15 Fantastic Places to Go Camping Near Chicago

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is best known for being the Windy City and home of (tasty!) Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Nevertheless, individuals tend to ignore the spectacular campgrounds and sweeping views of the grassy plains right outside the city. Outdoor camping near Chicago indicates venturing north into surrounding Wisconsin and Michigan or east toward Indiana. The border of Lake Michigan supplies fantastic dunes and lakefront camping areas that are unexpected for the Midwest. This list of places to go camping near Chicago suggests a wide selection of areas and landscapes for your next outside adventure!

Headed to Chicago? Check out these other posts for urban outdoor experiences in and around Chicago:

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Fantastic Places to Go Camping Near Chicago

Starved Rock State Park - Camping Near Chicago

Starved Rock State Park (Illinois )Distance from Chicago: 95 miles(1 hour and 30

  • minutes by cars and truck )Kinds of Campsites: Camping tent and car camping Open Dates: Year-round Appointment and Expense: Bookings are suggested,$25/night Potentially the most popular destination for Illinoisians looking for a piece of wilderness, Starved Rock State Park is found a mere 100 miles south of the Windy City. Here, you can explore over 13 miles of treking routes that take you previous spectacular waterfalls and canyons that formed long earlier as the glaciers melted. Among the most popular activities at Starved Rock is bald eagle watching over the river. They make their nests on river islands and are easily seen from lots of platforms along the park. If you’re aiming to go outdoor camping near Chicago and desire a variety of outdoor activities, look no more than Starved Rock State Park.

    New Glarus Woods State Park (Wisconsin)

    • Range from Chicago: 150 miles (2 hours and 30 minutes by automobile)
    • Kinds of Campsites: Camping tent, car camping, and recreational vehicle
    • Open Dates: Year-round
    • Appointments and Expense: Appointments are offered, $15/night

    Drive a bit more north than Chicago and you’ll discover yourself in cheese and beer nation. New Glarus is among the most popular Midwestern breweries and the brewery castle is surrounded by gorgeous wooded hills. Inside the New Glarus Woods State Park, you can bring over fresh brews that you grabbed down the roadway and take pleasure in a night with your friends or family. Facilities in this park are highly restricted, but it’s well worth it for the quantity of peace and easy access to terrific cheese.

    Illinois Beach State Park - Camping Near Chicago

  • Illinois Beach State Park (Illinois)Range from Chicago: 50 miles (1 hour by automobile)Types of Campsites: Camping Tent and recreational vehicle Open Dates: April to December Reservations and Cost: First come

    , very first served; reservations are offered;$25/night Simply north of Chicago, Illinois Beach State Park is found on six and a half miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. There’s plenty of space to relax on the beach, take the boat out, hike, fish, camp, or merely sit and delight in the escape from the city. On the dunes, there are hundreds of different plant species and fish in the marshes, which can be a fantastic outside experience for anyone trying to find something various. Illinois Beach State Park begins to get a bit hectic throughout Memorial Day weekend, so make sure to schedule this camping area in advance!

    Indiana Dunes State Park (Indiana)

    • Distance from Chicago: 50 miles (50 minutes by train)
    • Types of Campsites: Tent and vehicle outdoor camping
    • Open Dates: Year-round
    • Reservations and Expense: First come, very first served; bookings are readily available; $25/night

    Simply across the border into Indiana, there are stunning sand dunes unlike anything else in the location. These massive sandy hills at Indiana Dunes State Park use miles of hiking that can be followed up by swimming or fishing in Lake Michigan. In the winter season, the hiking tracks become the ideal cross-country ski trails, so this is an area to take a look at all year long. One of the best parts of this campsite is that you can go camping near Chicago without an automobile. The South Coast train will drop you right outside the park for an adventure-filled weekend!

    Kettle Moraine State Forest (Wisconsin)

    • Distance from Chicago: 130 miles (2 hours by car)
    • Kinds of Campsites: Tent, RV, and automobile camping
    • Open Dates: Ottawa Lake is open year-round; Pinewoods and Whitewater Lake are open from May to October
    • Reservations and Cost: Reservations are suggested, $15/night

    Kettle Moraine State Forest, with 30,000 acres of trees, sits two hours north of Chicago. The Ice Age Trail, a popular hiking trail in the region, passes right through this state forest. You can find yourself on trails for weeks if you pick to make this an introducing pad for an even bigger outdoor adventure! Although it’s a bit of a trek from downtown Chicago, it’s worth having a look at and reserving a larger portion of time to see whatever the numerous areas of this location have to use.

    Rock Cut State Park - Camping Near Chicago

    Rock Cut State Park(

    Illinois) Distance from Chicago: 90

  • miles (1 hour and thirty minutes by cars and truck)Types of Campsites:
  • Tent, RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, cars and truck outdoor camping, and cabins Open

  • Dates: Year-round Bookings and Expense: Appointments are available, $25 -$60/night While the peak season for Rock Cut State Park is during the summer months, the winter season has ice skating and ice fishing to use, making this a great option for city occupants who want to get out at all times of the year. Rock Cut State Park is an hour and a half west of Chicago and has plenty of natural functions dating back to the last Ice Age. It’s likely that you’ll face a lot of wildlife while checking out the network of treking tracks before returning to one of the 270 campsites offered to you.

    Big Foot Beach State Park (Wisconsin)

    • Distance from Chicago: 80 miles (1 hour and 30 minutes by cars and truck)
    • Kinds of Campsites: Camping Tent, RV, and cars and truck outdoor camping
    • Open Dates: Spring to Fall
    • Bookings and Cost: First come, very first served; appointments are readily available; $15-$30/night

    The look for Big Foot has actually baffled devoted biologists and much more dedicated conspiracy theorists for decades. While it’s possible you’ll be the very first to sight him or her, you can settle now for a terrific vacation to the Big Foot Beach State Park in southern Wisconsin. This fantastic camping area near Chicago is the ideal area to unwind and take pleasure in time on the waters of Lake Geneva in a kayak or canoe, or just relax the campfire and catch up with old good friends.

    Kinnikinnick Farm (Illinois)

    • Range from Chicago: 90 miles (1 hour and thirty minutes by car)
    • Types of Campsites: Glamping canvas camping tents
    • Open Dates: May to October
    • Appointments and Cost: Bookings are required, $1300/3 nights

    Among the more special areas on this list, Kinnikinnick Farm is a working farm that enables stays on the home. This is a chance to go out and find out about life on the farm while integrating an educational component into your camping getaway. While the price may be high, the experience is an unique chance that is hugely popular in the area. The farm sets up canvas tents for you and your pals or household, each with a wood range and cooking utensils to prepare food fresh from the farm. This is a really kid-friendly area, so if you have a household this is a great place for outdoor camping near Chicago.

    Chain O’ Lakes State Park (Illinois)

    • Range from Chicago: 60 miles (1 hour and 15 minutes by car)
    • Types of Campsites: Tent, RV, and car outdoor camping
    • Open Dates: Year-round
    • Appointments and Cost: First come, very first served; reservations are offered; $25/night

    Fishing, outdoor camping, hiking, and simply checking out are the essential attractions for Chain O’ Lakes State Park. Found in the center of Illinois’ biggest concentration of natural lakes, water enthusiasts can come to paddle, swim, fish, and enjoy the landscape. There are over 200 campgrounds, indicating there’s likely an area for you every night of the week.

    Cook County Forest Preserve (Illinois)

    • Range from Chicago: 35 miles (45 minutes by car)
    • Kinds of Campsites: Camping Tent, RV, and cabins
    • Open Dates: Year-round
    • Appointments and Expense: Appointments are readily available, $22-$129/night

    If you wish to go outdoor camping near Chicago but desire the high-end of cabins or electrical hookups, Cook County Forest Preserve is an excellent pick. The forested landscape and treking trails provide a simple escape from the deep heart of the city with a variety of different alternatives for where to lie at night.

    Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area - Camping Near Chicago

  • Shabbona Lake State Leisure Location( Illinois)Distance
  • from Chicago : 70 miles(1 hour and 15 minutes by cars and truck)Types of Campsites: RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
  • , Tent, Cars and truck camping Open Dates : Year-round, call ahead throughout the spring thaw Reservations and Expense: First come, first served; reservations are readily available;$20/night Shabbona Lake State Entertainment Location is a manufactured lake that’s quickly accessible from Chicago and an excellent area for anyone hoping to snag some fish over the weekend. The lake is totally stocked and everybody that doesn’t wish to spend their days with a line in the water can check out the hiking trails or remain back at one of the 150 different camping sites.

    Tippecanoe River State Park (Indiana)

    • Distance from Chicago: 100 miles (1 hour and 45 minutes by car)
    • Kinds of Campsites: Tent, RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, automobile outdoor camping, and equestrian primitive
    • Open Dates: Year-round
    • Appointments and Expense: First come, very first served; reservations are available; $37/night

    Right next to the Tippecanoe River in Indiana is the Tippecanoe River State Park filled with various outdoor camping options. The area is a nature fan’s dream that’s a short drive away from Chicago. It’s equestrian-friendly so if you’re intending to ride some tracks, this is the best place to go even when trying to find remote, primitive sites!

    Matthiessen State Park - Camping Near Chicago

    Matthiessen State Park(Illinois)Distance from Chicago: 100 miles(

  • 1 hour and 45 minutes by car )Kinds of Campsites: Tent, vehicle camping, and equestrian Open Dates: Might to October Reservations and Cost:
  • First come, first served; $10/night Right down the road from Starved Rock State Park is Matthiessen State Park, a more remote location that is similarly lovely. The park provides miles of canyons, waterfalls, and forested routes that are open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bicycle riders. Camping here is rather easy and there are options for equestrian-only websites.

    Kankakee River State Park

    • Distance from Chicago: 60 miles (1 hour and 15 minutes by car)
    • Types of Campsites: Camping tent, cars and truck camping, RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, and 2 cabins
    • Open Dates: Year-round
    • Bookings and Cost: Appointments are available, $25/night

    The perfect area for camping near Chicago, Kankakee River State Park is an easy escape for anybody intending to paddle and fish on the river, pitch camp in forested sites, or bike the miles of tracks. This location has a big quantity of prehistoric sites that history fans can come and explore also before heading back to their camping site at night.

    Warren Dunes State Park (Michigan)

    • Range from Chicago: 80 miles (1 hour and 30 minutes by car)
    • Types of Campsites: Camping tents, vehicle outdoor camping, and recreational vehicle
    • Open Dates: Year-round
    • Bookings and Cost: Appointments are readily available, $25-$45/night

    A stunningly beautiful scenic drive along Lake Michigan takes you to Warren Dunes State Park, which sits right on the coastline so you can enjoy the lake. Within the 2,000-acre park, you can discover miles of mountain cycling, rolling dune, and thick forests. With the feel of sand and water between your toes, this brief trip from Chicago makes it feel like you’ve traveled all the way to the ocean.

    Warren Dunes State Park - Camping Near Chicago

    Extra Outdoor Camping Resources Headed to Chicago?

    Want to spend a night under the stars? These are a few of the very best parks and nature areas for outdoor camping near Chicago!

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