47 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Richard Bong State Recreation Area's Sunset Campground maintains a pet-friendly environment with designated sites for tent, RV, and cabin camping. Both Sunset and Sunrise campgrounds enforce leash requirements throughout the grounds while providing access to walking trails suitable for dogs. Happy Acres Kampground in Bristol also welcomes pets with accommodations including tent sites, RV spots, and cabins. The campground features a secure dog exercise area where pets can run off-leash. Illinois Beach State Park permits pets in camping areas but requires them to be leashed at all times. Chain O' Lakes State Park offers multiple pet-friendly camping loops including Prairie View, Turner Lake South, Fox Den, and Mud Lake East. Staff at most campgrounds regularly clean fire pits and maintain pet waste stations. Campground hosts are generally polite and helpful, escorting campers to their spots upon arrival.
Hiking trails throughout the region provide excellent opportunities for exercising dogs, with many paths featuring crushed gravel surfaces and access to water. The Ice Age Trail and Scuppernong Trail near Kettle Moraine State Forest allow leashed pets with multiple access points from campgrounds. Chain O' Lakes State Park features a 5-mile trail system through forested areas, open prairies, and along the Fox River where dogs can cool off in designated areas. Most campgrounds enforce quiet hours to minimize barking disturbances. Seasonal campers are typically friendly toward visiting pets, though some campgrounds experience higher weekend traffic and noise levels. Veterinary services are available in nearby towns including Lake Geneva and Spring Grove. Campers should note that while most beaches in the area permit dogs, Big Foot Beach State Park restricts dogs from its beach area despite allowing them in the campground.
"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"I would recommend this for anyone for starting to step out of the comfort zone for the outdoors. very simple, many paths to walk, jog, or ride a bike. a small lake is near the further parking lot. dogs"
"Pros: great hiking trails, nice lake to kayak on, family friendly beach and picnic areas Cons: Not great fishing, no dog friendly swim area, the beach/fishing pier/boat launch are all pretty far from"
"Rocket launch (bring your own,) atv (no rentals-bring your own), water fowl hunting (during season), fishing, wildlife watching, swimming at the beach, playground for kids, and my favorite- nice trails"
"Plenty of space & foliage between sites and a nice network of trails surrounding the campground. Close to some small towns and the interstate as well, but not close enough to hear traffic."
"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."
"we’ve been RV camping here for 2 months now and love it. the bathrooms are older but still nice and cleaned daily. the pool is fantastic, lots of fun playgrounds around, and there’s a neat walking trail"
"*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) 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"
"Campsite is nice, we're pretty close to our neighbors but not as bad as other places I've been. Walking distance to a fishing dock!"
"It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "
"However there is plenty of space around to find a spot on your own. The campsites are a nice size and have electric hookups. Water was at central locations and a dump is on the way out."
"In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61."
"You can hear whatever highway is nearby pretty clearly and constantly. But if you’re not looking for something super remote then it’s fine!"
"We took our dogs on all the trails (oops) but saw other people doing the same. Short drive to local attractions and all the normal things you need."
"The campground is located about 8 miles from I-41/94 so while it is a little distance from the interstate, the drive was worth it because the park was very quiet and made for a nice restful evening. "
from $32 - $35 / night
Check Availability"Prairie View campground is in the Chain O Lakes State Park series. This is the no services campground. We could walk to fill up with water but no electric on site. Checking in was interesting."
"It was me, my wife, our 8 month old daughter, and our dog."
"This State Park isn't too far off the beaten path which is nice. Fairly close to gas stations, convenience stores, etc. The park is clean, and has the bathrooms and utilities that would be needed."
"There are numerous sites that are on a small lake with great sunset views. Sites are decent size but not much privacy in between sites. Lots of wooded trails within the campground."
from $12 / night
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GuideWe 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.
GuideAbsolutely beautiful, reasonable prices, electric available. Tons of restrooms, showers, laundry, and wonderful camp hosts. Huge beach area, dog park, fishing as well. Shop to buy items you may need and absolutely wonderful place. Open all year round
TravelerGreat park with swimming beach, trails, dog park, and archery range. Campsites were ok, not much separation or privacy at all. Pit toilets and metros desperately need to be cleaned more often. We had very noisy neighbors that did not respect the quiet hours rule and park staff did nothing to intervene. Very convenient that they drive through the Campground to sell/deliver firewood tho. I'd stay here again because the park overall is great, but I would try to choose a better site. #9 looked alright, and in the 20#s looked a bit more tree lined and bigger.
LegendMy 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!
RangerI 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.
ScoutStaff 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.
ScoutWe 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.
TravelerWe liked this site because it was on the "quiet loop." No radios or pets allowed. I'm not sure about children! :) The sites are fairly close together and the trees are sparse, but it was a beautiful site and wonderfully quiet for the long weekend over the 4th of July 2017.
You can walk over to an area that has hiking trails right out of the campsite. State park mountain biking trails are also close by, but you would need to drive to them. The showers were clean and when we used them, available. There is a playground right next to them as well.
The campsite itself had a good log-stopper so you wouldn't drive too far into the woods, great fire ring, and picnic table. We had nice flat areas for our tents.
I am not so sure I would have enjoyed myself if I'd been in another loop. The quiet was perfect!
GuideCampsites are kept up and quite clean. Some have a beautiful view of lake. Some water fountains did not work, however sinks were always working. So many little trails all throughout the campsite. Family friendly (parks, beach, pet friendly)
Illinois Beach State Park sits on the shore of Lake Michigan at 580 feet above sea level, with terrain featuring sand dunes and natural marshlands. The Pleasant Prairie area camping region straddles the Wisconsin-Illinois border, typically experiencing warm summer temperatures in the mid-80s with occasionally high humidity levels. Sites throughout the region vary from basic tent camping to full-hookup options.
Fishing opportunities: Chain O' Lakes State Park offers multiple fishing spots accessible from campsites. "We took a look at the boating docks and found paddleboats and row boats for rent. Most people were putting their own boats into the lakes," notes one visitor to Prairie View.
Kayaking and canoeing: Water sports are popular across the region's interconnected 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 a camper at Turner Lake South.
Horseback riding: Several campgrounds maintain equestrian facilities and trails. "There are amazing trails through park for people to hike, bike, or ride horse on," reports a visitor to Honeysuckle Hollow. Guided horse rides are available at Chain O' Lakes State Park.
Private sites: Many campers appreciate secluded spots that provide separation from neighbors. At Richard Bong State Recreation Area's Sunrise Campground, "we stayed at site 114 and were very pleased with the size and layout. Overall flat and private."
Wildlife viewing: The diverse habitats support abundant wildlife observation opportunities. "I have seldom seen as many rabbits as we saw. There were relatively few campers during the week and just about every other campsite had at least a bunny or two," notes a visitor to Sunset Campground, adding "each campsite is cut back into the trees so that most are at least semi-private."
Lake access: Direct water access ranks high among camper preferences. "Easy access to the beach, great sites and was very quiet," reports a visitor to Illinois Beach State Park. Many campsites throughout the region offer views of water bodies or short walks to shorelines.
Seasonal insect activity: Mosquitoes and ticks can be prevalent, especially in wooded areas. "It's a wetland, mosquitoes are happening, but the trade off is just about worth it," notes a Sunset Campground visitor, while another camper at Mud Lake East warns "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks."
Alcohol restrictions: Not all parks permit alcohol. At Chain O' Lakes State Park, "no alcohol, they will issue a ticket," according to a reviewer. Illinois State Parks generally enforce strict no-alcohol policies even at individual campsites.
Gate closures: Some parks restrict nighttime access. "The gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in... unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark," mentions a Turner Lake South camper.
Site reservations: Demand can be high, especially for electric sites. "The campground takes reservations 7 days out or drive up," notes a Cliffside Park Campground visitor. Many campgrounds charge additional reservation fees.
Playgrounds and recreation: Multiple playgrounds provide options for children. "Playgrounds and recreation areas throughout the region are family-friendly with both modern and rustic equipment. "The park is clean, lots of shade, host on site and very well maintained," mentions a visitor to Cliffside Park Campground.
Wildlife education opportunities: Seasonal ranger programs often focus on local wildlife. "The Weekend we were here they had a free Kids fishing weekend and John the naturalist was amazing!! There is a ton to do at this park the nature center has activities all weekend long," shares a Sunrise Campground visitor.
Beach access considerations: Beach areas vary in terms of pet access and facilities. "The lake was very nice. We were able to kayak but be careful getting the kayaks in. Stairs down to the pier and the bottom of the lake is very mushy," notes a Turner Lake South visitor.
Hookup configurations: Electric connections vary between campgrounds. "The campground Happy Acres is in a great location about 15 min from grocery stores and restaurants near Bristol, WI. It has a pool and lake for swimming. Lots of big sites," reports a visitor to Happy Acres Kampground.
Dump station access: Plan for potential waits during busy periods. "Since there's no full hookup, they needed someone to control the traffic that comes from two different directions going to the dual dump stations," notes a Happy Acres visitor.
Site dimensions: Consider site measurements when reserving. "All sites are spacious with their own power and water. Sites 1-41 are available for first come if not previously reserved," reports a visitor to Cliffside Park. RVers should confirm site length and width before arriving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Pleasant Prairie, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Pleasant Prairie, WI is Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 67 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Pleasant Prairie, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 47 dog-friendly camping locations near Pleasant Prairie, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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