Apple River Canyon (ARC) is my favorite campground in Illinois. No question. I'll start with a…read moreexcerpt from the Illinois DNR website: "Apple River Canyon State Park is in the hilly northwest corner of Illinois in Jo Daviess County near the Wisconsin border. Limestone bluffs, deep ravines, springs, streams and wildlife characterize this area. Once a part of a vast sea bottom that stretched from the Alleghenies to the Rockies, the scenic canyon area was formed by the action of the winding waters of the Apple River." My husband and I have been coming here since the late 90's. We love it here. Pros: + Only 2 1/2 hours from Chicago. + Did you read that paragraph above that I took from the website? It's BEAUTIFUL here. + 5 awesome hiking trails; some of them easier than others. + Hike (or drive) down to the river from your campsite. There's some good fishing. And our dogs love to swim in it. (Swimming for you is prohibited, however.) + 2 big loops in the campground. Most of them are nicely sized and thoughtfully spaced apart. + Only 15 minutes to Stockton (the closest town) for groceries and firewood. + Eight bucks per night for a non-electrical site. Cons: - I am not there right now. I am at my desk, rotting under flourescent lighting. This is the kind of place that, as soon as we arrive, I'm already saying, "I don't want to go home!" But I want to be completely honest - there are no showers here, and only pit toilets. There are, of course, 2 or 3 water stations in each loop (pump). So, if maintaining hygiene is the number one most important thing for you during a camping weekend, you may not find ARC as perfect as I do. Me? I try my best to make do. You're camping for God's sake! Shower when you go home! See you at Apple River Canyon!

My review may be a bit different than other people but during my time here I absolutely enjoy the…read moreviews but what I did not enjoy here were the amenities featured. The bathrooms here were absolutely in shambles and the maintenance at the park is pretty bad. Please be cautious that your GPS will not work in this area either. Poorly labeled trails as well where you can get lost.

We love this State Park that is located on the bank of the Rock River…read more This park offers good hiking trails and is very popular with kayaker's. One of the highlights is climbing the staircase to the top of the sandstone bluff for great views of the Rock River There is a small parking lot on site .

Pretty trails. I highly recommend downloading the all trails app when hiking here. The trails were…read morenot marked that well. Plenty of parking and various picnic tables around as well.

If you are looking for an easy, grassy trail with a lot of greenery and views of the water from a…read moredistance, this is a good hike. Pet friendly too and "Mutt Mitts" at the trail head if you need them. I only wished we could have found the trail that was closer to the water but the mid-day hike made it a very warm trip and a little buggy too. The open fields with wild flowers were so pretty and the grassy trail is well kept. We also really appreciated the benches, picnic tables and covered Pavillion along the way so you could stop in the shade and drink some water. Pretty views of the Mighty Mississippi, even though many of the views are a little obstructed. I'll bet it's pretty here in the Fall. The parking lot is a trip to get to on the narrow dirt/gravel driveway but it is not too far back from the road. A lot of interesting scenery on the way to this trail on Blackjack road.

The word bluff may be overstating this outlook point. The trails were mowed paths about the effigy…read moremounds. There wasn't a lot of signage. It was a fine stop for 30 minutes or so. I wouldn't list it as a "hiking" experience.

We had a family get together here today and rented the pavilion. For $50, you get a really nice…read morebuilding facility that has a fireplace and several large picnic tables. The public restrooms are in this building however, and you will have people coming and going during your event. It wasn't too busy today so not a problem. There is plenty of open grassy area to play, didn't get enough wind to be able to fly the kites, but we were close! But we definitely had a lot of room to kick the soccer ball, throw the football and run around. The grill worked great, it's 4 feet long and we were able to cook plenty of burgers and hotdog and such for the family. There's also a couple of electrical outlets so we were able to plug-in a couple crockpots for beans and such. There are quite a few mice living in this facility, so just be aware of that, but you are out in the country! There are many hikes and such that leave from this location so you could use this as homebase with other family members being able to go out and take a great hike as well. We had a great day and I have a feeling this is going to become a tradition PS. Bring the bug spray :)

Great find and well maintained by the state. Great views! Kayaked on the Mississippi River which…read morewas great but came with some current struggles. The boat launch is right across the road from MP. The hosts were nice. They are only checking in people from 12-4. Find your site and your tag is on the post. There are about 10 walk up sites you can get on FCFS basis. Some electric and some primitive sites. Make sure to select the correct one. Beautiful views are with the hike up the cliffs.

The trails are phenomenal. Especially the equestrian trails. Love going out and riding in the…read morewoods. Need to get out and start hiking with the dogs

This is a really neat park on the Sugar River. It starts at the "head gates" for the once brodhead…read moremill and hydro project. The park is a trail along the raceway, or mill race. This is essentially a man made canal that provides water to the mill pond in Brodhead. It is a lovely walk, very scenic with numerous wetlands, woodland, farmland, ending with a lovely stroll along the canal into the village of Brodhead. Here, along one side of the canal are numerous fun homes reminiscent of the canals in Amsterdam. If you choose to walk or kayak, once in Brodhead, stroll downtown to a local cafe or restaurant. Hint: This is a GREAT trip for a fun outdoor date! Even if the date doesn't go well, the scenery is lovely and you can enjoy the walk back alone. It's a 4+ mile roundtrip. Easy hike with gravel two lane path. Hint: Hint: oooh...you discovered the super double secret hint! This is a great place to bring your dog. Lots of room to run big! Fetch, swimming, ducks, and the water is clean so, your dog can enjoy itself! Hint: Hint: Hint: A super triple secret hint? Say it isn't so! Kayakers - pay attention! Here is an INCREDIBLE opportunity for kayaking that requires no shuttling! Put your boat in here, paddle up river a short distance (no current here) to the decatur tap, portage the dam, paddle down the Sugar River to where the race rejoins the Sugar River. Then paddle up the race to Brodhead dam. Portage the dam and bing bang boom, you're back on the race! Now it's an easy paddle up the race back to the head gates where your car is parked, waiting for you, with a cooler of beer in trunk! Cheers, you earned it! Hint 4X: A quadruple hint-o-rama....be still my palpating heart....If you want to get into kayaking and kayak this in a group, check out the Mad City Paddlers website for group kayaking and canoe trips! Or, send me an email, I kayak this at least once a year :)

This is definitely a place to stop and take a hike. It was wet when we went but the mud made it…read morefun. There are some sketchy areas of river to cross and it makes you feel like a true adventurer.

Loved the experience! There has been a recent flood so many of the walkways seem to be closed, but…read moreit was still a good experience!

Such a beautiful spot to explore while visiting Dubuque! The Mines of Spain has great hiking…read moretrails, scenic views, and plenty of places to stop and take in the scenery. We especially loved the views around the Julien Dubuque Monument. Definitely worth adding to your list if you enjoy being outdoors!

Beautiful and extensive trails over a surprisingly large area, many along or near pretty waterways…read more....there are several well marked parking lots near the trail heads. We did get lost trying to find the nature center which didn't seem connected to the part of the park we first arrived in...it seems there are two separate entrances? Fortunately we were near the cool castle-like tower, the Julien Dubuque Monument, which offers stunning panoramic views of the Mississippi and of the city of Dubuque. Definitely would like to come back for more hiking here!

This place is great for a hike. Winding trails that cut through lush woods and alongside the river…read more Highly recommend to take a relaxing hike.

Absolutely beautiful great hiking, great camping, we went for years and the people were kind and…read morefriendly.

Walk the trails. I found a scroll hidden and it lead me on a scavenger hunt…read more BEAUTIFUL. Well worth the free admission. So peaceful I was the only one there. I love the road less traveled What a find

If you an outdoor enthusiast, a hiker, biker, and lover of great scenery, you will love what JCDF…read moredoes and offers to the residents and visitors of Jo Davies's County. Staffed mostly by volunteers, they fill the void or lack of a local "Park District" by securing land, preserving, and maintain it for public use. You can visit the following places to enjoy birding, hiking, dog-walking, effigy mounds, and picnicking: Buehler Preserve, Casper Bluff, and Keough Effigy Mounds in Galena, Schurmeier Teaching Forest in Elizabeth, and Wapelle Land and Water Reserve. Another restoration is in process at Gateway Park in Galena which boasts beautiful views or downtown Galena. Also, if you're visiting Galena, make sure to visit and hike Horseshoe Mound, which has commanding views of Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. JDCF also has a monthly narrated tour of Horseshoe, and a number of other educational programs for anyone who wants to attend. Great family events, too like picnics and nature tours for kids. You can learn a lot about the whole Driftless Area from their programs and publications, too. They are funded completely by memberships and grants. One incredible asset to Galena and other communities in this northwest corner of Illinois.