Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Chain O' Lakes State Park
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States
- Season
- March 1 to October 25
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 728 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 5
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile good · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Spring Grove
- Address
- 8916 Wilmot Road, Spring Grove, IL 60081
- Phone
- (847) 587-5512
- Activities
- Camping, Group Camping
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Chain O' Lakes State Park is an Illinois DNR state park in the Northeast region of Illinois. Camping site types: Class A Premium (showers, electricity, vehicular access); Class B/S Premium (showers, vehicular access, no electric). Also offers: Youth group camping. One of six IDNR "Premium" campgrounds (Chain O'Lakes, Illinois Beach, Kankakee River, Rock Cut, Starved Rock, Shabbona Lake) with premium-rate Class A/B site pricing. Rent-A-Camp equipment rental (a furnished large or extra-large tent, $8 or $12/stay plus the site's camping and utility fees) is offered at this park per IDNR's own Camp Classifications table. Pets ARE allowed (leashed, with water, never left unattended or in a parked vehicle) - IDNR's general statewide practice, confirmed via Starved Rock State Park's own IDNR FAQ. Reservable online through Illinois DNR's own Explore More Illinois system (camp.exploremoreil.com, redirects to the live recreation.exploremoreil.com/IllinoisWeb/ booking platform). Advance booking requires at least 3 days' notice; most sites are reservable May 1-October 31 (some year-round - confirm per park).
Fees
Class A Premium: $25/night ($35 holiday weekends) - showers, electricity, vehicular access. Class B/S Premium: $12/night - showers and vehicular access, no electric. Youth group (Class Y): $2/person/night, $20/day minimum. Reservation fee $5/reservation (non-refundable) plus first night's camping fee; camping fees refunded if cancelled online 3+ days before arrival. Discounts (about half the listed camping fee, full utility fee still applies) for Illinois residents 62+ or disabled with a Class 2/2A card; Illinois disabled veterans and POWs camp free aside from the utility fee; no entrance fee to any Illinois state park (dnr.illinois.gov).
In 2026 the campground reopened March 1 with limited sites, opened fully to reservations April 1 and closes October 25 for the season; sites not reserved are walk-in.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 14° | -14° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 33° | 19° | -12° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 45° | 30° | 8° | 71° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 56° | 39° | 23° | 78° | 5 of 11 |
| May | 68° | 49° | 37° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 77° | 60° | 48° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 82° | 67° | 59° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 66° | 59° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 77° | 61° | 51° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 60° | 46° | 31° | 79° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 46° | 33° | 6° | 69° | 6 of 10 |
| December | 35° | 25° | -6° | 64° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- North Branch Overnight Cyclist Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 8 mi · 4 sites
- Hickory Grove Highlands Group Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 10 mi
- Richard Bong State Recreation Area · Wisconsin State Parks · 13 mi · 223 sites
- Riverfront Group Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 15 mi · 1 sites
- Big Foot Beach State Park · Wisconsin State Parks · 15 mi · 100 sites
All public campgrounds in Illinois · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.