Chain O Lakes State Park
Address: 8916 Wilmot Rd., Spring Grove, IL 60081
Phone: 847-587-5512
Time from Chicago: 1 hour, 20 minutes (60 miles)
Website: http://dnr.state.il.us/Lands/landmgt/parks/R2/CHAINO.HTM
Camping at Chain O Lakes State Park
Forested campgrounds are nice, but what if you want to hang out by the lake and do some boating, canoeing, or fishing? Consider Chain O Lakes State Park, a 2,793-acre park in northern Illinois not far from the Wisconsin state line.
Standard camping sites range in price from $12 to $25, depending on whether you need electric, according to Reserve America. Chain O Lakes Park features shower facilities, and a majority of the 195 sites do have electric hookups.
There are picnic areas near the Fox River, as well as playgrounds and multiple volleyball parks. A full 80 acres are set aside for a nature preserve that protects a fragile boggy environment. Are you into ice fishing? In the winter, you can ice fish on the lakes here. Cool!
The park is broken down into separate camping areas. The Honeysuckle Hollow and Turner Lake South campgrounds are closest to the 44-acre Turner Lake. A little farther from the lake are the Prairie View, Fox Den, Mud Lake East, and Mud Lake West campgrounds. Turner Lake South, Prairie View and Mud Lake East do not offer electric and therefore are cheaper.
Images: Creative Commons users I Bird 2, donovanbeeson
