White Pines Forest State Park

Love to camp here. We bring our very quiet, very well behaved dog and leave our cooking chores at home and eat in the lodge. We only go at less popular times to miss the summer crowds. There ARE a couple places where you can take a real shower but the dark outhouses are much more numerous. Like any campground, your experience will vary depending on who sets up near your tent or camping trailer. My only real complaint is that there are trains moving alongside the campground that wake me up. My wife says they aren't as loud as my snoring. Our dog LOVES the scents and trails.
8 years ago (27-11-2017)

Great state park. The cabins are comfortable and rustic. Reservations are offered year-round. The hiking trails are well groomed and offer challenge from the novice to the expert hiker. Only downside is that cell reception here is spotty at best, with Verizon having the best reception.
8 years ago (18-10-2017)

We love to camp and were excited to try out White Pines Forest State Park as we saw a ton of good reviews online. I have to say this was the worst camping trip we have every had. First off the campsites were small, wide open and stacked on top of each other. We are used to "private", wooded sites (Apple River Canyon and Chain O' Lakes State Park). I could have gotten past that had the campground been quiet. There was a very large party that rented 5 or 6 sites and kept coming and going until about 11 pm at night. Opening and closing car doors, turning on lights, shouting and blowing up air mattresses (they acted like they were the only ones there). Every other camp ground we have been to has a strict 10 pm quiet time with enforcement. No one from the campground was to be found. We packed up and left. Safe to say we will not be returning. On the plus side, there is canoeing (White Pelican) in nearby Oregon that is wonderful and the John Deere Historic site that made our trip out this way worth it.
8 years ago (28-08-2017)

We had a blast camping and walking trails. Staff here very friendly and accommodating. There is something for all outdoor enthusiasts. Will be making this trip again.
8 years ago (03-10-2017)

Great hiking, but lackluster camping. The trails are hilly and usually only wide enough for one person at a time, but the frequent stream crossings (concrete stones provide a dry walk path) and colorful dragonflies make it an enjoyable hike. We did not pick up any ticks here. Unfortunately, the map of the trails is incorrect so some guess-work is required to find your way around. As for the camping, I found the sites to be very close together and many were simply in the median between lanes of traffic. I should point out that I haven't encountered any campgrounds any more spaced out in this proximity to Chicago. Quiet hours were not enforced at all - which is either a pro or a con depending on your preferences. No showers, but there are latrines (bring a flashlight) and dumpsters throughout.
8 years ago (07-07-2017)