Horseman's Park at Sand Ridge State Forest offers a terrain of sandy ridges and pine forests. Temperatures range from 20°F in winter to 85°F in summer. Nearby attractions include the Sand Ridge State Forest trails and the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge.

Horseman's Park — Sand Ridge State Forest

Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Forest City, IL is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Illinois camping adventure.

Forest City

The Best Camping Near Forest City, Illinois

A friend and I were looking for somewhere to spend a weekend backpacking that wasn’t a 4+ hour drive away from central IL. This fits the bill but does leave some to be desired. The terrain is an interesting change from most IL hiking since the trails are incredibly sandy while the forest itself is mostly pine. Watch out for cacti along the trail! My only real complaints are the lack of water sources, and the inconsistencies between the trail map and the actual trail. Each trail is marked very clearly with directional sign posts as often as necessary, however, the first night we were hiking in to find BC1 and according to the map we should have passed it in our hike but never saw any sort of campsite at all. We ended up setting up camp off the trail in an unmarked clearing that worked quite well. The next day we moved on to look for site BC7\. After hiking much farther than the map indicated, we finally stumbled on BC7\. It turned out to be a pretty picturesque little clearing among the pines with an actual fire slab and a signpost marking the entrance trail. Overall it was a good trip, just don’t be fooled by how close things look on the map! Also, the bugs (of all kinds including ticks and mosquitoes) are pretty terrible and I would recommend going either in the early spring or late fall. Not June.

The forest grounds also have an equestrian campgrounds and the trails would be perfect for riding.

Illinois’ desert

This is the campground for horses and their riders. Tie up posts are in each campsite along with picnic tables. The campground is one loop so the inner ring of sites are almost like a group site setup. The outer ring sites are more private and up against the woods. A set of vault toilets is commonly located. Along with garbage cans there are multiple spots to pile manure. There were a couple sites occupied the first night but it emptied out on Saturday. 

  

Most trails in this natural area are accessible to horses. Trails head out from camp. The longest being almost 15 miles. Hiking and hunting also happen here so keep an eye open on the trails. If you have an energetic horse that you want to work hard, head into the yellow loop. The ranger said it tires everyone because it’s steep hills of sand. 

  

Across the road is a spot for day use riders to park their trailers. There were a bunch parked when we passed it. 

  

This is a hidden gem and worth giving a chance.

Sandy forested equestrian camping 

$8. The staff isn’t always there, so you could end up with a free place to stay (especially if you come late.) Lots of trails nearby, and plenty of beautiful green trees. Outhouse on site. One of the more quiet sites that doesn’t get a lot of action.

Photos of Horseman's Park — Sand Ridge State Forest

Real photos from real campers