Chain O'Lakes Park has it all: trails to hike, horses to ride, boats to row, and fish to catch! After an adventure- packed day, you can return to your nearby campsite for some rest and relaxation.
There are several campgrounds in the park. Our site was in Honeysuckle. It was located on the banks of a lake, fully shaded. Nicely sized. But it is very close to the fire ring of the adjacent site.
The campground was somewhat noisy, but well maintained. The bathroom/shower house was clean. The pit toilets were not. Both were a short walk in opposite directions of our site. Dumpsters located throughout campground.
This is one of our favorite parks in the Midwest. We usually make a day trip from Chicagoland, but this time we camped at the park. We are glad we did!
You really can't go wrong with any trail or cave. The kids enjoyed hiking between Lower- and Upper-Dancehall Caves. The trail goes underground and through some water. Window Cave was also a hit. You can climb up about 5-7 feet and out the "window". The kids felt like real spelunkers!
While the park is usually crowded during the day, we find it nearly empty beginning in the late afternoons on the weekdays we visited. It felt like we had the place to ourselves.
The campground is about a five minute walk to the park's main entrances. The campground was very quiet… just the way we like it. There is a family of cats that hang around: they visit from a nearby dairy farm. The kids loved this added attraction. The dog did not.
The bathroom and shower house is clean. There is only one. So it gets pretty busy during "flush hour". Our campsite was right next to the bathroom/ shower and dumpster. We noticed flies and the occasional whiff of trash.
We'll continue visiting this park. And we look forward to camping on site.
We stayed at the resort July 9-12, 2021: Site A9. The campground was nearly full. That meant lots of automobiles and golf carts. It doesn't appear that the one-car rule per campsite is enforced. And drivers of golf carts are not very considerate.
The campsites are very close together. Facilities are dated and not very clean. There was always trash on the floor of the men's room by the pool, for example.
We will not stay at the campground again.
We were late reserving a campsite for Memorial Day Weekend. But Don had a spot for us. We are glad we stayed.
The campground sits along the Illinois River: many campsites face it. It's secluded and quiet. Campsites are spacious and well-distanced.
There is much to do on site. The campground is situated between a nature preserve with nice walking paths and a beach. There is also an old barge to explore.
A little further away is Old Mill Vineyard. Well worth the 20 minute drive! The wine and ambiance are very nice. Ask for Ellen.
The campground only had two restrooms available during our stay. But they were nice. And don't forget your RV water filter! The water here is very rusty.