Campgrounds and RV parks near Kildeer, IL

Water activities dominate. Fishing on the Chain O'Lakes turns up bluegill, largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, muskie, northern pike, bullhead, catfish, and yellow and white bass, and boat rentals are available seasonally inside Chain O'Lakes State Park through the park concessionaire. The Fox River connects a string of lakes for paddling and powerboating from Fox River Recreation and Grass Lake Marina and RV Park. On land, the park features seven picnic areas and four trail systems, including the 2.25-mile Nature's Way hiking trail, a quarter-mile accessible trail at Pike Marsh North, 8 miles of equestrian trail, and a 6-mile biking and hiking trail. At Illinois Beach State Park, families use the swimming beach, the nature center, and short loop trails through dune and prairie habitat. Kildeer itself puts riders within reach of Chicago-area attractions for day trips.

Camping in the Kildeer area is mostly a warm-season activity. Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park is open year-round, but the campground is closed from January through March. Chain O'Lakes State Park campgrounds typically run from early spring through late fall. Summer is peak. As a watersports-heavy region, summer is the busiest time for RV camping at Chain O'Lakes State Park, and reservations at nearby RV parks are harder to come by. Because the parks are so close to Chicago, summer reservations should be made months in advance. Weekends around Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day fill first. Fall brings cooler temperatures and color, along with seasonal hunting programs on state land. Dove, waterfowl, archery deer, and permit pheasant hunting are available at Chain O'Lakes, so campers should check the park office for area closures. Winter shifts activity to ice fishing, ice skating, sledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, with ice fishing available on the Chain O'Lakes and Turner Lake.

State park campgrounds here are functional rather than resort-style. The campground in the South Unit at Illinois Beach offers 241 Class A Premium sites with electricity, showers and sanitary facilities, and the sites provide 20/30 amp electricity but no individual water hookups for RVs with holding tanks. A dump station and potable water are available near the campground entrance. All campers must have a permit and also bring their own firewood, no one is allowed to pick up wood in the park, and alcohol is prohibited in the campgrounds. Check-in is 3:00 pm and check-out is 2:59 pm. Mosquitoes and ticks are common near the lakes and marshes in summer, so pack repellent.