White Pines Forest State Park Campground
Marisa A.
Reviewed Oct. 16, 2020

Great Place to Picnic but there are better places to camp

I drove out here from the Chicago area this last nice weather weekend in October 2020. I haven't been here in years, but as every campground in Illinois was booked-up from everyone getting out during the pandemic, I took a chance on the few walk up sites still available according to Reserve Amereica. They were open, but I took a hard pass. I forgot about the "ford" crossing into the campground. It's where the water crosses the road about a foot high. My husband would have been joining me later, and I knew he would not have been happy seeing that on his motorcycle. The few walkup sites still available were in the Sunny Crest loop. I've never seen so many people camping so close together. The sites all had some form of firepit. Some had a table, but many didn't. There were hundreds of people camping on hilly terrain. It looked like a music festival, only without music and lots of families who looked like they had never been outside before so they were set up about 15 feet apart. Even if the campground would have been empty, all of the tent sites are in the open right next to the next one. Winnebago county forest preserve has a few campgrounds nearby that are much more private. This kind of "camping" is not for me.

SiteSunny Crest Loop
  • Review photo of White Pines Forest State Park Campground by Marisa A., October 16, 2020
  • Review photo of White Pines Forest State Park Campground by Marisa A., October 16, 2020
  • Review photo of White Pines Forest State Park Campground by Marisa A., October 16, 2020