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!

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!

We rented "last resort" for 2 nights. It was an experience. We had given up tent camping this year…read morebut miss it. We enjoyed ourselves, but that being said, somethings should be said. Some of the trailer windows did not close fully, and it was cold out. One of the bunk beds all along the edge got wet at night. Had no idea there was no use of the propane until the last minute. So no hot water or use of stove burners in trailer. Fortunately, we brought our camp stove. Found it difficult to have to walk for a golf cart and make many trips to haul things in. Our cart kept konking out, even after charging. Bathrooms that are available on the property are very nice-hot water, private etc. real plumbing. The dish stations are also nice, but know they can be a walk. The grounds are beautiful and the trail is nice. Nice to have wood also on site. The trailer beds were comfortable, other than the wet one, bed linens were nice. Could use more pots and pans. Otherwise, adequate dishes. There is a portable heater inside which is nice. Its really more a place for younger people who wouldn't mind all the walking, carrying etc. We checked out all the cabins, trailers, and tents-all perfectly nice. Maybe we were to old for it.

Food - family - fun…read more An amazing week vacation spent at Camp Kettlewood, E. Troy, WI. We stayed at two awesome sites. First, the Last Resort, Tuesday thru Friday. Vintage Airstream with an awesome view and amenities. Just me and the wife. We hit a couple of local restaurants and had a couple great meals. Barley's Hops & Malt and East Troy House Restaurant. We drove to Milwaukee and visited some old friends on Thursday. It is only 40 miles away. And the hosts stopped by and spent some campfire time with us. Awesome! On Friday our children joined us and we moved to the 'Hilton'. We treated them because they grew up camping with us and we thought this was a great way to get together, reminisce and be together without all of the setup and hassle of camping. We sat around the campfire, had some great meals. We had Dutch oven pizza in the fire pit on Friday night. Steak and lobster, COC, twice baked potatoes, and stuffed chicken breast (some not care for steak and lobster) all on the propane grill on site. Almost forgot the Dutch oven breakfasts, Biscuits, Gravy and Egg Casserole (https://iamhomesteader.com/biscuits-and-gravy-casserole/) and Overnight Dutch Oven French Toast Casserole (https://homemadeheather.com/overnight-dutch-oven-french-toast-casserole/) Extra large fire pit and propane grill made it easy to cook some big family meals. There is not anything that we needed that was not provided (bring your own food of course). Truly recommend Camp Kettlewood. Planning another trip in September.

Had great fun at this state park in Loves Park where there's enough for hours of boating and…read morehiking. It has lots of rental options. Rock Cut State Park is the highlight of the area it seems. A couple lakes. There's also tons of trails. Come in here a few ways but the main entrance is where most come in. It's got a couple lakes. The main one is Pierce Lake which has many picnic areas along there. Boating is a favorite activity. On the south shore of the lake is a boat rental and concession building that's the main launching point. Get supplies if needing to get any. On the north shore of the lake is the campground which is private. Got to contact them ahead of time to get access for it. There's also cabins if not wanting to be in a motor home or whatever. Across the interstate is Olson Lake. This has a beach which is a popular place for families and picnics. It also has a sport dog training area. They practice for those hunters who like to shoot things. At the main entrance of the park is prairie restoration areas. These preserve the natural beauty of the park and are of interest to those in conservation efforts. Great place for outdoor activities. It's got the main entrance on State Route 173 but there's other ways to get in. The park is great for boating, hiking on lots of trails or whatever.

Me and my wife recently stopped here to go on a little walk in the area. This place is perfect for…read moreall sorts of outdoor activities since there's a beach nearby and plenty of trails though I recommend and not walk through them when it's wet outside because they are very muddy and nothing is paved. Plenty of dogs are running off leash as well which isn't an issue. Please check to make sure you know what time the park closes because they will close on you as well. Highly recommend stopping here

Given the recent erratic Illinois weather, I strongly recommend not paying ahead…read more This business is extremely strict with its weather policy and does not offer refunds, transfers, or promotional credits if you choose not to attend because of the weather. We were facing a forecast of temperatures in the high 60s with rain throughout the day. Even with water temperatures above 70°F, those conditions did not make for a comfortable day on the water. Their position was simply that they remained open, so the reservation stood. If you're not willing to risk booking in advance without knowing what the weather will be, you could lose the full cost of your reservation--$25 per person, which we did. We found there was no flexibility, courtesy, or willingness to work with customers despite the poor forecast.

I just wanted to give a HUGE shout out to KYLEE AND EVERYONE INVOLVED (wish I got all their names)…read morein helping my 9yo. He got heat exhaustion and they quickly came to help us. I was solo with my two kids and they helped in everyway they were able till he felt better. I hope this reaches Pearl Lake Manager and staff. My kids and I really appreciate you!

Please note that this is for my review of tubing experience. I did not camp. I went once last year…read moreas well as today. The recommendation would be to arrive around 10 am. as it does get crowded. Staff working are very friendly. Fill out the waiver and pay for tubes. At the time of review, the cash price for tubes is $20, and cooler tubes are $10. I believe there was a service charge for paying with credit card. Come with a group and tie your tubes together for a great time! The staff drive you and your tubes to the drop off point. It is about 3 to 4 hours to experience the tubing. Tips 1. Wear water shoes as some areas are rocky. 2. Don't dehydrate! Bring water. Alcohol is allowed in cans. Glass bottles are not allowed. They provide you with garbage bags. Don't be a jerk. Pick up all of your trash. At the end of the route, there are garbage cans for your garbage. 3. Reapply your sunscreen. 4. Our group likes to hit Subway before hitting the campground. Something about a sandwhich in the water hits the spot. 5. Bring a change of clothes, towels, shoes (leave in your car). They have shower areas which are very nice for a campground.

We had a reservation for this weekend and were SADLY disappointed. I try to give everyone the…read morebenefit of doubt however after two failed sites we left and went somewhere else. The first site that we originally purchased the electricity hook up was on a pole on the front of the campsite and our 25' cord wouldn't even come close to it. Also the water hookup was two sites over. I tried calling several times and no one answered so we had to drive our camper back up to store. We were then given a site back down where we originally were just 5 sites down. We drove back to where we came from and you can't read any of the markers because everything is so overgrown. After figuring it out some was already on that site all set up. We went back to the store and and told them we weren't staying...they obviously did not care. Pretty said because what you pay for is not worth it.

This is the best camp ground I hav ever been to. The amenities are top notch. The grounds are…read morevery well kept. Nice flat ground for tents. The games. Wonderful my kids and I had a great time. Relaxing. The meal service was superb. I will be going again. Even the kids said they wo one back.

Couldn't find the phone number to even call it! Yelp gets one star for not having the phone number…read moreon it. Gave up after 20 mins found a different camp ground. Number Not on face book

Great campground, clean and well kept grass nice large fire rings, turns are a little tight for…read moreextra large rigs. But very manageable as long as you take your time. Cute little office/store front. With a bar in the back. camp ground also has a catch and release pond. And I believe a swimming pond. Wheel chair accessible bathroom and showers which are coin operated (25¢ for 3 minutes). Host was very accommodating and polite. And conducted us to our site. Overall satisfied would definitely stay again

Badgerland is everything we look for in a park! If you are seeking a clean, fair priced, quiet, and…read morewell organized park - look no further! We have stayed in numerous parks over the years, and believe that Badgerland exceeds all expectations. Easy check-in, awesome customer service, great location, well kept grounds, and just the right of amenities. On a side note, I would be highly suspicious of any negative reviews. Once you have stayed here you'll understand. It doesn't get better than this, we would recommend to all who can appreciate quiet and low stress locales. The nearby town is easy to access and has shopping options like Aldi, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, and restaurants.

We've stayed there three times already in the 2026 camping season. Always have a great time. Super…read morefriendly staff makes checking in so easy. Our grandkids love it and have a blast every time. Fun activities for the kids and adults. Clean, well maintained sites and bathrooms/shower houses. We have two more stays already booked. Highly recommend this campground.

We have been coming to this campground for about 10 years. When we first started coming, there was…read morea walking path in the back along with a kangaroo crossing sign, my kids thought it was hilarious. I mean, how could we not have been hooked from the beginning?! This campground is peaceful and super clean. It's amazing the change it brings about to my youngest. She suffers from severe social anxiety, she doesn't even like going to the park across from our home but here all of that melts away. She loves it here and most important, she feels safe here. I recommend this campground to everyone that asks. The kangaroo sign is no longer there, but it doesn't matter because this place is Amazing!

The Forest Preserve Headquarters of Winnebago County is by far my favorite underrated park in the…read moreRockford area! Lots to explore and so many different, unique areas within the park. I love the view over the quarry in all seasons but it's especially beautiful in fall/winter. The walk through the woods and around the ponds and river on the other side of the forest preserve are gorgeous in spring with frogs and other small animals to find and lots of mossy pathways. It feels like a fairytale! (Photos by Figment Photography)

Great place to hangout and have a few beers and go on nature walks…read more I've never camped here, but I heard that its cool. There are a lot of nice shelters and a respectable playground. You can pick morel mushrooms here during the early-mid spring. There's a fair amount of wildlife (deer, turkey, woodpeckers, toads, etc.) as well. The conservation sheriff cruises through every once in a while to make sure no one's doing anything retarded. Its a popular hangout for delinquent kids during the day, so check your grills before you cook. There was piss on one of them once.

Very clean and lots of activities to do for kids there's swimming pool and a nice lake for swimming…read morewith a vey clean beach Huge activities building with so many games for kids would highly recommended to anyone with kids or just to get away Our whole family loved the place and will definitely go back again soon. Thank you

My family had to leave this campground after a really rough night. The mgmt did not enforce quiet…read morehours and we were kept awake until 7am by the campers next door doing nitrous balloons and other drugs. When we addressed this with the owner the next day he was extremely rude and I felt physically threatened by his demeanor. They did not offer us an alternate site or refund. Avoid this place if you want a family atmosphere.