I'd heard great tales of the park with the big statue and we finally went to check it out. The…read morestatue is impressively large! Definitely worth a visit. You then have 3 options to walk down to the river. One that is stairs straight down and two others that call themselves steep/ rough. Honestly all seem pretty steep! we took one of the side rough trails which was a gradual decline down to the river. Although you had to pay attention to where you were going it wasn't too tough to navigate. The river was a nice reward at the end. We used the other trail to go back up and it seemed more steep and tricky. But fun! I'd say it took about 20 minutes each way. It was a fun little outing!

This park was a gorgeous weekend getaway from Chicago. It's easy to find right along the Rock…read moreRiver. We camped in a tent but the weekend we were here, there were mostly RVs around us. If you camp here in dry weather, the site B38 is the most perfect one because there are no neighbors to your sides - yet it's somewhat close to the toilets/showers, and a comfortable distance from the trash bins. (The site is on lower ground, so in wet weather, it looks like a rivulet goes right through the site.) I've been camping all my life and I've never been in a quieter campground! People were so respectful. It's also super clean and well maintained, though the shower building was small and older. The camp hosts were super laid-back but did their patrols. Be sure to go say hi to the friendly guy at Quirky's camp store and hot dog stand. Then take off into the quiet, well-marked trails, don't miss the Blackhawk statue and breathtaking view, and meander along the river. So peaceful!

Had a great weekend with friends. It was the perfect setting for a winter weekend away. The lodge…read morewas ideal with lots of space as well as cozy gathering rooms for hanging out. Keith and Lisa were fantastic hosts. Easy drive from the burbs. The warm country setting was the right break from the winter grind. I would absolutly recommend for a gathering of friends or a wedding in any season. We roamed the property and were impressed by all the venue options that they had to offer.

Unexpected beautiful setting near Dixon, Illinois. Five star lodge in terms of comfort, amenities…read more Lodge was transported from out West and it is incredible to think that happened. Owners/workers were incredibly accommodating, seeing to every need in a timely manner. Was amazing setting for our granddaughter's wedding. I kept thinking this place is designed to build relationships, experiences and memories, maybe perfect for a corporate retreat!

I just went in 6th grade in 2022 and it was fun we went hiking and more the showers have curtains…read morefor privacy it the bathroom and that's soooooooo good.

I went to White Pines for my 5th grade field trip and thirty-some years later, I was able to see my…read moreown daughters experience White Pines with their Girl Scout Troop (which I am co-leader of). As a Troop leader, I loved that I didn't have to plan meals or activities - I was quite impressed with the scheduling of activities - everything is planned for with activities to choose from almost every hour on the hour. White Pines Staff were wonderful - a family-run business, many staff members multi-task - the same person teaching archery and horse grooming would be serving meals at lunch, etc. It was great to see all-hands-on-deck in action, with all staff members contributing fully to the greater team. The cabins were simple but clean. Carpeted, climate controlled, bunk beds with mattresses (the kind you can wipe down). For larger groups, a 3-4 vanity sink would be helpful, but the 2-vanity worked out okay for a smaller group. None of the bathroom stalls had functional locks, so that can be easily fixed. Showers were small, but clean - a little run down, like the rest of the washroom facilities and general camp, but functional. Stables were meticulous and safety of was never a concern. In all, it was a wonderful trip. Suggestions for improvement: Some white noise machines in the cabins would really help! I brought my own and it made a world of difference. It never quite felt like meals were diverse enough - it was the same iceberg lettuce EVERY meal with the same toppings. They don't quite accommodate well for vegetarians or nut allergies. Sloppy joes were good, but kids aren't big fans so most just ate bread that day - maybe replace with pizza? They are quite flimsy with desserts - 1 cookie each, or one small slice of something. It would have been nice to see perhaps some more options at meals. Breakfasts were great! The lack of vegetables was quite apparent after a few meals - and canned string beans just aren't that appealing. But, in all, you can't expect 4-star meals - this is a ranch. I think it's great that they involve the kids in clean-up after meals. It would also have been nice to offer more snacks - just grab and go or perhaps snacks before bedtime that are more substantial than a cookie for example. The hay ride was a bit boring - some history of the ranch or taking advantage of the night to learn about stars would be a great way to add some learning into the ride. Or perhaps a "things to look out for" scavenger hunt - just some ideas. Long story short - overall it was a WONDERFUL experience for our Girl Scout Troop and the girls are eager to go back again. Two thumbs up!

The RV park is really nice. Lots of trees for shade; but the trees interfere with Internet. They do…read moreoffer wi-fi, which worked great for TV. But anything computer or cellular related was extremely SLOW!!! They do offer a huge playground area, miniature Golf, volleyball, pickleball, and basketball courts, as well as Frisbee Golf. Many sites are gravel, but are pretty level. They are close together though. If you like your neighbors close, you won't mind this. But we felt they were just a bit too close. There are some Seasonal sites; but a lot of empty sites too. So plenty of room for those looking for short stays. We enjoyed our stay here & met quite a few friendly people. We will most likely stay here again.

Nice campground. Very well maintained. Spaces are super close together and the best spots are for…read morethe monthly/seasonal campers. Oh and did I mention that there is a rule not to wash clothes in your camper. Reasonable rates. Internet with Verizon and AT&T non existent. Park WIFi intermittent.

Just camped here for the first time. This is a great place to camp, especially if you have kids…read more The lake was great. It's separated into 3 sections by buoys...one shallow end for small kids, a deeper end for bigger kids, and a fishing area. Both swimming areas had lake toys for the kids to climb on, including 2 trampolines with slides and bounce pillow, log roll, a giant iceberg, and some other things. There are smaller lake toys in the kiddie area. The lake had no algae or fish smell like other reviews noted, so they must have solved that problem. There is plenty of lounge chairs and picnic tables around the lake area for parents. The pool was nice too, but the kids liked the lake the best. They also had activities during the day: bingo, a glow stick dance party at night, and a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt doubled as free campground cleanup for them because they had things like bottle caps, juice box straw wrappers, and cigarette butts on them! Please take the cigarette butts off that list!!! Nobody wants their kids picking those up!!! They had bean bag games, pedal cars, horse shoes, basketball and volleyball courts. The grounds were clean and well maintained. The sites are typical for a place like this...fairly close together but there were huge trees everywhere so we had shade and gave it a little more wooded feel (I hate camping in a big grass field). Cost: We paid $45 a night for water and electric (no sewer) which I think is reasonable because you're paying for all the facilities as well, not just the camping. They do nickle and dime you a bit...you gotta pay to use the pool, carts, and some activities. As long as you're OK just using the lake it's not too bad. Checkout time is non-negotiable. We wanted to stay an extra hour or 2 after checkout time so we had to pay for a whole extra night. Most places don't mind if you stay a little longer if the campground is emptied out. The kids really wanted a little extra time so I ended up paying for the extra night and we stayed until dusk so I could get my money's worth. One last note...the owner has a lot of rules and he enforces them. They are mostly to keep the kids safe and keep the camp family friendly. He was out multiple times during the day making sure the kids in the lake had their life jackets on and had parents watching them. If you're planning on partying loudly until 2 am, don't bother coming. He will kick you out if he has to. This has led to some bad reviews from scorned folks, but it's nice to see a campground enforce their rules for a change. Since I was there to enjoy family time it worked out well for us.

Great for family's. Lots to do. Halloween was best... Camp…read moresite are two small. Shower needs some help too

We had a very nice trip to Blackhawk campground. The pool was outstanding! Very clean and had the…read moreperfect temperature. Our cabin was very clean, spacious, cool, and well stocked. The campground was quiet at night and the seasonal campers were super friendly. The bathroom/shower house was very clean and had plenty of hot water. The staff worked very hard In spite of being so short staffed. The manager Lori was kind and helpful. We rented a golf cart and it was fun and ran well. The park was clean and well maintained. The only thing not perfect was the bed inside our cabin #4. It had a large dip in the middle making sleeping kind of difficult. However floating in that awesome not overly populated pool made it all ok. I highly recommend bringing your family camping there. Whether you have a tent, camper, or choose to rent a cabin. You will have a blast!

I have been going to Blackhawk since I was a little girl. No - I take that back I have probably…read morebeen going to Blackhawk since I was in the womb! Needless to say, for many, many, many years my family made Blackhawk our home-away-from home 3 times a summer. My memories of Blackhawk are all good. There's stories, memories, thoughts and experiences that I would never, ever be able to duplicate anywhere else that I had here. We're talking my first time skinny dipping, hiding in the dryer so my parents wouldn't find me after dark, and seeking cover in the pavilion from tornadoes as we watched the wind and rain rip away and blow around the tents and bits around us. Ahhh, Blackhawk. But this isn't a memoir, so I will stick to the things I know now. "Back in my day" the general store was off the beach, but floods and old age weathered the store and they tore it down. Now the beach looks messy, overused and completely neglected. Campers rarely swim in the lake anymore. This might be because there is now two in-ground pools near the entrance of Indian Village, but I still think the dirty lake is the bee's knees. "Back in my day" the majority of the camp sites were all for transient campers. Now the majority of the campground is permanent sites. There's pros and cons to this. One is that I knew a few people with permanent sites and if you're lucky enough to be in the "in" crowd, you know that having a permanent site and friends all around is like one big family that parties together every single (weekend) night (and the occasional weekday, depending). There is something very special about knowing the right people who have permanent sites here. We're talking late night karting in the woods, drunken bon fires, crazy stories to retell when you're sober in the morning... (Back in my day, they even had a live bear in a cage!) But if you're an unlucky one to not have a permanent site, I can see that Blackhawk would be a pretty boring place if you're in for just the night or two. There's cabins all around now to rent, in Indian Village and near the beach. I've never been inside one and haven't had the pleasure of staying overnight in one, but they look well cared for and large enough for a small family or a group of friends. I love that they put on fun events in the summer, from music to bingo to prom, etc.. It's a fun place if you know where to look, how to get around, and who to hang with. Blackhawk is not nearly as special, clean, or "cool" as it once was when I was younger, but I give it 5-stars because it holds a very special place in my heart. It used to be family run and it was clear they all cared for the grounds well; the point is, they cared. You can tell it's changed hands a few times and even the restaurant is owned by someone separate from the person who owns the grounds. Things seem much more disjointed now then they ever were. My suggestion: stay in Indian Village, on a water site, bring flip-flops for the showers by the beach, bring a comfy chair to people watch, bring a cooler full of beer, ignore the dirty water and dive in to the lake. This place is it!

Jeff wrote us a lovely welcome note! Great place tucked away. Very peaceful. Will be back!!read more

Just stayed here with a group of friends for tent camping! First experience ever camping and it was…read moreso much fun. Jeff, owner, such a nice person. You can tell he cares so much for the campground! Restrooms and showers in EXCELLENT condition. Our campsite area was so comfortable and it was just all around amazing! Thank you! We will be back!

We had a great time staying at this yogi bear campground! We stayed in a 2 room rustic cabin that…read moresleeps 8. The cabin is small but serves it's purpose! The front room has a space heater, fridge, and microwave along with a twin over queen bunk. There is a solid door separating the front room from the back room. The back room has the window air conditioner and a wifi box along with another twin over queen bunk on one side and a twin over twin bunk on the other side. Keep the door open to get cold air into the front room in hot months. The cabins ( both two and one room rustic cabins) are located close to the comfort station, recreation center, playground, store and main office. We stayed in cabin 26, which is the 2 room cabin closest to the comfort station. This cabin is handicap accessible with a deck and longer picnic table to accommodate wheelchairs, there is also an aboveground fire pit on a cement pad. Be aware that there is a ton of poison ivy near the fire pit and around a log that would otherwise be enticing to sit on. Cabins do not come with linens or bedding so remember to bring a sheet along with your sleeping bag/ blankets and pillow so you aren't sleeping on plastic! We also recommend bringing a power strip as the outlets are all in use. So if you want to plug in your device you'll need to unplug something else. The curtains are sheer, hang up a towel if you need it darker. Water pump outside. The comfort station was always clean, toilets working, showers hot! The store on site sells some eggs and packaged food, fire wood, merchandise, toys, some emergency supplies for RVers, and staff scooped ice cream. Prices are reasonable. Pool was clean and cold. Refreshing on a hot day. Play equipment looked pretty new! There's a jumping pad, play ground equipment for both the littles and the bigs. There are built in ping pong tables outside the office and by the rec center. There are two sets of permanent bags/ Cornhole games by the playground and Gaga ball court. Volleyball net was set up in the play field. Basketball court is small but functional. Balls and paddles were all available in the rec center. Having stayed previously at a tent camp site, I can say that those sites are equally nice. Water is clear, electric works. If you'd like a good look at the seasonal sites available, take a hayride. If you'd like to get a look at the more rustic tent sites, take a walk or a drive down the road at the entrance to the campground. Maps are available in the office. There are also deluxe cabins on site which offer more amenities, check out the website for more details on these. Overall, we had a great stay. Watch out for poison ivy, as there was quite a bit by our cabin. Otherwise, go have a great time!

Very disappointed. This RV park is overpriced and lack the amenities at advertises on its website…read more The pool was down for maintenance issues in June. You'd think that I've been more prepared. The Camp store is completely abandoned and closed. The manager flat out lied to us when you ask about being compensated for the lack of amenities as advertised.. He said he would get back to us. Never did. My best advice Drive right past this place find somewhere else.

I stay at a lot of Campgrounds & this is one of my favorites. It feels homey with the owner happy…read moreto help and give you local hiking advice. No frills but full hook up & level with a beautiful grassy lawn & lovely trees. Location is excellent next to the state parks. We'll be back!!

I recently stayed at Cozy Corners Campground and felt it was in need of a review as it doesn't seem…read moreto have one at all on the internet. Cosy Corners is a small, family owned campground, quite literally in the couples backyard! Barbara and Dave, the owners were fantastic and absolutely went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience with them. For example, I needed ice from the store and was given a ride in their golf cart. At one point it rained pretty heavily and as soon as it stopped, they came out to offer us all towels. the couple have a vast knowledge of the area and spent a good while talking with us about the things we could do 'off the beaten path'. Did I mention that this campground is at the entrance to Matthiessen State Park and only a mile south of Starved Rock!! Perfect placement. Also, you don't have to worry about the alcohol bans in the state parks if you stay here. The campsite was dog friendly provided the pups stay on leash. The only thing I could say that may put you off would be that there is no shower facility! This didn't bother us, we are experienced campers and had no issue showering under a hose. there are a couple of hoses around so you can access running water. Oh, anther thing! The cleanest camping porta johns I have ever used. They smelled clean and were also lit at night! OK, I could go on all day. I had a fantastic experience and every one of the 10 people in my group on the Saturday night swore they would return. The service provided by Barbara and Dave is second to none! I can't wait to go back!