We stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com  (where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. 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. Facilities are clean and well lit.
Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill.
This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood.
To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north (including a bar & grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora.
There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground.
Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason.
An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm & Orchard (which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market.
One last thing, 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 :)

All the other campgrounds in OshKosh are near the airport, which makes sense since the biggest event each year is the EVAA air show. None of them have trees.
Hickory Oaks has it's own airfield and lots and lots of trees. They even have a mini-lake (4 acres).
There are all types of RV sites, tenting/primitive sites and group sites, some small cabins as well. We camped in site 60 because we arrived after dark, and Cindy suggested that our first choice, #67 might be too hard to find at night. There is only one street light, and it's by site #1 and the swim area.
The map doesn't really convey what an oasis of trees this place is. To the West is the runway and beyond that, a large grassy hill (it's actually landfill). To the east in a rural road running along the lake. To the north, in the distance is a prison.  That all sounds worse than it is, it's a lovely campground.
 There are a few things for sale in the office, but you're so close to town you can get everything there. Cindy the operator is extremely nice and helpful.
Fire pits are 30" rings with no grate, Tables seem smaller than average.
If you're visiting in the summer, be sure to visit the Farmer's Market , Saturdays on Main Street, also Wagner's Market for the best meats, deli and beverages.  The Paine museum & gardens and the city museum are both worth visits as well.

 This is a very large state park located halfway between Mineral Point and New Glarus, both nice visiting destinations in their own right.
It has a large lake with three boat launches, a main one with a motor ramp, a canoe launch near the marshy end, and a fishing pier. There's also a boat rental place run by the nearby Cork Down Saloon. There are no boat-in or lake accessible campsites however.
 The campground is up a long 30 degree hill across from the main launch and Beach/ main picnic area. The sites are more secluded from each other than you'll find at most parks , which is very nice. Beware that some sites are so secluded that they are bi-level. That is, parking pad and then step(s) down to the site. Be sure to check the photos provided when reserving.  There are very nice walk-in sites, but no carts are provided.
the facilities are clean, but there's only one building with running water and showers. Water throughout has a mild iron taste.
There's no playground in the camp area, it's located in a picnic area near the canoe launch that you pass as you com in. Not walking distance, remember the big hill.
 There's an Ice Cream/concession at the east end of the lake with limited hours. Beyond that is the Cork Down Saloon, just outside the secondary entrance to the park. It's your closest option to eat out. Also there is the private Chalet campground (see others for a review) Neither has a view of the lake as they are below the Dam.
A fun place to visit in the area is the Toy Train Barn Museum in Argyle, indoors if you have a rainy day.

Our reason for choosing this park was that we had rented a Pop-up trailer to see how we'd like it, and this was the nearest campground. That said we found the pop-up to our liking, though it felt huge to us!
Campground was primitive, but that's what we go for anyway. Very little in the way of trails, thought the main one had Frisbee golf along the way, which was unexpected.
Hardy Dam Pond is actually a good-sized man-made lake, and as such, has no beaches to speak of. There's a small swimming area near the boat launch.
  We were there in July of 2020 and the "Trump navy" was out in force. Lots of motorboats overloaded with flags, some inconsiderate boaters almost swamped our little canoe. (This was shortly after a nationwide news story in which Trump boaters swamped and sank *each other* on a lake in Texas). 
Some of the campers partied late, and some boaters got an early start, so noise levels were unpredictable.
 Nearby, a great place to stock up on meats and Jerky in the area  is Galesburg Meats in Kalamazoo.  Also a must see is the Gilmore Auto Museum in Hickory Corners

We visited in Early June this time, and this time had a campsite on the East side under the very, very tall pine trees (sites 32-47). Less privacy between sites, but a beautiful  effect.
Last time we camped in site 65, next to the path to the playground & walk-in site parking which was busy. You might want to choose a sit away from the pit toilets for the usual reasons, but also to avoid the light from the streetlights over them.
The river was low this time, so we didn't do any canoeing, but we saw many people tubing from Sugar River Adventures  having fun, Walking a tube over a sandbar is nothing compared to dragging a canoe.
BIGGEST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE there's a farm nearby that has Peacocks, and they screamed until well into the night. we thought it was bobcats attacking wild turkeys until the lady at the front gate set us straight. I hope this is only a seasonal mating thing and not a new feature.
One more note, biggest picnic tables we've seen, and our site had two.

There are three campgrounds run by the Wisconsin DNR in this area (not counting the 2 site boat-in camp on the river)  Castle Mound, Pigeon Creek and this one, which is the smallest and farthest away from anything. It's on the river, but not the scenic and most canoe-able part which is down below the town and dam in Black river falls. However there is a good shallow boat ramp for canoes/ kayaks.
There's a group campground away from the river, nearer to the marsh and 24 individual sites. Three of them are pull through (104, 113 & 120).
 We are tent campers, so I didn't pay close attention to hookups, but I doubt there are any.
We were there in October, and the birds had gone for the winter, so had the ATVers. I don't know what it's like in the peak of the summer, but the area has lots of off-road trails for ATVs.  Having said that, it was eerily quiet during our entire stay and we had maybe three other campers staying with us.
There's one trail leading out of the campground, but we were there to canoe and didn't hike it. We did hike the castle Mound trail which has cool rock formations and spectacular views (you have to climb an iron ladder at the very end, worth it).
We use Black River canoe rentals as our portage service so we could drift downriver to our car. It's run out of a liquor store, so that's convenient.

We had plans for a weekend in Rockford, but Rock Cut State Park was booked, and found this on Google maps.
In business since 1966 and the care for it shows. Beautifully groomed grounds under huge oak trees by the Kishwaukee river. It's across the river from a forest preserve so the overall feeling is natural getaway.
When we called to make reservations and said we had a canoe, they helpfully put us in the site nearest the river access  (56), explaining that their map, Google's or Satellite photos don't show the berm and slope down to the water.
Most of the sites are rented seasonally or monthly and you can see that people love returning here. There are two large group sites and two large pavilions.
There are two restrooms with showers that are clean but rather small, probably most people use their own.
The General store is stocked with the usual things, and there's a Rec room with a TV lounge, fireplace, pool table and dartboard. Outdoor activities include a playground, Mini-golf, volleyball court, horse-shoe pits, basketball, shuffleboard and a soccer field. Plenty of open space for other things as well.
Firepits are re-purposed truck rims that seem small for the generous logs they sell.

We saw an article about "Dutch Days" in nearby Fulton on www.OnlyInYourState.com, (first weekend in May) and thought it looked like fun. The nearest campground at Thomson causeway recreational area was closed both for repairs and for flooding so this was our best choice.
It was not crowded this early in the season, though most of the sites are pretty private and that wasn't an issue. We stayed in the 60's loop which is more open than most since it has the playground. There's only one shower building, which is clean and well-kept, and it is on the 80's loop, though there are paths to it from the others.
There are a few pull-through sites, but I'm not sure they're indicated. The ADA sites are large and well paved, though the tables do not have wheelchair overhangs.
Fire rings are hit and miss, our site had a low square pit with a non-adjustable flip-over grill, other sites had taller, circular rings, check site photos.
There are two trails downhill to the lake from the 60's loop, no lakeside campsites.
The lake is small but pleasant and stocked with fish. There are boat rentals available and a small restaurant and general store.
We went on day trips to Fulton and Clinton, IA. Eagle point park has a good view of the Mississippi, but  more spectacular views are at Mississippi Palisades State Park, a 50 min drive.
If you don't feel like cooking, a great choice is the Candlelight Inn(s), half an hour to the east or west in Clinton, Sterling or Rock Falls. A great family restaurant/ steakhouse famous for it's "Chicken George" (they'll give you a free sample to get you hooked)

This was our second visit to this park. On both occasions we wanted to canoe the scenic Kickapoo river. Our first trip was five years ago and we got portage service for our canoe from Titanic Rentals in Ontario. We went from there (bridge 1) to bridge 12 Which took nearly all day, but we were able to have lunch at the park's Wildcat landing, the only real and equipped picnic site along the river. NOTE; Google maps makes it look like the campground and landing are near each other. They are not. It's three miles of very steep roads, so don't think you're going to fetch anything you left behind.
 The campground is on top of the ridge, which means in the morning you will look out over a fog shrouded valley through the trees. The views from the overlooks, which are a short hike, are worth checking out. Campsite 15 is the only one with a clear view.
There are walk in sites and the paths are wide and clear. The park provides large carts for your stuff so you can really pack stuff in and get away from it all. But the family tent and RV sites generally well spaced, check the map as some are more private than others.
 Our second trip was in August, 2023 and we canoed from bridge 12 to LaFarge (bridge 21). It was later in the season than our previous trip, and in the slightly less scenic stretch of the river. As a result, we didn't see any other boaters.
Campsites have basic fire ring, and there are pit toilets as well as one Full facility with running water and hot showers. Firewood is available at the Ranger station.
There's also Equestrian camping elsewhere in the park and lots of trails for both hikers and horses.
 The town of Ontario has a good general store and a couple bars, but this is pretty much wilderness and small farms. Two unique places however are Wild Things Furrier near bridge twelve. Want a coonskin cap or some smoked trout? This is the place.
 More unique than that if you want to treat yourselves, go 34 miles south to the St. Frances Hermitage restaurant. It's run by a small order of French Monks and Nuns who raise their own animals and grow the vegetables they serve. Their bakery is also delicious. This is not fast food, this is a gastronomic experience.

This is one of the most popular State Parks in Wisconsin because it's on Lake Geneva. In fact, it's the only state park within town's limits. This area has always been a summer getaway, so reservations are hard to get. We went in October, so it was much easier, but the weather was unpredictable.
 The lake is famous for it's mansions, summer homes and the trail which goes around the entire perimeter and is open to the public, no matter how many property lines it crosses.
 The park is on the lake, 2 miles south of downtown. So, a 40 min walk, 11 by bike, though there are hills on both routes. The park has a long strip of beach that almost seems like a shoulder to the main road. There's a fishing lagoon with a bait vending machine. The campsites and trails are further back, and out of the wind.
 The sites are generally spacious, some are oddly shaped. The further back you go on the main loop though, actually brings you closer to town. You can hear events taking place at the High School even though it looks like you're in the woods.
 The main restroom and shower facility is brand new and spotless.
Too many things to see and do in the area to list here but I'd point out the Boat House Bar & Grill is right next to the entrance. It has a big patio and is dog friendly. Easy walking distance from the campground. Good food at a good price.
 Outside of town, Lake Geneva County Meats is a butcher shop and more with a terrific selection and variety of brats (among other things) and can supply all your cookout needs.  Also, check out Royal Oaks farm & Orchard. In season, they have the greatest variety of apples we've ever seen. Better still, they are well labeled telling which types are best for what use. Of course, donuts and cider too.

 We've been wanting to explore southern Illinois for a long time, but it's a six hour (min)  drive from our home. Our first choice was Giant City state park, but this was recommended to us as a cozier, more manageable alternative. It's close to Giant City so you can take advantage of the trails there and eat at the magnificent old Lodge. The campground is on little Grassy lake, it has a marina with boat rentals of all types and a free launch. The lake is too small for speedboats, and is great for fishing (there's a hatchery with tours close by), canoeing & kayaking. there's also a beach, separate form the marina that's quite nice and secluded. Sites are big and shady. but open to each other. Our host, a fun lady named Turtle, let us take a double site to give us room to spread out.
Our site had a nice firepit slightly downhill with western view of the lake. We were able to tie up our canoe there too. Water & electric are available most sites, with more 50amp sites to be added soon.
Bathrooms and showers are spacious and clean with good hot water.
There's a general store with the usual camp things and fishing supplies at the marina, though there's a great one 9 miles east at Grassy Rd. & Rt 148 with an amazing selection of local snacks, sodas, beer & liquor.
While we enjoyed staying here, we used it as our base camp for the ten days we were there to visit places as far east as Cave In Rock state park, and south to Paducah KY & Metropolis, and all the places in Shawnee national Forest, like Garden of the Gods and the Cache River Bayou (very different canoeing from anywhere else north of Louisiana).
The nearest town is Makanda, voted "Hippiest town in Illinois" cool shops and funky vibe, but very limited hours & services. like, no gas station.

For an activity that's on the unusual side, we recommend Shawnee Canopy zip-line tours.

We had been to this area three years earlier, and stayed at Mauthe lake. That suited us better because it is motorboat free, and we have a canoe. Long lake is more suited for powerboats. the sites are also large and would handle big rigs. There are six different campground loops, none near the lake (though the 700 loop has a trail to the boat launch). We stayed in the lower 900 loop, the smallest. Our site, 906, was about 30 feet from site 730. all the sites in this loop are large and deep with the exceptions of 908,910, 912 which are right up against the road and have no privacy. sites 713 & 705 run into each other and are the best for a large group and a pull-through if you get them together.
Pit toilets only. Fire rings are decent. Wood is available 24/7 through a huge "vending machine" that costs $6 (a five and a one, no change) Wood from the shed costs a dollar less, but only when the ranger is at the front gate.
There's a beach with a concession stand and a separate boat ramp with parking.
We went canoeing at the very small nearby Silver lake and had it all to ourselves.
Sad news is that the Parkside general store, with it's ice cream and home-made maple candies is out of business. Zahn's trading post is temporarily closed, and the Woodland Creek Supper club (both in New Prospect) was undergoing renovation when we were there, a shame as we loved it last time.

 Unlike Twin Valley, this campground is up on the hills, many sites drop off steeply. It really should be called Cox Bluff, oh well.  Sites are well spaced and when it's summer and leafy, fairly private.  Site #21 has the best view of the lake, but it's the one everyone arriving shines their headlights into. The sites to either side fare better. Many of the sites on the outer loops are split-level. Check the photo, if it looks like there's a log across the site, it means you have to step down to get to the large part of the site. Pay attention to the drive-in dimensions posted. Bigger rigs will do better inner loop. There are no pull-throughs.
Firepits are low steel rings, 30" across with no grate., tables are long, family sized.
Toilets and showers are clean and well lit, with an outlet for razors. Hot water is inconsistent.

It's more of a  picnic area than campground, there are only ten sites. Large area for picnics and gatherings with campsites around two sides.
Site #1 is below the road level, but next to the long hill down to the canoe launch. This is not a direct put-in to the Wisconsin river, but into a marshy tributary. The mosquitoes are notorious. Most sites are on a short bluff over the marsh. Site #5 is the largest and nicest. #6 has a stone BBQ, but the grate is missing. #7 is possibly the most unique in the state, it has an old, restored wood burning oven. Utensils are available at the office (book ahead) and you are expected to mop it out when finished.  Pizza, bread, one pot meals, whatever you can make. the remaining sites are sloped and small.
There is a CCC pre-fab style hall available for large groups, it has a fireplace at one end and is no-frills. No Elec or flush toilets anywhere.
A total of 3+ miles of trails, up to the historic, restored shot tower with an exhibit and great views of the valley.
The whole park is up against county road C, which is not heavily trafficked, but you won't be completely away from engine noise.
This is the closest camping to Taliesen and town of Spring Green. Nearby is Peck's Farm, which has produce, Cheeses, jellies etc… and a free zoo that kids will love. The pygmy goats alone are worth a visit.

 Only two sites, one is much nicer than the other. Canoe/ kayak  in only with a steep bank up to the sites. No water, no facilities. Just two fire rings and two picnic tables about 100 ft apart. But the grass is mowed and well kept

Very remote, although Hatfield, which is on the nearby lake, seems like it's a party town for Motor boaters, ATVers and Hunters, Depending on the season.
We were there in October, and the campground wasn't full, and was extremely quiet. So much so that there weren't even many birds in the morning.
 Sites are very nice, the best ones are along the river. Ours was about 20' away. Other sites are backed up to a marshy area, so watch for mosquitoes. Only three sites are pull-through for big rigs; 104, 113 and 120. Site 109 and 111 are closest to the river, but if you think you'll be able to keep/ launch your canoe or kayak from your site, guess again, banks are very steep. There is a boat ramp by the check-in station that is very nice though.
 Firepits are the usual steel rings with an adjustable grill. Firewood is $5 a rack, you pull what you want out of the shed, fill the rack and take it away. Bring something to haul it with, it's a generous rack. Honor system when the Host is away, cash when there apparently.  Try to climb up and get the drier wood towards the back.
Restrooms are clean, pit toilets with motion detector lights at night. Water is from a pump, that is clear and cool and unlike many Midwestern campsites, not brackish with an iron taste.

 We came across this one day during a day hike in the Marengo Ridge Forest preserve in McHenry county. It's about 90 mins NW of Chicago. The trails are both wooded and hilly, but there's also a large prairie nature walk. 
The campground has many secluded walk-in tent sites and a variety of sites for other types of campers. Many with elec and some are ADA accessible. The county website doesn't have photos, but does describe the sites well (" suitable for truck camper" "up to 40' trailer") Maximum people per site is ten, so good for family gatherings. Sites are widely spaced, and even the most open ones feel private. The campground is heavily wooded and there is a nearby pond.
 We camped here to spend time at the Railroad museum, 8 mi away, The weekend we were there, the museum was open till 9:30 PM, and the campground closes at 10, so it was perfect for an overnight stay. We had no problem reserving a space with just a few days notice (48 hrs min). There is a friendly host on site, and you can purchase wood in advance when you make your res and they will deliver it to your site. Good wood too, dry and easy to split.
Fire pits are low to the ground, except in ADA sites, so bring your own grill. The pumps have water with a strong iron taste, and the toilets are clean, but only outhouses. There is a dump facility.
Marengo and Union are both nice little towns with some good dining options; Niko's Supper club, Fire & Ice BBQ/Ice Cream and Clasen's a 120 yr old tavern. Cody's Orchard, 3 mi away, has Apple and strawberry picking, great fresh veggies, pies, donuts, cider and jams.

 First off, we didn't realize this was a walk-in campground, the details on the Will county site were vague, and the satellite photo showed a paved road.  The road is a path, so the sites are ADA accessible (two of the four sites are paved as well). 
We have a small, motorcycle trailer so we ended up rolling down hill 100 yds. then back again after our 2 night stay, a bit of a hassle, but not a problem. Just be aware of it. 
Secondly, the park closes early, 8PM in summer, and earlier still off season. Check the fine print on your reservation!  Water is available by an old fashioned pump, and is drinkable, but cloudy.  There's only one pit toilet.
Having said all that, the park is lovely, the sites are far apart,  #1 is the shadiest and most secluded but uneven. #2 is wide open and in the sun, #3 &4 are shady and paved. All sites have enormous banquet sized picnic tables with cut-out in the bench for  wheelchairs. Firepits are 3' across, the steel rim is a foot above the ground, but the pit is 8" below ground level. There is a non-adjustable grill. But each site, (and all the picnic areas/ shelters) have the ubiquitous freestanding Pilot Rock standard grill.
 There is easy access to the I&M canal and bike trail with a dock, access to the Des Plaines river is and unofficial path from the overlook. The canal is navigable, but swampy with algae and some downed trees. The Chanahan state park website says you can paddle from there to Morris IL, 15 miles, but be aware this is best down in spring or fall. While it LOOKs like you can just cross over the trail to switch from the canal to the river, there is in fact, a 10' drop (another failure of satellite photos)  We canoed 3 miles up to the state park before we could cross over to the DuPage (a lovely river) and then back on the Des Plaines. There are also very nice trails through the woods in the area. 
 At night, you can hear owls and distant trains, but motorboats and jet-skis begin around 6:AM.

we stayed one night, arriving late after mechanical troubles, we missed out on all the park has to offer, which turned out to be more than we had expected.
Had to catch the ferry the next morning, but from what we saw, and from talks with people staying there who were regulars, a place we want to go back to.

For a campground wedged between a highway and railroad tracks, amazingly quiet (though there are small planes in the daytime). It’s crowded, make no mistake, but the sites are very large, and the tall pines dominate everything, so no baking in the sun. You can walk out the back to the nearby Bayside Market for your camp bacon and other needs. A pedestrian bridge to the beach means never waiting for traffic.