Chain O' Lakes State Park sits on the Fox River in northeastern Illinois at 800 feet elevation. The water system connects seven lakes with marshes and bogs throughout the 3,230-acre property. Winter temperatures average 25°F while summer averages 85°F with high humidity from June through August.
What to do
Kayaking access points: Launch from Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park for easier paddling away from the main waterways. "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," shares one visitor.
Hiking on varied terrain: The Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park offers access to multiple trail difficulty levels. "There is a boat launch with rentals and a bunch of hiking trails closer to the entrance. However, 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."
Horseback riding: Beyond standard hiking and water activities, equestrian facilities are available at the park. "There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground," notes a camper who visited Turner Lake South, adding that the diverse trail system accommodates multiple outdoor activities throughout different seasons.
What campers like
Affordable primitive camping: Tent campers appreciate the basic sites at Turner Lake South that start at just $12 per night. "These campsites are as low as $12/night!! One of my favorite spots to test new gear. Family friendly. There's some small trails around as well that are beginner. There was electricity, however those sites are $25/night," reports one budget-conscious camper.
Campsite privacy variations: Fox Den Campground offers better site separation than other loops in the park. "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 (our site was protected on 3 sides by some fairly dense foliage and trees)."
Glamping close to Winthrop Harbor, Illinois: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort provides upscale glamping accommodations within 25 minutes of Winthrop Harbor. "We stayed for 4 nights in June in a pull thru FHU. The mosquitos were pretty vicious... a couple of the regulars said it was the worst they'd been in years. 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."
What you should know
Bathroom facilities vary by season: Plan accordingly for shower facilities depending on which season you visit. "Bathroom/shower houses were decent (we usually just have toddler use her travel potty, but this one was fine)," notes a family at Honeysuckle Hollow, while others mention that maintenance can be inconsistent during peak periods.
Wildlife encounters: Prepare for raccoons and ticks in wooded camping areas. "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks. Luckily our screen house pop up on a tarp that was sprayed ahead for tick repellent plus a blanket on top of that did the trick, but they literally fall out of the trees into people!" Another camper adds, "The raccoons at night here are no joke. The second it's dusky, they come scavenging for absolutely anything food has touched."
Campground features: Understand what's available at each loop. "There are three campgrounds close together, Fox Den and two non-electric campgrounds Turner South and Prairie View that share the bath house which was clean and is in the center of them all," explains one visitor who recommends Fox Den for its individual electric posts and more spacious sites.
Tips for camping with families
Site selection for children: When glamping near Winthrop Harbor with small children, choose inner loop sites. "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. Closer to the center of this row is best."
Water safety planning: The lakes have varying depths and conditions. At Thomas Woods Campground, a visitor notes: "The campground is set up nicely. Our site had the usual picnic table and a short walk to the restrooms and water. What we enjoyed the most was the variety of hiking trails. They aren't the longest but we were able to vary the route up to keep it fresh for our dog to sniff out her adventure."
Activity scheduling: Plan for slower mid-week periods. "The campground was really busy during the weekend, but cleared out Sunday and we nearly had the whole loop to ourselves during the week," reports a camper from Honeysuckle Hollow, suggesting families seeking quieter experiences should consider Monday-Thursday visits.
Tips from RVers
Utilities management: Electric sites have varying hookup access. "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," advises an RVer who had to relocate from site 96 due to tree interference and distance to hookups.
Site layout awareness: Research specific site dimensions before reserving. "Sites in Honeysuckle have electric posts too far from parking pad. Fox Den also has more space between sites, more level pads and each site is tucked away with trees. In Honeysuckle you will have clear line of site to very close neighbor," explains a camper who compared multiple campgrounds in the area.
