Chain O' Lakes State Park

2026 season - March 1, the campground will re-open with limited sites available for reservation and walk-in. April 1 the full campground opens to reservations. Any sites not reserved will be available for walk-in. The campground closes 10/25/26 for the season.

Due to upcoming electrical upgrades in Fox Den and Honeysuckle, Fox Den will be walk-in until work is complete. Honeysuckle will be available for reservations until work starts. Please check IL Campground Reservations - Location Details - Chain O Lakes State Park for additional updates.

Reserve Your Campsite

Chain O’ Lakes has Class A-Premium areas (Honey Suckle Hollow and Fox Den) with a total of 151 sites. Sites are for $25 per night, except on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends when the fee is $35 per night. Three Class B-Premium camp areas (Turner Lake South, Prairie View, and Mud Lake East) have a total of 87 sites for $12 each per night. One youth group camp area (Mud Lake West) will accommodate 150 youths with a fee of $2 per person (minimum $20 per night). The maximum stay at campsites is 14 nights in a 30-day period. A responsible adult (18 years of age or older) acquiring a permit must have a camp shelter and set it up at the time of registration. All campers must have a permit (receipt for payment). Gathering of firewood from the park is strictly prohibited. Alcohol is prohibited in the campgrounds.

Bike Trails

There are four surfaced bike trails in the park totaling 6 miles. Goldfinch Trail, Badger Trail, Sunset Trail, and Cattail Trail.

Map of the bike trails

Trails

Chain O' Lakes has four trail systems. The Nature's Way hiking trail starts at Oak Grove Picnic Area and is 2 ¼ miles in length. The Pike Marsh North Picnic Area has an accessible trail that is ¼ mile long. The park also contains an equestrian trail with three loops and a total length of 8 miles. Visitors can bring in their own horses for enjoyment on the trail. A parking lot for horse trailers with access to the equestrian trails is located near the park entrance. A biking/hiking trail, 6 miles in length, can be accessed at any picnic area between the concession stand and the park office. All trails can be used by cross-country skiers.

Boating

A user fee issued by the Fox Waterway Agency is required for all boats using the Chain O’ Lakes. Call 847-587-8540 for agency regulations. There is no charge to launch boats at the park, nor is there any horsepower limitation on boats using any of the Chain O' Lakes. Only electric trolling motors are allowed on Turner Lake, a 44-acre lake inside the park. All watercraft must comply with the State of Illinois Watercraft rules and regulations.

Kayak launches are available at the Oak Point boat launch, which is located off of 173 at the Fox River, and at Turner Lake within Chain O'Lakes State Park. Parking for the Turner Lake kayak launches is located at the entrance to the Turner Lake South campground.

Concession/Boat Rental

The park's concession stand is open January to October. Hours vary; check the website. Offers food, ice, firewood, soft drinks, ice cream, fishing equipment and baits, and camper supplies. Boat and canoe rentals are available. The required safety equipment must be provided by the user or rented from the concessionaire.

Fishing

Among the popular fish available to anglers in the Chain O' Lakes are bluegill, largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, muskie, northern pike, bullhead, catfish, and yellow and white bass. Due to the marshy nature of much of the park's shoreline, most fishing takes place from boats or fishing piers.

• Parking - When you enter the park and approach the gatehouse, Chain O’Lakes offers one accessible parking space. The park office has a paved parking lot with two accessible spaces and a concrete sidewalk that leads down to the doors with an ADA ramp into the office building.
• Picnicking:
• Boat launch areas:
• The boat launch area offers two accessible parking spaces. There is approximately 100 yards' distance from the parking lot to the boat ramps and the pier. The boat launch area offers 6 parking spaces for a combination of vehicle and boat trailer. This is also approximately 100 yards from the boat launch ramps and pier. The parking lot is paved asphalt
• Oak Point Boat Launch area: Offers two accessible parking spaces. Also available is one parking space for a boat and trailer combination. This parking lot is entirely asphalt. Within the parking lot there are accessible vault toilets available.
• Camping - The Honeysuckle Campsites offer 4 accessible sites, numbers H48, H49, H68, and H69, with parking for a vehicle and RV. All sites have 1 accessible picnic bench and fire pit to enjoy. Also, these sites have 30 amp hookups. All sites have concrete pads. There are accessible showers and restrooms in the shower house in the Honeysuckle campground. The bathroom parking area is completely paved asphalt with 1 parking lot space in front of it. Within the camping area, the Turner Lake South parking lot has one accessible parking stall to enjoy seeing the wildlife over the lake. The Fox Den Campground offers F31 and F32 accessible camp sites. They are fully concrete with 1 accessible picnic bench and fire pit to enjoy. There is also a shower building with accessible showers and toilets.
• Horse Trail Parking Area - The equestrian horse trail parking lot offers one accessible parking space and an asphalt parking lot.
• Picnicking:
• Deer Path Picnic area: Offers 1 accessible parking space. The entire parking area is asphalt.
• Hickory Grove Picnic area: Offers 1 accessible parking space. The entire parking area is asphalt
• Pike Marsh North Picnic Area: Offers 2 accessible parking spaces. The entire parking area is asphalt. The sidewalk leads to an ADA-compliant picnic bench with an accessible fire pit. From the entrance into the parking lot area, about 20 feet away, there is an accessible trail, which is crushed limestone that is approximately 20 feet long. 25 miles (difficulty of EASY).
• Park Marsh South Picnic area: Offers 1 accessible parking space. The entire parking area is asphalt.
• Oak Grove Picnic area: Offers 2 accessible parking spaces. One is located on the north side of the parking lot, while the other one is located on the south side of the parking lot. The entire parking lot is asphalt.
• Catfish Cove picnic area/concessions: Offers 2 accessible parking spaces. The parking lot will lead you right to the concessions where they have available an accessible picnic bench to enjoy lunch. This sidewalk is concrete. There are accessible flush toilets in the concession.
• Oak Point Shelter/Picnic area #1: Offers 2 accessible parking stalls. Follow the concrete pathway to a firepit and accessible picnic table. Also next to the parking space is an accessible vault toilet. Shelter #1 also has available an accessible picnic table within the shelter.
• Oak Point Shelter/Picnic area #1: Offers 2 accessible parking spaces. There is a concrete pathway to a fire pit and an accessible picnic table. Shelter #1 also has available an accessible picnic table within the shelter.