Chicago Northwest KOA's pet-friendly campground welcomes dogs at all campsites with no breed restrictions. Located in Union, Illinois, approximately 30 minutes from Crystal Lake, this campground provides dedicated "puppy sites" that include private gated areas for dog owners. The campground maintains clean facilities with staff who are friendly and helpful to campers traveling with pets. Water hookups and waste stations are available throughout the property, and the park offers a variety of accommodation options including tent sites, RV spots, cabins, and glamping units that allow pets. Paul Wolff Campground in the Burnidge Forest Preserve also accepts pets at all sites, with both wooded and prairie options available for tent camping.
Leashed dogs can enjoy the numerous hiking trails throughout these campgrounds, with Paul Wolff offering several wooded paths directly accessible from the tent camping areas. Most pet-friendly campgrounds in the area require pets to remain on leashes no longer than 6 feet and owners must clean up after their animals. Campers have noted that the prairie views at Paul Wolff provide relaxing environments for walking dogs, while the open layout offers enough space to keep pets comfortable. Chain O' Lakes State Park campgrounds, including Turner Lake South, Fox Den, and Honeysuckle Hollow, all allow pets and provide access to water recreation opportunities where dogs can cool off during summer months. Wildlife is present throughout these natural areas, so keeping dogs properly secured prevents unwanted encounters with local fauna.
$12 - $35 / night
"The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms."
"Half of them were in the Prairie and the other half was tucked into wonderfully private spots with burn pits and picnic tables. We hiked the trail and saw a mother deer feeding her 2 babies."
"You can walk from one side to other no problem. Plenty of large and small RV's and Trailers with tent camping. Our home away from home, so relaxing!"
"Saw a few of their “puppy sites” that included a private gated area for dog owners. It poured all weekend but we still enjoyed the stay."
$20 - $35 / night
"Our site had the usual picnic table and a short walk to the restrooms and water. What we enjoyed the most was the variety of hiking trails."
"While the highway riding was occasionally a bit harrowing, it was absolutely worth it for the beautiful views and camping here."
$43 - $73 / night
"Very Friendly Staff I received warm welcome from nice staff at the entrance gate. Tent Campground is nicely tucked inside by the lake. Quit place night time I can hear fish jumping from the water."
"We biked around the campground during the days and took advantage of the adult only hot tub hours at night. It was a nice getaway from Chicago."
$45 - $60 / night
"Lots of biking and walking trails and plenty of off trail paths that lead to unique clearings, bridges, etc."
"tucked alongside a bike and walking path that goes through a beautiful forest preserve. The path is gorgeous dipping through forested sections, open fields, and lilly pad covered ponds!"
"*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) we chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end"
"Campsite is nice, we're pretty close to our neighbors but not as bad as other places I've been. Walking distance to a fishing dock!"
"In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61."
"You can hear whatever highway is nearby pretty clearly and constantly. But if you’re not looking for something super remote then it’s fine!"
"It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "
"We can both drive to work and then come back to relax. Close to some great places for antiquing if you don't want to hike the trails or fish."
$45 - $70 / night
"The dog park is clean and secure. The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage. The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year. The store has many items you may need. "
"Propane, full hookups, fairly sized fenced in dog run area, a lake with a beach front. Play ground for the kids and a strict 5MPH speed limit. "
$25 / night
"They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly."
"Driving into rural northern IL felt like leaving the craziness behind. I brought my dog to an animal-friendly area of the beach, which was small and secluded."
GuideWe love private campsites, far enough away from other campers, yet close enough to amenities. We chose a walk in site #16 which was nice but I wish we chose one a bit further in. Bathrooms where very clean. Trails are great. Pet friendly - we brought our small, quiet dogs. Dog friendly restaurant right next to the camp site.
GuideAbsolutely beautiful, reasonable prices, electric available. Tons of restrooms, showers, laundry, and wonderful camp hosts. Huge beach area, dog park, fishing as well. Shop to buy items you may need and absolutely wonderful place. Open all year round
LegendMy first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery (as it was October when we visited, it might be better described as brownery) surrounded by a fairly decent gated enclosure lined with perfectly pruned tall towering oaks. Upon arrival, you’ll find what looks to be a brand-spanking new log cabin office on the right after passing a seemingly freshly-minted activities center / community lodge complete with in-ground heated swimming pool and jacuzzi on the left.
Amenities? As you could guess, this pet-friendly 60-acre RV resort has all the attractions in spades from pickleball, playgrounds, volleyball, log pergola patio, full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water & sewage), picnic tables, fire pits, BBQ grills, wagon rides, river access, picnic areas, bathhouses w/ showers & restrooms, cable TV WiFi (pretty poor connection though), gaga ball, game room, community room, billiards table, playground, wet bar, tabletop shuffleboard, community living room with large screen TV, DVD player w/ DVD library, clubhouse, dog park, horseshoes, hot tub, covered pavilions with picnic tables, catch & release ponds, inflatable water toys, jumping pillow, laundr-O-mat, propane refueling station and dump station.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) This place isn’t EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you’ll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place and that you’ll need to double-back, cross the train tracks heading north and turn right just before arriving to High Road School of Belvidere (so if you see a school, you’ve gone too far); (2) You will want to take note that yes, you actually cross train tracks to get to this campground, so if you’re sharp, you’re going to want to ensure you haven’t booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20; (3) If you’re a tent camper, you can certainly stay here, but you will want to note that this is very much an RV outpost; (4) The best sites IMHO are those on the northernmost perimeter, as far away from the train tracks as you can get and that also border the Kishwaukee River with sites #S9-#S20 being excellent, as well as #S25-#S81, which are equally amazing; (5) If you are planning on using that amazing pool that you saw as you came in, make sure you call management a good day or two before you come in to ensure that they turn on the heater – when we were there for 2 days, by the time we left, the pool was still too cold to go for a dip; and (6) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up a meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler and want to venture out to try some local fare, just a short walk into the nearby town is Garden Prairie Café, which has a very simple menu offering no shortage of fried everything (fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.) and then there’s Pleasant Street Tavern, but that’s mostly cheap national beers and frozen pizza fare, so if you want something a bit more substantive, head west of here to Miles Bar N’ Grill that serves up typical Midwestern fare like cheese curds, pork tenderloin, Italian beef and a variety of fried fish like blue gill, cod and catfish.
Happy Camping!
RangerI was here for three months this time as i get to business completed. The park was still kept up very nicely and this time I was here long enough to be able to see how. The grass is mowed every week. There is patroling at all hours for security. The laundry machines are great the dryers ore good. The dog park is clean and secure. The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage. The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year. The store has many items you may need. The showers are cleaned and work great. The camp water is high in Iron. The pot roads need service as thay do have a lot of pot holes. Good thing for the 5mph speed limit.
ScoutStaff was polite and helpful. They escort you to your spot. They hand out activity sheets for the weekend. Petting zoo, camp store, pool, lake/pond for swimming and fishing. Cell signal for ATT just one bar. No internet. Lots of full time residents. Lots of activities for kids. Pet friendly. They charge extra if you have visitors.
ScoutWe love camping here. It truly feels rural. Small shower house but water pressure is amazing. It’s always quiet and the view is beautiful. Bugs were awful this stay. They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly.
TravelerWe liked this site because it was on the "quiet loop." No radios or pets allowed. I'm not sure about children! :) The sites are fairly close together and the trees are sparse, but it was a beautiful site and wonderfully quiet for the long weekend over the 4th of July 2017.
You can walk over to an area that has hiking trails right out of the campsite. State park mountain biking trails are also close by, but you would need to drive to them. The showers were clean and when we used them, available. There is a playground right next to them as well.
The campsite itself had a good log-stopper so you wouldn't drive too far into the woods, great fire ring, and picnic table. We had nice flat areas for our tents.
I am not so sure I would have enjoyed myself if I'd been in another loop. The quiet was perfect!
RangerFor years, this was our go-to campground for weekend nearby adventures. Over the years, the price has increased and at $30 per site for non-residents, it's a bit steep for tent camping for me (so I left off a star rating). All sites are electric, so if you are tent camping and want your fan or slow-cooker, then it's as good as it gets in the burbs. It's located in a beautiful wooded Dupage County Forest preserve. While the sites are pretty close together, there are a few good ones that feel more secluded. Designated chip bark tent sites are level. The grounds are very well maintained. While I didn't camp here this year, I took these photos the last weekend in October to give everyone a sense of how nice this campground could be for them. My favorite sites over the years were the ones closest to Silver Lake along the South Loop road because those sites have the best views. For privacy, my favorite site is #27 on the north loop road which makes you feel like you are alone in the woods. Other than plenty of hiking options including a big hill, the fishing is outstanding. There are lots of places along the lake and ponds to get an easy catch and release. There is also archery, a dog park, picnic areas, boat rental/ramp, and a compass course. It is a great place for families. I've brought cub scouts here and my kids' friends. Heads-up that sites 21 & 22 may not be able to see traffic on the busy Winfield Rd in the summer, but you will still hear it at those sites.
ScoutI have camped in the tent section and also used the 30 amp service with our Class B van. Plenty of sites to choose from during the week but tends to get crowded on weekends. There are some sites out in the open and some that are totally private and secluded. It pays to drive through the camp ground and note a couple sites that you are interested in and then book your site at the entrance during walk in days. Once you have a couple favorites you can then book in advance online.
It does get congested and noisy on the weekends and holidays but can be a very peaceful and relaxing campground during the non-busy days. There is obviously the lake, hiking and biking paths throughout the park, 2 camp stores, showers and plenty of restrooms scattered around the park.
Pet friendly.
Camping options near Crystal Lake, Illinois offer a variety of outdoor experiences within McHenry County and surrounding areas. Located approximately 45 miles northwest of Chicago, this region features a mix of prairie lands, wooded areas, and lake access at elevations ranging from 850 to 950 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall camping seasons provide more moderate conditions with daytime temperatures between 50-70°F.
Hiking woodland trails: Thomas Woods Campground offers several hiking options with varying terrain. "Beautiful wooded and quiet... Great hiking trails, a pond for fishing, private camp sites," notes Tricia E., while another camper mentions "we were able to vary the route up to keep it fresh for our dog to sniff out her adventure. Some of grass and others were dirt."
Water recreation: Turner Lake South Campground provides multiple water-based activities. "I love to kayak through here because I don't need to paddle through the river unless I'm feeling competitive. I enjoy this route for the wildlife and nature scenery. I've seen beavers, minks, ferrets, and sand cranes on my two trips so far," shares Cora M. The campground also offers boat rentals, making it accessible for those without personal watercraft.
Seasonal activities: Nearby campgrounds host special events throughout the camping season. Meg K. explains that there's "so much to do at this campground. Horseback riding, archery, hiking, boating, fishing. There is also a park for the kids in several areas." During fall, the changing leaves create scenic views along hiking paths, particularly at Marengo Ridge where "gentle hills and beautiful color" can be observed according to Mike D.
Private campsite layouts: Many campers appreciate the secluded feel of certain sites. At Paul Wolff Campground, visitors note the generous spacing. One reviewer mentioned, "Smaller, mainly RVs. Friendly staff and friendly people staying on the grounds." Another camper shared that "the primitive camp sites were beautiful. Half of them were in the Prairie and the other half was tucked into wonderfully private spots with burn pits and picnic tables."
Clean facilities: Campground maintenance receives consistent positive mentions. Art S. noted about Paul Wolff, "The sites are clean and very well maintained. We loved the staff patrolling the grounds." At Camp Reinberg, visitors frequently comment on cleanliness: "The shower facilities were clean and the staff very friendly" and another mentioned "seriously the cleanest I've ever seen, even the ceilings were cleaned!"
Wildlife viewing: Natural areas around Crystal Lake provide excellent wildlife observation opportunities. One camper at Turner Lake South noted seeing "a mother deer feeding her 2 babies" while hiking trails. Another reviewer at Thomas Woods mentioned, "My 'leashed' dog loves this place, as do I," highlighting the pet-friendly nature trails where wildlife can be spotted regularly.
Seasonal restrictions: Several campgrounds have limited operating seasons. Fox Den Campground typically operates from early May through late October. One visitor noted, "We can both drive to work and then come back to relax. Close to some great places for antiquing if you don't want to hike the trails or fish."
Booking requirements: Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekend camping. A Thomas Woods visitor shared, "Limited to weekend camping, but spread out private-like tent sites. Camp hosts are super engaged and seem to love being caretakers." At Paul Wolff, a reviewer mentioned it's "pricey if you are from out of the county. We were hoping to camp at the primitive sites but they are walk-in only."
Amenity variations: Bathroom and shower facilities differ significantly between campgrounds. At Paul Wolff, David W. observed "The vault toilets are clean but smell like vault toilets at 95 degrees. There is one very clean flush toilet building but no showers." Another camper noted, "Hard to pay that much when you can't shower or clean up." Some campgrounds like Fox Den have more comprehensive facilities but may require a short drive from certain camping loops.
Playgrounds and activities: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort offers numerous family amenities. As one camper described, "Very Friendly Staff I received warm welcome from nice staff at the entrance gate. Tent Campground is nicely tucked inside by the lake." Another visitor shared, "The camp store sells treats and pizza, very convenient and makes for a more relaxing camping experience when traveling with young kids!"
Bug protection: Prepare for insects, especially during summer months. A camper at Honeysuckle Hollow advised, "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks." The reviewer recommended "a contained covered screen house and have them wear hats or a wagon shade on walks so nothing lands in their hair."
Wildlife awareness: Raccoons are active at several campgrounds. One visitor warned, "The raccoons at night here are no joke. The second it's dusky, they come scavenging for absolutely anything food has touched." They recommended eating early and packing everything into cars overnight with all surfaces wiped down to prevent unwanted nighttime visitors.
Site selection: RV campers recommend researching site dimensions before booking. At Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park, one camper shared, "We reserved site 349 and had no idea it would be on asphalt. There are plenty of other sites that on grass with trees." At Fox Den, a reviewer noted it's "superior to Honeysuckle Hollows because each site has an individual electric post. Sites in Honeysuckle have electric posts to far from parking pad."
Hookup considerations: Water access varies between campgrounds. At Camp Reinberg, a visitor explained, "There are no water spigots at the RV sites. The staff has to hook up a very very long hose and will bring it to your site." For Fox Den, a reviewer advised, "Fox Den also has more space between sites, more level pads and each site is tucked away with trees."
Weekend crowds: Expect busier conditions Friday through Sunday. At Turner Lake South, a reviewer observed, "This IL state campground fills up quickly on the weekends over the summer." Another camper at Honeysuckle Hollow mentioned, "The campground was really busy during the weekend, but cleared out Sunday and we nearly had the whole loop to ourselves during the week."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Crystal Lake, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Crystal Lake, IL is Paul Wolff Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 20 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Crystal Lake, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 70 dog-friendly camping locations near Crystal Lake, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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