include a grade-A go-kart racetrack – yeah, I couldn’t believe it either! a campground with an actual go-kart racetrack! – that sits right alongside the lake itself. There’s a rope swing along with a water trampoline that also features another slide and log as well as an aqua tower with its own slide and cliff. Did I mention that there’s an aqua golf course on the lake too?! And if fishing is your thing, you can do that right here on Crystal Lake, but you’ll have to head towards the southern end of the lake where it’s deeper, you know, so you don’t accidentally hook one of the kids playing in the water, right?!

The campground itself is pretty basic and easily organized with a single wide oval loop, much like a football field, but dissected in the middle with a single 1-way lane offering up other RV slots. In all, there’s some 35 pull-thru and 37 back-in sites offered up on a daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal rentals complete with all of the typical hook-ups you would expect: water, sewage and 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric as well as cement patios, large gravel diagonal slots with picnic table and fire ring. WiFi is included as complimentary. Slots are all a minimum of 50’ wide and 65’-90’ long, which is incredibly spacious by anyone’s standards.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) If you come with either canoe or kayak entowe, then you’ve hit oaring heaven with both the thinly placid Hennepin Canal – that borders the property and has a nearby boat launch just south of the property back on 1st avenue – or the raging Rock River to choose from, either of which will provide hours of fresh water exploration and angling; Oh, and if you don’t have your own kayak or canoe, fret not, this campground will rent you one for $10 / hour or there’s a handful of nearby operators you can rent from; (2) In the event that you can’t find a particular attraction or activity you might be looking for at Crystal Lake RV Park, which I would honestly find very difficult to do, then just due west of the property is Centennial Park offering up playground areas, baseball diamonds, paddle boat rentals, shelters with picnic tables, tennis courts and much more; (3) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is in your onboard mini-fridge or you just want to try out some local fare, then across the street you’ll have a few fast food joints to choose from like Culver’s and Burger King, but there’s a few other spots I would recommend first like nearby Rock Falls Candlelight, which is simply fantastic and a bit upscale for this area or the very modest A’s Kitchen; (4) Don’t discount the fishing option here at Crystal Lake, which is stocked with both large- and smallmouth bass, yellow perch and lake trout, but don’t forget to bring your fishing license(although I don’t know how they would enforce a non-licensed angler as this lake is private); (5) Feel free to bring your cooler to the beach as the property doesn’t mind people who are camping on the property to dial-up their BYOB and BYOF desires; and (6) IMHO, the best slots (#14-19 and #69-72) are those on the perimeter and back-up against the tree-line, offering up a bit more shade and privacy.

Happy Camping!

If you describe yourself as a pioneer camper, then you have just found your perfect slice of pasture camping out here where the only thing more golden than the sun are the ears of corn glistening under its gaze. As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:

Highlights: (1) This CG is ideal for primitive campers who don’t pack or need much to enjoy an outdoor experience in nature – read: there’s no electricity here, just a lone water spigot; (2) This is a hunter’s paradise with pheasant, rabbit, quail, dove, squirrel, fox, raccoon, coyote, turkey and deer scattered throughout the 2,500+ acres here; (3) Supreme amount of peace & quiet here at this CG for you and your camping brood; (4) Sites are spacious and come with a fire ring and picnic table; (5) Ample space to wander around and get lost in nature with decent hiking to be had, but in a lot of places, you’ll have to make your own way through the grasses and prairies

Lowlights: (1) This CG is located out in the absolute middle of nowhere, so be sure to load up on any supplies before arriving; (2) The grounds themselves could benefit from some TLC as there’s a lot of downed branches as piles of leaves – which honestly, we didn’t mind so much; (3) Every time we visit this CG, we are the only ones there and never come across anyone when we’re out hiking, so some might find the solitude here a bit daunting

Happy Camping!

As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:

Highlights: (1) Great kayaking in nearby Rock River; (2) Supreme amount of peace & quiet; (3) Nearby restaurants like Pizza Ranch, Dairyhäus, Jessica’s Restaurant and Louie’s Tap House; (4) Sites are spacious, flat and nicely shaded; (5) Ample space at each of the individual sites; (6) Incredibly affordable at $13 / night for residents and $23 / night for visitors; and (7) More than 200 acres of trails to hike and explore the outstanding natural outcrops

Lowlights: (1) There are very few amenities here beyond the restrooms, picnic tables, fire rings and wood for sale; (2) There is nothing nearby to either stock up on supplies or grab a bite to eat (20 minutes away), so when you come here, bring everything with you that you’ll need; (3) pit toilets and no showers; and (4) Depending upon what time of year you come, there’s sparse foliage, which decreases the privacy you might be looking for

Happy Camping!

Ever dreamt of working / living / camping on an actual working horse ranch?  Then you've arrived at the perfect spot.  As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update:

Highlights: (1) Great hiking and kayaking in nearby Rock Cut State Park & George Fell Nature Preserve; (2) Supreme amount of peace & quiet; (3) Authentic feeling like you are actually on a working horse farm; (4) Sites are spacious and nicely shaded; (5) Excellent, well-maintained amenities like a game room, arcade, playground, small swimming pond, clean restroom & showers; (6) Very friendly and welcoming CG staff; and (7) Ample space to wander around and get lost in nature

Lowlights: (1) This CG is very remote; (2) There is nothing nearby to either stock up on supplies or grab a bite to eat, so when you come here, bring everything with you that you’ll need

Happy Camping!

Located just northwest of the little hamlet called Franklin Grove, which is just due north of Ronald Reagan’s birthplace in Dixon, Franklin Creek State Natural Area Equestrian Campground is ideal if you are one of those primitive campers who want to take their noble steed(s) with them for the night in order to gallup along some pretty amazing horse-friendly trails. While there’s not a lot in the way of amenities here, if you need a post to tie up your horse, a round-about where they can go for countless circle walks along with plenty of hay to keep them fed, then this location might just be ideal for you.

What I enjoyed most about Franklin Creek State Natural Area is the 882 acres of fresh prairieland that feels fairly untouched and ready for some eager exploration. There’s several small natural springs completely shadowed by endless forests of hardwoods along with all of the natural fauna that you would expect in these parts like gray and fox squirrels, white-tailed deer, racoons, chipmunks, beavers and opossums. If you’re a bird watcher, you’ll enjoy the flycatchers, warblers, and woodpeckers, vireos as well as barn and horned-rim owls. And according to the information I found on-site, there’s more than 19 species of fish that you can find in the fresh water streams, creeks and rivers here.

From an amenities standpoints, while you will find 4 picnic shelters (Bartlett, Sunday, Banker and Hausen-Knox, all of which can be reserved), restrooms, potable drinking water, stand-up grills and fire pits, there is very little in the way of amenities in the actual equestrian campground apart from water spigots with a picnic shelter, restrooms, running water, show area and the occasional picnic table. The equestrian trails offer more than 12 miles of horse hoofing fun and the terrain is heavily forested with just slight variable grades increasing and decreasing around fairly easy-to-maneuver turns. You’ll also discover that there is a very nice stream here that the kids will love jumping across and / or wading in searching for crawdads or small fish.

What you’ll enjoy most about being here, apart from the peace & quiet as well as the abundance of serenity is that this place has a really nice connection with history as it features a fully functioning grist mill that goes all the way back to early Americana where corn meal and wheat flour were made from the stream currents of water passing by that would fuel the grist mill. On weekends, you can actually take the kids to this site, located just 70 yards west of the Equestrian Campground for a super-cool interactive exhibition. Other activities here that you can access include an archery range, cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking, biking, hunting and even snowmobiling.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Should you get tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or on-board RV mini-fridge, then you are in luck as with in the nearby town of Franklin Grove, given its very small population of just slightly more than 1,000 souls shouldn’t have many restaurants (let alone stop lights), but thankfully for your sake, it does. Apart from the Casey’s gas station, which actually serves up some pretty awesome pizza believe it or not, there’s 3 proper restaurants all serving ‘down home Midwestern comfort food’ that are each pretty delectable: Lincoln Way Café, Rooney’s and Rev on 38; (2) If you are looking to explore a slice of history in these parts and the grist mill just isn’t your thing, head due west to Dixon where you can go explore the boyhood home of Ronald Reagan. There’s also nearby Chaplin Creek Historic Village featuring an old salt box farmhouse as well as a one room school, which will take you back to the late 1800s before the world knew modernization and technology; (3) Although the trail hiking at Franklin Creek State Natural Area are very good, should you be on the hunt for much more challenging trail hiking or biking, then head on over to either White Pines Forest State Park or Castle Rock State Park, both of which are only about a 20 minute drive from here and offer very large areas to explore; (4) Should you come with kayak or canoe and are looking for some good challenging currents to get some excellent oar-rowing in, you will struggle to find that here at Franklin Creek State Natural Area, so I highly recommend towing your watercraft over to the banks of the Rock River where you will be richly rewarded; and (5) When you are ready to book this particular equestrian campground, just go to the IL SP site to book it: https://camp.exploremoreil.com/location/221.

Happy Camping!

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!

So this place is much less dog friendly than is advertised. Dogs aren’t allowed in large swaths of the park nor on the (tiny tiny, bordered by loud highway) beach. Lake Geneva is very pretty, but the area is obviously very wealthy and obviously geared toward retirees without dogs or with tiny dogs they leave at the RV (to bark, constantly, at their next site neighbors. Until the owners get back.)

The campground was clean and quiet. We were in the East Loop. The on-site host was super friendly and helpful with firewood and ice. Pit toilets, no showers. Easy access to Ice Age Trail from the campground. Nice hike to Rice Lake.

Camped here on a whim. Amazing area. Super friendly hosts. The only thing I wish was a little more accessible is the website. I didn't know what kind of site I was getting, what it looked like, or if it was a hike in site or not. Turns out mine was, but it was not an issue for me on this trip. Site 30 for anyone interested.

I got a primitive tent site in an area all to myself, with a shower house just down the road, in a beautiful and quiet campground for $10 cash. You really can’t beat that. Campground is separate from the park so you don’t have to pay a park entrance fee to stay here.

Handful of sites, not very level. Lots of bugs, had raccoons fighting outside my tent. Was right across from the New Glarus brewery.

Nice quiet place no neighbors usually bothering you showers and toilets could be better but overall ok