Updated July 20, 2022
Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is best known for being the Windy City and home of (delicious!) Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. However, people tend to overlook the magnificent campgrounds and sweeping views of the grassy plains right outside the city. Camping near Chicago means venturing north into neighboring Wisconsin and Michigan or east toward Indiana. The border of Lake Michigan provides wonderful dunes and lakefront campgrounds that are unexpected for the Midwest. This list of places to go camping near Chicago suggests a wide array of locations and scenery for your next outdoor adventure!
Headed to Chicago? Check out these other postings for urban outdoor adventures in and around Chicago:
- 13 Stunning Places to Go Hiking In and Near Chicago
- 10 Adventure-Filled Outdoor Activities in Chicago, Illinois
- 11 Picturesque Trails to Go Running in Chicago
- 8 Incredible Places to Go Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Chicago
Fantastic Places to Go Camping Near Chicago
Starved Rock State Park (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 95 miles (1 hour and 30 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent and car camping
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservation and Cost: Reservations are recommended, $25/night
Potentially the most popular destination for Illinoisians seeking a slice of wilderness, Starved Rock State Park is located a mere 100 miles south of the Windy City. Here, you can explore over 13 miles of hiking trails that take you past stunning waterfalls and gorges that formed long ago as the glaciers melted. One of 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 many platforms along the park. If you’re looking to go camping near Chicago and want a plethora of outdoor activities, look no further than Starved Rock State Park.
New Glarus Woods State Park (Wisconsin)
- Distance from Chicago: 150 miles (2 hours and 30 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, car camping, and RV
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: Reservations are available, $15/night
Drive a bit further north than Chicago and you’ll find yourself in cheese and beer country. New Glarus is one of the most popular Midwestern breweries and the brewery castle is surrounded by beautiful wooded hills. Inside the New Glarus Woods State Park, you can bring over fresh brews that you grabbed down the road and enjoy a night with your friends or family. Amenities in this park are highly limited, but it’s well worth it for the amount of peace and easy access to great cheese.
Illinois Beach State Park (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 50 miles (1 hour by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent and RV
- Open Dates: April to December
- Reservations and Cost: First come, first served; reservations are available; $25/night
Just north of Chicago, Illinois Beach State Park is located 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 simply sit and enjoy the escape from the city. On the dunes, there are hundreds of different plant species and fish in the marshes, which can be a wonderful outdoor experience for anyone looking for something different. Illinois Beach State Park starts to get a bit busy during Memorial Day weekend, so make sure to reserve this camping location in advance!
Indiana Dunes State Park (Indiana)
- Distance from Chicago: 50 miles (50 minutes by train)
- Types of Campsites: Tent and car camping
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: First come, first served; reservations are available; $25/night
Just across the border into Indiana, there are magnificent sand dunes unlike anything else in the area. These massive sandy hills at Indiana Dunes State Park offer miles of hiking that can be followed up by swimming or fishing in Lake Michigan. In the winter, the hiking trails turn into the perfect cross-country ski trails, so this is a spot to check out all year long. One of the best parts of this campsite is that you can go camping near Chicago without a car. The South Shore 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)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, RV, and car camping
- Open Dates: Ottawa Lake is open year-round; Pinewoods and Whitewater Lake are open from May to October
- Reservations and Cost: Reservations are recommended, $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 choose to make this a launching pad for an even bigger outdoor adventure! Although it’s a bit of a trek from downtown Chicago, it’s worth checking out and setting aside a larger chunk of time to see everything the multiple sections of this area have to offer.
Rock Cut State Park (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 90 miles (1 hour and 30 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, RV, car camping, and cabins
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: Reservations are available, $25-$60/night
While the peak season for Rock Cut State Park is during the summer months, the winter has ice skating and ice fishing to offer, making this a great choice for city dwellers 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 is full of natural features dating back to the last Ice Age. It’s likely that you’ll run into plenty of wildlife while exploring the network of hiking trails before returning to one of the 270 campsites available to you.
Big Foot Beach State Park (Wisconsin)
- Distance from Chicago: 80 miles (1 hour and 30 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, RV, and car camping
- Open Dates: Spring to Fall
- Reservations and Cost: First come, first served; reservations are available; $15-$30/night
The search for Big Foot has stumped dedicated biologists and even more devoted conspiracy theorists for decades. While it’s possible you’ll be the first to sight him or her, you can settle now for a great getaway to the Big Foot Beach State Park in southern Wisconsin. This great camping spot near Chicago is the perfect location to relax and enjoy time on the waters of Lake Geneva in a kayak or canoe, or simply sit around the campfire and catch up with old friends.
Kinnikinnick Farm (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 90 miles (1 hour and 30 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Glamping canvas tents
- Open Dates: May to October
- Reservations and Cost: Reservations are required, $1300/3 nights
One of the more unique locations on this list, Kinnikinnick Farm is a working farm that allows stays on the property. This is an opportunity to get out and learn about life on the farm while incorporating an educational component into your camping getaway. While the price may be high, the experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is wildly popular in the area. The farm sets up canvas tents for you and your friends or family, each with a wood stove and cooking utensils to prepare food fresh from the farm. This is a very kid-friendly location, so if you have a family this is a great place for camping near Chicago.
Chain O’ Lakes State Park (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 60 miles (1 hour and 15 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, RV, and car camping
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: First come, first served; reservations are available; $25/night
Fishing, camping, hiking, and simply exploring are the key attractions for Chain O’ Lakes State Park. Located in the center of Illinois’ largest concentration of natural lakes, water lovers can come to paddle, swim, fish, and enjoy the landscape. There are over 200 campsites, meaning there’s likely a spot for you every night of the week.
Cook County Forest Preserve (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 35 miles (45 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, RV, and cabins
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: Reservations are available, $22-$129/night
If you want to go camping near Chicago but want the luxury of cabins or electric hookups, Cook County Forest Preserve is a great pick. The forested landscape and hiking trails offer an easy escape from the deep heart of the city with a variety of different options for where to lie at night.
Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 70 miles (1 hour and 15 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: RV, Tent, Car camping
- Open Dates: Year-round, call ahead during the spring thaw
- Reservations and Cost: First come, first served; reservations are available; $20/night
Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area is a man-made lake that’s easily accessible from Chicago and a great spot for anyone hoping to snag some fish over the weekend. The lake is fully stocked and everyone that doesn’t want to spend their days with a line in the water can explore the hiking trails or stay back at one of the 150 different campsites.
Tippecanoe River State Park (Indiana)
- Distance from Chicago: 100 miles (1 hour and 45 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, RV, car camping, and equestrian primitive
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: First come, first served; reservations are available; $37/night
Right next to the Tippecanoe River in Indiana is the Tippecanoe River State Park full of different camping options. The area is a nature lover’s dream that’s a short drive away from Chicago. It’s equestrian-friendly so if you’re hoping to ride some trails, this is the right place to go even when looking for remote, primitive sites!
Matthiessen State Park (Illinois)
- Distance from Chicago: 100 miles (1 hour and 45 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, car camping, and equestrian
- Open Dates: May 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 equally beautiful. The park offers miles of canyons, waterfalls, and forested trails that are open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Camping here is quite easy and there are options for equestrian-only sites.
Kankakee River State Park
- Distance from Chicago: 60 miles (1 hour and 15 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tent, car camping, RV, and 2 cabins
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: Reservations are available, $25/night
The perfect spot for camping near Chicago, Kankakee River State Park is an easy escape for anyone hoping to paddle and fish on the river, pitch camp in forested sites, or bike the miles of trails. This area has a huge amount of prehistoric sites that history lovers can come and explore as well before heading back to their campsite at night.
Warren Dunes State Park (Michigan)
- Distance from Chicago: 80 miles (1 hour and 30 minutes by car)
- Types of Campsites: Tents, car camping, and RV
- Open Dates: Year-round
- Reservations and Cost: Reservations are available, $25-$45/night
A stunningly beautiful scenic drive along Lake Michigan takes you to Warren Dunes State Park, which sits right on the shoreline so you can enjoy the lake. Within the 2,000-acre park, you can find miles of mountain biking, rolling sand dunes, and thick forests. With the feel of sand and water between your toes, this short trip from Chicago makes it feel like you’ve traveled all the way to the ocean.
