If you're local it's awesome , if you're an out of towner like me you have to pay to park then pay…read moreto get in which sucks

What an amazing place! How did I not ever know about this? It is free for entrance otherwise it's a…read morefive dollar visitor fee. If you wish to go to the main beach, that's an additional $12 if you are not a resident of Crystal Lake. The grounds are immaculate, very well maintained, and the bathrooms are clean. There are two lakes, multiple pavilions that you can rent ahead of time. Lots of picnic tables for you to sit down. Near the bar and grill while you can't go in the water, you can take your drink and sit on one of the cheers on the beach. You can watch people practice on their WaveRunner. Swing on the swings at the bar and listen to great music. I did not have any food here. I did have an amazing Mojito. The bartender was a young man looking to join the Barrington police force. Polite, kind and also had great customer service skills. The reason why I didn't give it five stars is that there are absolutely no markings anywhere as to what trail you are on, how long of a trail it is, and where there may be porta potties. There aren't any maps or QR codes and it was a bit confusing as I came upon several wise and the trail to decide which way to go as I had limited time there. Given the fact that everything is so nicely taken care of I don't know how they can't have at least some markings on the trails that they have there. One of the workers sent me direction and it literally just took me to a pavilion. They have kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and SUP boards. They also offer lessons for SUP depending on the day. Lots of people fishing. Amazing Place! Please add signage for the trails! The pop and water machine near the beach entrance did not work. Hopefully those are checked daily to repair.

Hidden gem in LITH!! Peaceful, lovely scenic trails. It's a beautiful walk. The pavilion is great…read morefor a packed lunch or hanging out with a good book.

This place is a true hidden gem. You would never know it existed if not for stopping in and taking…read morea walk down a trail. The kids and I love to take in a trail and go amateur bird watching. My son loves fishing and he's participated in a few fishing derbies here as well as caught a few on a couple of quick trips out. The little ponds have all sorts of fish, but we've only really seen the bluegill and the sunfish. The trails on the west side entrance are grassy paths with various states of brush and shrub. There are even some stone formations for sitting or for the kids to play on. I've seen people jog and walk their dogs at safe distances, though now and again some inconsiderate patrons leave animal waste on the trails. I haven't been on the east side trails in a while, but from what I remember, they are more hilly. If you are in the area, you have to stop by... it's a natural wonder!

Crystal Lake Main Beach never disappoints. We had an amazing time at their Friday the 13th…read moreinteractive chapter 2 of the movie. This is our second year going we went to the original and it was so fun. We decided to do again and they did not disappoint. They brought up their game by 10 points. Don't sleep on these little Park district activities. Sometimes they turn out to be the funnest not only do you get a beautiful view of the Crystal Lake and all its amenities but we had food and activities. They really went all out. The bathrooms are clean and well stocked. There was plenty of food to go all the way around with all the food trucks and as always, the park is clean and easy to navigate.

This main beach is full option! There are the beach, water activities, playground, food stand,…read moreconvenient parking spots, and big restrooms! Overall is nice and clean. Very good for family with kids.

There are 2 beaches in Lake in the Hills - this is the nicer, but both are very quaint and clean…read more Come discover the gem of Lake in the Hills. Open 10 am - 6 pm. Daily admission of $2.00 resident, $5.00 non-resident. Open May - September. Lifeguards are on site. Enjoy the covered picnic area, sand beach, clean lake and indoor restrooms. Kayak or canoe rentals onsite for a fee.

I returned here after visiting about 30 years ago, and was very impressed with the trails. You can…read morespend many days here and still not see all the areas the park offers. We parked at the Oak Opening area and hiked down to Lake Defiance, taking the Lake Defiance Trail. We stopped at the Nature Center to see some displays and chat with the ranger, and then continued our hike. Seeing the moraines, the leftover hills and ridges from the retreating Wisconsin Glacier, 10's of thousands of years ago, was a geologic trip through time. This is a great local state park that does not have an entrance fee! (None of our state parks have entrance fees to the best of my knowledge!) This is a place I can't wait to get back to explore, right in the backyard of the Chicago 'burbs!

Very pleasant to go to. Very close to home if I just want to go somewhere with no noise. Lots of…read moretrails and just driving through it is very nice. Sometimes you can't just drive somewhere super far to sight see but thankfully this State park is here. Also it is free which is very nice.

I've lived around this park for years and haven't actually visited until recently. It's a really…read morenice park with courts, benches, some picnic tables, short trails and some calming views of the lake. There's also a playground for the kids! It's not the most 'manicured' park I've been to, but I really did have a great time and loved being able to stare out at the water. It could do with some general cleaning of the picnic tables under the covered area and benches. I found it to be very buggy, so bring a hat or some bug spray with you. There is a parking lot, but to get to it and out of it, you have to go down a very narrow drive. It basically fits one car, so be careful when entering and exiting the park.

The Fox River is gorgeous. We didn't go on a boat but it's a gorgeous site to see, with plenty on…read moreboats zipping through and even some fishermen. A hidden gem in the Crystal Lake area for sure.

Easy use. Big easy ramp. Easy pay online for boat launch. Plenty of parking for truck with boat…read moretrailer.

A must visit for wonderful bird watching. Bring binoculars! Parking lot off of northwest highway &…read morehillside ave to see the heron rookery and the Dundee entrance for osprey nest & grass walking trails.

I came here to see the osprey…read more Baker's Lake is west of Route 14. There is an entrance on the north off of Hillside and an entrance on the south off of Dundee. I used the entrance on the south as this is where to post is located with the osprey. This area is literally a road with a few parking spots at the end of it. There are no identifiable paths or walkways. There is a break in the tall grass on the east side of where you can park. This rounds around the right and brings you back directly to where the perch is located. The osprey was there when I visited but he didn't do much. Not sure if it was because it was drizzling, he was tired, or he didn't like my presence. Either way it was still pretty cool. The north end probably has a better view of the lake and the "bird island" that this lake holds. It is a truly phenomenal sight. If you like birds, Baker's lake is home to thousands of water friendly birds.

the employees were kind Enough to let us take the fish home live i recommend going here for fishingread more

Took our grandchildren there, ages 8-5. We let them do all the fishing with minimal assistance…read more They had a great time and lots of fun. They each caught 3 fish, with one 1 1/2 pounder! The staff were extremely friendly and helpful which made the whole experience even better. The trout were a delicious meal. Planning on making this a tradition.