We were driving from Madison to Kopps in Brookfield and decided to stop by this forest since we've passed it so many times. We parked at the south unit, where there's plenty of parking, and set out on the trail during the first week of September. Be prepared for mosquitoes; definitely bring repellent and consider wearing dark-colored clothing. The trails are generally well maintained, though some areas have taller shrubs. We saw a couple of Indian springs. Overall, it's a fairly easy and enjoyable hike. read more

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Parks Near Me - Eagle, Wisconsin

The Kettle Moraine State Forest (southern unit) encompasses a few campgrounds, many hiking trails, Ottawa Lake, and is home to two of the best mountain biking trails in the State. Easily accessible from Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, it feels remote without being too far from the closest cities. I've camped in the Pinewoods Campground here for many falls- and biked both the Emma Carlin and John Muir Trails. The mountain biking is great, but (as a novice) I always bump the given difficulty levels up a notch. Medium is Difficult, etc. Ottawa Lake campgrounds is good for families who want direct access to the Lake. The Lake has a beach, a fishing pier, a dog pier, kayak/canoe launch. Pinewoods sites are actually really secluded. True to name, they're amongst towering pines. The facilities are cleaned once a day. Scuppernong Trail is a great system of a few hikes amongst the pines, and the Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail is an easy hike with bubbling springs, that the family will love. read more

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What a great place to visit in the fall. We drive up from Chicago on a beautiful sunny weekend. Trails are so well marked!! My husband and boys rode their bikes while I walked/hiked with the dog. Highly recommend. read more

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Hiking/biking trail - Parks Near Me - Eagle, Wisconsin

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My husband, our pittie and I took a mini road trip to Kettle Moraine State Forest this past weekend and can't wait to go back already! There are various trails to choose from based on experience and length. This State forest is only about an hour and 45 minutes from Chicago! We were camping at the Ottawa Lake Campground so we chose a pet-friendly trail close by (in the Southern part) that was a moderate level to hike. The trail is called Scuppernong and it has three different loops you can choose from. The green loop was the easiest, the orange (which we hiked) was moderate, and the red was advanced. The trails often times overlapped each other and there was color coding along the way to make sure we stayed on the right path. The moderate path definitely had some steep uphill and downhills moments as well as rocks, gravel, and sand. We wore trail running shoes that worked fine for the hike. The paths we noticed aren't very wide. It makes passing large families difficult especially with a dog. We recommend skipping the "observation lookout" because the vegetation was overgrown and you couldn't see much. They had a picnic area off the trails and various benches to sit at along the way too. Make sure you print out your parking pass and put it in your window to avoid a ticket. There was no one at the front gate to buy a pass from so you have to order it online. We couldn't buy a daily pass so our only option online was the annual pass for $38 as a non-Wisconsin resident. We saw a few tickets on car windows so there was definitely someone patrolling the lot. A good thing about our annual pass is that we can use it at any Wisconsin state park, including campsites! The grass area off the parking lot was large and open with a bunch of picnic tables. They had restrooms close-by also that were in pretty good shape. Two thumbs up! read more

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We stayed at this park the weekend before Labor Day. This review is for the Whitewater Lake Campground, there are several campground areas in this park. Just know, this particular area is considered "primitive" because there are no showers and only pit toilets. If that bothers you, head north to the Ottawa area within the park. The closest shower is about a 15 minute drive northeast in the horse camping area. The park is huge so the campgrounds are very spread out. The park itself is nice, I mean it's the Kettle Moraine Forrest so it's old and beautiful. There's are lots of trails to check out and the Ice Age Trail runs very close to this campground. Whitewater and Rice Lake are nearby too. I read that a lot of raccoons and skunks are around but we never saw any in the camping area. Millipedes...yes there were a ton at the end of August. So many in fact, that at night they were EVERYWHERE in the campsite and in the bathrooms. The second night there were less because we were walking around the site, shuffling the dirt and "dead matter" that they feed on. Still, something I had never experienced and it put a damper on the first night! The mosquitoes weren't bad all, surprisingly. No ticks on us either. Site 757 (non-electric) looked more private in the online picture but in reality, was sort of open to the neighboring sites but at the same time not close to them. Perhaps some trees have been cleared over the years. It's setback from the road so that gave it a more private feel. Right behind the site is a fence which I figured was to keep the critters out but then realized there's a horse trail that runs behind the site. The ranger who worked all weekend (didn't catch his name) was very friendly and helpful. You could tell he had been working in the park system for years and really knew his stuff. Wood bundles are $6 in the park, at the office you can use a credit card but at the camp host site, cash only. As with most or all state parks, dogs are allowed but must be kept on a 6 foot or less leash at all times. Even when we try to plan ahead, we always end up needing to make a stop in town for something. It's a quick 10 minute drive to Whitewater and they have several liquor and convenience stores nearby. As far as being quiet goes, it seems like a laidback park in general. There was a very loud group camping near the bathrooms, up very late, and it didn't seem like anyone cared. Not that you should be partying and not expect to be talked to, but that weekend it didn't seem like a problem to be loud. It was a fun camping trip and a nice park. I might want to check out another area next time but I'm glad we stayed here! They also have huge group sites that looked secluded and would be great for a trip with friends or family. read more

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Ottawa Lake Recreation Area. Beautiful park! Clean, spacious, private sites. Great hiking locations throughout. That among others are the pros... Cons: There are no sites with water hook ups; okay can live with that! Major Drawback; and this has everything to do with the Wiscondon State Park System: when you make your reservation on-line: they do not inform you of the parking fee! This is a campground!!! For crying out loud! How do they charge you an extra fee to park your vehicle! Whether it be an RV, Mini Van or car!!!! Then to top that! If you're a resident the fee is $3 a day! If you 're an out of Stater; $11 a day! Fore warned us fore armed! Had we known this, we would have gone to a private camp ground to the tune of $47 dollars a night! I guess they are trying to discourage tourism! It's not like we are day use folks... read more

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Ottawa Lake - Parks Near Me - Eagle, Wisconsin

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Whitewater Lake Campground & Hickory Woods Group Camp, Site 607: Near the bathrooms, which were clean and well-maintained, never ran out of TP or hand sanitizer. Friendly people camping throughout the park, low level of noisy kids, some barking dogs, but nothing that made it a bad place to stay. The sites are far enough away from each other that only a little boombox music makes it over to where you are. Street noise was the most noticeable, loud trucks going by was annoying at times. Nice that it's only an hour away from Milwaukee. Whitewater Beach is a great place to play bocce or pickleball. We even had fun playing badminton in the driveway at our site, trying to get the birdie out of the trees the many times we hit it too high. We walked through our loop at night with our Jellyfish Lights to give the other campers a nice show. Firewood is available nearby, but the volunteer host was away all of Labor Day weekend so we had to go into town to get ice. All in all, a very nice getaway. read more

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This was my very first camping experience. According to my more experienced friends, Kettle Moraine - Pinewood Campgrounds are well isolated from other party's campgrounds. The layout of the park is like a spiraling tree where each ground is secluded from others. I'd advise to pick a site close to the Shower Building as its the best potty and running water shower situation in the park. Don't fall into the smelly holes of the other bathroom! read more

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There hasn't been a review in awhile, so here goes. We decided on a weekend not too far away and the southern unit of Kettle Moraine is about 2 hours from the NW burbs of Chicago, which makes it possible to get to on a Friday after work. I researched the various campground options and reservations can be done online. The reservation site provides maps, pictures of the sites and a brief description. Because we like the feeling of being out in the woods, we selected a site at Pinewoods in the 24 hour quiet zone loop. That means no pets, radios and things that would annoy neighbors. There are many other loops and campgrounds for those not wanting that peace and quiet, but it was fantastic to hear only crickets. Check in is at Ottawa and then Pinewoods is less than 10 minutes away. Firewood can be purchased at Ottawa or from the camp host at Pinewoods when he is there (ice too). The sites in this loop are not right on top of each other, like at Ottawa. There are 2 pit toilet facilities within the loop and the flush toilets/shower facility is about a 1/3 mile walk. Within walking distance is one of the intersections of the Scutternong trail system that also has access to the Ice Age Trail. We hiked some of the green trail, had lunch at an overlook and then made our way back and we did about a 5 mile loop. No bugs, not many people and a variety of scenery. The guides give good descriptions on the terrain and level of difficulty. Because this campground has so many older trees, it took a little later in the morning for the sun to shine down on the campsite. It rained overnight on Friday and the campsite drained well and there were no lingering puddles. Because it's a state park, there is a vehicle fee that applies to everyone. Wisconsites just pay a little less than others. You can pay a daily fee ($11 for Illinois) or pay an annual amount ($38) which gets you into any state park in Wisconsin for a year. Camping fees are an additional amount ($18 + reservation fee) as well as ice and firewood ($2.50, $5.50 respectively). Just two hours away is an oasis with a terrain completely different than flat Illinois with the ability to camp in quiet among the trees. Camp coffee (french press worked great), some biscuits and gravy from the dutch oven, it is the perfect getaway from urban life. And if you do have kids and/or want to party, Ottawa has beaches and playgrounds. If you're ever there and see our special tent attached to our car (a Honda accessory), stop in for a beer. read more

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Scutternong Trail - Parks Near Me - Eagle, Wisconsin

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Did you know.. Kettle Moraine South is less than an hour outside of Milwaukee and contains 160 miles of hiking trails Including 30 miles of Wisconsin's thousand mile Ice Age trail? I'm going for the classic book report intro here because I learned a lot last weekend when I went camping at Kettle Moraine South for the first time. I am a camping lover and not altogether familiar with the camping options in this part of the state. My friends and I chose Kettle Moraine because it was convenient to both Milwaukee and Chicago and did not have an alcohol ban like at Big Foot Beach. Unfortunately it was raining and a little cold the afternoon we arrived at Kettle Moraine. However, we were determined to get our camping fix in so after we checked in at Ottawa lake we found a nearby pavilion and waited out the rain. There is not a pavilion in the Pinewoods campground. Luckily the camping gods smiled on our persistence and the rain stopped after a beer or two. We drove over to the Pinewoods campground and found our site. Then of course we took a loop around the mostly deserted sites to scope out our options. I, like many campers, am willing to go through a little hassle for a great site and in this case not directly across from a wholesome boy scout troop. Unfortunately, the headquarters made us drive back to the Ottawa Lake to change sites which is a 10 minute drive one way. In my opinion, this could easily have happened over the phone if the Pinewoods site host was given the reservation slips to swap out. Once we were settled into our new, less wholesome site, we happily set up camp and got our campfire going. The sites are nestled into the woods so you really have a feeling of privacy and being surrounded by nature. I included the numbers of some of the neater sites in our loop below as you reserve by site number. Some of them even have walk-ups to get farther into the woods, super awesome sites if you don't mind carrying your gear up a short path from the car. Sunday morning we woke up to a clear blue sky and headed out for a hike on the Ice Age trail. The trail options are many so if you want to go on multiple hikes you'd have no problems. We chose the Ice Age because of it's proximity to our campground and I loved hiking on what I know is a much longer trail, we found a shelter used by thru -hikers with a great view. We left Kettle Moraine, our camping itch temporarily satiated despite the rainy beginning. The short drive back was slight disrupted by a quest for Taco John's without the aid of our battery dead smart phones. Like I said, I'm still getting to know the local parks so shoot me a message if you have suggestions for my future camping adventures! Pinewoods Campground Site Recommendations (Loop 150-180) 154 159 162 180 150&151 if you want private sites together, hike-up read more

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Cranes and babies near the Ottawa Lake Headquarters! - Parks Near Me - Eagle, Wisconsin

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Finally back home from camping, but I'm having some major withdrawals now! I think this was my third time camping at this location, and it's always a good time. It's around an hour and thirty minutes away from home - not too far from home but far enough. The campsites aren't incredibly stunning but they are nice. Twice, we've gotten a group site and one time a regular site. The last two times I've been here, we stayed at the Hickory Woods location. We try to choose the prettiest spots secluded with trees. The last site we stayed at had benches around the fire pit. It also had more than a couple picnic benches for eating. At the group sites, you can have more than two cars and more than three tents which is why we try to pick it up. There's an over-the-fire grill on the fire pit which you can swing on or off - very convenient. In Hickory Woods, the toilets are no-flush and there aren't any showers. Luckily, our team is always prepared. There are hiking trails all around the campsite, which are beautiful. The Ice Age trail stretches the length of the state! Last time we were here, we were looking forward to the bike trails. Since it rained, we weren't allowed to bike but there is a trail located near Alpine. It's really cool because in the winter, I go snowboarding down that mountain. It's so cool seeing it in the summer without all the snow! There's a lake nearby where you can go canoeing or kayaking; it has a sand beach where swimming is allowed. Anyways, I always have a fun time camping here. The rangers are really cool and as long as you aren't making too much noise, they won't bother you. Take note that there are "quiet hours." They don't have a problem with you drinking at their campsite either - open container! I really enjoy camping here! I always have fun and there's always something to do or something cool to check out. On top of everything else, it's really beautiful. read more

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When you've hiked through redwoods (yes!) and mountains (ehh...I've done some serious hills?) then it's hard to get enthused for trails in the Midwest. However, the Nordic Trail in Kettle Moraine State Forest is solid fun, and if you live in northern Illinois then I can't imagine there's a better alternative around. My girlfriend and I set out on the blue loop of the Nordic Trail on a lovely Sunday, and we had 9.2 miles of peaceful fun. Seriously, we didn't encounter more than a jogger or two our entire hike. I get the feeling that this trail is severely underutilized, and that's just a shame because it's got to be one of the best hikes around. Then again that's good news if you need to bury a body or just want to get away for a bit. Benches very rarely dot the landscape throughout the hike, and they're not often in the best condition. Also, some of them aren't placed in the most scenic of spots even though that's what they're allegedly for: a spot to rest and soak in some pretty sights. If you're looking for big, beautiful vistas of lakes and wildlife then you're in the wrong place. There ARE vistas but they're more of the prairie grass or patch of trees variety. Not bad but didn't really set my world on fire. Here's a tip: If you're from Illinois then do what you can to get someone with Wisconsin license plates to drive you to the trailhead. Out of state plates will cost you ten dollars for a parking permit, and I'm pretty sure Wisconsin residents don't have to pay. (That's a guess. I don't really know.) YET ANOTHER MINDBLOWING TIP: This is common sense for trailgoers but be sure to wear long sleeves and pants. It was like Starship Troopers in that forest with the insects flitting about like mad trying to suck our brains for the wealth of knowledge within. We were eaten alive, and, to cap off the day, I found a meddlesome wood tick stuck to my calf when I got back to my car. I got it out almost immediately, and it was even kinda fun disengaging the thing, but let's all be sensible and dress appropriately from now on, okay? read more

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Let's start with I am no outdoorsman. I haven't hiked here or hunted. What I do here is ride. If you love motorcycles, then chances are you love twisties. And kettle moraine is chock full of twists and turns and elevation change. It's also one of the most scenic places in SE Wisconsin (to me at least). Shade in the heat of summer, beautiful foliage in fall. Wide open expanses with deer, coyote and fox. Hawk's galore (sorry no AJ). Great paved roads. This is my weekly ride of about 100 miles. Clears the head and feeds the spirit. read more

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Even this bike needs petro - Parks Near Me - Eagle, Wisconsin

A few things to know... Mosquito population is booming this year. And last year. And the year before last. And the year before that. Jimmy John's doesn't deliver to the place where we play wiffle ball. Not that big of a deal but I did just see a Jimmy John's commercial before writing this review so it sticks in my mind that we called but they wouldn't make the trip even though it was only about 4 miles. Everything (trails, crappers, camping sites) seems to be well maintained. read more

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How can you not like this state park? I mean it's a state park! Gets you out of the hustle and bustle of the city and back into "real life" as I like to say. The 40min drive is worth it. I have camped, hiked and hunted here and enjoyed it all. I especially recommend the scuppernong trail system. I like to take the Ice age trail that cuts through that system and end with the red trail back to my car. Today that equaled about 5 miles of pure zen and melting of the fat off my winter thighs :) So get out there, be outdoorsy! The $25 annual pass for WI residents is so worth it. read more

After you get past the grumpy lady at the welcome center you'll find a most beautiful piece of nature. And BTW the welcome center (the only free parking spot) has washrooms, a museum, and a gift shop. The scenery changes every 5 minutes. Lakes, sand, train tracks, open fields, hills, a million different types of tress - this forest has it all. read more

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Great day and beautiful colors. Not that far of a drive either. The trails were so colorful. read more

Kettle Moraine State Forest - I want to go back already. - Parks Near Me - Eagle, Wisconsin

Ah, take a deep breath of fresh Wisconsin air! My outdoors home away from home...Kettle Moraine State Park. So much is offered here regardless of the season! My husband, our golden retriever, and I frequent the South part more frequently than the North part due to location and proximity. However, both are awesome. The South part is only an hour and half from the Chicagoland area. The scenery is beautiful and varies quite a bit from place to place within the park. There are tons of trails. They are a variety of distances and difficulties and are well noted at the trailhead map. Each trail may have a different use so be advised to check them out before you go off and do your thing. We love the cross country skiing and snowshoe trails in the winter. It is so awesome that they groom them. Each trailhead has "facilities" which is nice to count on. There is a fee, but you could buy for the year and be ready to roll. There usually isn't a parking problem, but on great weather weekends, snow or sun, it can be quite busy. It is a carry out park. So that means whatever trash you have, you carry it out, even the doggie doo doo. read more

Fantastic place to hike. Trails are well marked and there is a good variety of loops to choose from. The topography of the forest lends to some fun, yet challenging hiking. You'll find tall Ponderosa Pines, hardwood forests and prairies. There are plenty of hills to climb and some great vistas to enjoy. Being that this is a State Forest/Park, you do need to pay an admission/use fee. The State Park sticker is $25 for an annual pass (WI resident) or you can pay $7 for a day pass. I hiked the Ice Age Trail and Scuppernong Trail this week which was a 5+ mile "rollercoaster" loop. Other than the two people I saw in the parking lot, I never ran into anyone else on the trails, which was great - just me and nature. There are a lot of birds and I am sure plenty of deer looking at me. The only "wild" animal I came upon was a wild turkey. Hiking is great here at any time of the year. Just remember to wear blaze orange during hunting season. The facilities at the Scuppernong Trailhead were well-kept and clean. Water was not running yet in the "bubbler" (Wisconsin for water fountain.) Looking forward to going back and hitting some of the other trails. The Ice Age Trail, which I am trying to complete in my lifetime, meanders through the Kettle Moraine State Forest for approximately 30+ miles. For anyone in the Greater Milwaukee area, this is truly one of Wisconsin's gems. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful, pristine recreational area just 30 minutes from the "urban jungle." read more

The cool thing about this state forest is that there are 3 backpack-in sites. I did a solo overnight in the first weekend in November to scout it as a location for a group winter camp in January. As noted above - make sure you pick up some blaze orange - which really is valuable in twilight and dusk time periods. The shelter stayed in (#1) was actually off the trail by about 1/4 mile so there is no traffic going by it. It's really more like a 2-car log garage with 4 walls and a garage door sized opening. The view is tremendous. I will also tell you that there is a coyote pack out here. They started at about 12:30 to the east (~1 mile)..at 1:30 they were a bit closer and to the south...by 3:30 they were pretty loud near this ridge and to the point where I built up the fire and pulled my solo tent into the shelter (crazy things go through your head when you are alone in the woods with all of that yapping). Of course nothing came of it. I wonder if the archery deer season meant there were some fresh guts lying around leading to the raucous. Some recent news articles note that the pack is losing it's fear of humans. If I go back for a solo overnight I will likely take an airhorn or some other protection just to remind them of the food chain hierarchy. If you are with a group I would think you are safe with a bit of noise. Mornings are beautiful at shelter #1 as you overlook the wetlands with the sun coming up from behind. Give it a try! read more

The Pinewoods campground is becoming one of my favorites. Just a hop, skip and a jump away from MKE - it provides a nice mini-excursion from the city. The sites here are really nice... most offer a great deal of seclusion and space for a group of campers. Looking for something to do while there? HIKING. There are trails every-which-way. While I have not hiked on any of them myself - I sure hope to soon! OH! And, the windy, hilly surrounding roads offer for a nice challenging bike ride as well. The only downfall to this campsite is that the swimming area - Ottawa Lake - is about a 10 min drive from the campground but every time we visited for a swim we were welcomed by a lovely family of three Sandhill Cranes. They were quite unfazed by the hoards of children screaming, yelling, running and swimming. It was great to watch these majestic-like creatures wandering around the picnic tables picking up some leftover Doritos and the like. I wonder it that fits in their diet? They really were my favorite. read more

Although I don't have much to compare it to, I'd imagine this is one of the best mountain biking spots in all of the midwest. Coming here every Sunday morning, this was my Church until 2003 when I moved to Seattle. The trails offer a surprising level of challenge, and while there's nothing too crazy (no stream crossings, etc) there's not too many riders who can make it through the whole system without clipping out. Watch out of the patches of sand, and remember to lean back, keep your front wheel straight, and pedal hard. The blue line especially has some very rocky patches and shouldn't be attempted unless you're on a full suspension bike or are a very advanced rider. The white, red, and orange lines are good starting points for intermediates. Check out the trail map - http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/kms/pdfs/kmsmuirtrmap.pdf and plot out how far you plan to ride before venturing on the trail. More advanced riders looking for 15+ miles can use the connector trail and Bluff Road to make it out of the sister set of trails, the Emma Carlin. The hiking is quite nice too. You can do the mountain bike trails in the opposite (counterclockwise) direction, but during the summer especially I'd recommend hiking the trails on the east side of the road. In addition to not having to worry about collisions with bikes, you'll be treated to some beautiful views of the Wisconsin prairies and may run in to deers, turkeys, or pheasants. Wear high socks though, because the grass is infested with deer ticks. Be absolutely certain that you have your trail fees covered. The parking lot is frequently patrolled during the summer and fall, and tickets run over $100. read more

I came with a pair of friends to this beautiful piece of Earth yesterday to ride bikes. We rode bikes my friend, and it was nice. I've been getting into mountain biking and so far, i am kicking myself for not getting serious a decade ago. Such a great sport... Anyhow, the other reviewers were spot on, Northern Illinoisians, Wisconisnites and Chicagoans who are 'serious' about riding and have forks need to come here. We did Muir and the Connecktor and had to ride back due to sunset, but what we did wiped 2 out of the 3 (myself being a part of the 2). There are lots of little breaks built into the Connecktor to cross roads or get around the corrals, but the best thing about these two trails were the ONE WAY TRAIL DESIGNS. amazing. all you had to worry about was what was ahead of you and not so much of someone slamming into you. 5 stars to whomever thought of that. be warned, the sand was more like cookie dough. made for lots of cursing. read more

Went camping at the Whitewater Lake campground this past weekend and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking to get away. The campsites are on top of each other so you can see and hear your neighbors. Quiet hours are no enforced and their was loud music blaring most of the time we were there and well into the night. Also, should have realized that the close proximity to the lake would create noise from the boats and jet ski's. Definitely a downside. The lake itself is a quick drive from the campground which is nice, but its really small and has an even smaller "beach". They did put on a pretty great fireworks show though on Saturday night which kind of saved the trip for us. Can't speak to the quality of the hiking trails since we didn't wander too far due to the extreme heat and insane mosquitos. Its a pretty area, but I've camped in much better scenery in the mountains and along the west coast. This would be a good spot to bring a loud group of people just looking to sleep outside, but not as a quiet get away. read more

Wheeeeee, nature! Camping. Hiking. Biking. We did a bit of each here, but I wish we'd done more. Our weekend visit was much too short. Saw some deer and wild turkey. Drank some champagne by the campfire. Was awoken by a 700 pound bear. I would love to return! read more

A really nice state forest to enjoyn the fall colors. One word of advice, go on the internet and print the map of the state park system before you leave home for a perfect experience that way you'll know exactly what you want to do before getting there. The highlights: don't miss the scenic drive which is worth being done from top to bottom and pick a few hiking trails so you get out the car and enjoy the scenery even more. you'll be in for a perfect day. read more

We visited the Kattle Moraine in our foliage tour with friends. We had a nice walk, this place has beautiful landscapes and it's very peaceful. We did the green trek on the nordic trail and it was totally OK, it's not hard at all at about 3.5 miles. I think that this place deserve a walk, specially in the fall, it's beautiful to see the trees changing they colors. read more

This is about as good as it gets for mountain biking within a couple of hours of the Chicagoland area. The trails are well maintained, well marked in both miles & skill level. There is enough variety for all. You will see all sorts out on any given weekend from racers training to the most casual of riders The trails also hook up to the Emma Carlin trails located across the street, do the Blue loop to the connector trail and you can make a day of it. Post ride stop off at the the General Store Deli & Bike Shop for some post ride grub and local beer. read more

We camped in the Pinewoods Loop over Labor Day weekend for the PJ20 festival at Alpine Valley Music Theater. We paid $50 for 4 people to stay for 3 nights, plus $30 for the parking permit. Much cheaper than a hotel! Our campsite (#6) was amazing! The drive was ample for our 2 vehicles, and there were at least 2 areas for setting up tents. There is a picnic table and a fire ring with a grill. You can't really see your neighbors at the next site. We were in the "quiet" loop, and they do enforce it. The rangers came around to warn us that we were being loud when we were just sitting around the fire telling stories. We quieted down and had no further warnings. Ice and firewood are sold within the loop at a reasonable price by the volunteer camp host, who was very friendly. The vault toilets within the loop are a little bit stinky (as one would expect), but they are very convenient. No handwashing sinks though. The building with the flush toilets and showers was very nice. Each shower stall has a changing area, a little bench, and places to hang your towel. The water pressure and temperature were way better than I expected from a campground. The weather in September was nice--a little bit of rain, but not too cold or too hot. The area was beautiful, and we had a wonderful time. Reservations are easy to make through ReserveAmerica.com. read more

the Kettle Moraine forest is a beautiful place to visit year round. unfortunately during the summer months the almost constant Illegal motor cycle muffler noise can ruin a hike or horse back ride. If your on of the people who want quite in the forest I have started a group. This is not an 'anti-motor cycle' forum It's an anti 'Illegal' muffler forum. The groups goal is to use the law (it is on OUR side) to rid the area of Illegal motor cycle mufflers. go to http://loudpipesruinlives.boardhost.com/index.php and register. We can do this the law is on our side but we need to get law "ENFORCEMENT" on our side. read more

Beautiful. The Nordic trails are great, and well marked. If you camp, I recommend the Pinewoods campground sites between 250-290. Many of them have access to hiking trails directly from the site. All hiking trails are wide enough for mountain biking too. As you go through the Catlin trails, you'll find moderate hills, scenic overlooks, and a landscape that completely changes as you progress (some really tall evergreens, then a patch of decidious trees, and so on). It really keeps things interesting for a hike that exceeds 4-5 miles. read more

Best Mountain Bike Trails within three and a half hours of Chicago. Two trail systems - John Muir and Emma Carlin. Certainly worth the drive. Enough singletrack to spend three days without getting bored! read more

This park is most definitely a hidden gem. Lots of hiking opportunities throughout and pretty peaceful. Some sights are better than others and offer more privacy. The non reservables are next to the highway and do have considerable road noise. The lake and beaches are well maintained and bikes are a bonus for exploring the park. read more

A great year-round activity packed forest, about 2 hours drive from Chicago. Great cross-country skiing in the winter, with several machine-groomed trail systems (both classic and skating) to choose from . The Nordic Trail and Lapham Peak have some of the more hilly terrain, and, whereas summer hikes barely get your pulse up, it's a whole different story when you're on xc-skis, swooping down a hill not knowing how to turn or stop, or climbing up one of them. Lapham Peak makes some artificial snow, and there are several miles of lit trails for after-dark skiing. McMillan has an adjacent shooting range and biathlon training. Additional cudos to Kettle Moraine park service for taking cross-country skiing seriously (unlike their Illinois and Indiana counterparts) and enthusiastically maintaining trail condition hotlines, which are updated every few days, and even more frequently e is snowfall or a melt-down. read more

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Camped at Ottawa lake campground walk in site 335. Great site, great view and not to far from flush toilets and showers. Only con was raccoons sneaking through the campsite at night. Other than that it was a great experience. read more

Came camping here, not thrilled about the large group sites being almost right on top of one-another. The ranger on duty came by to yell at us at 11:15, even though we weren't being very loud. (we were playing some music using a cell phone) The 13 year old girls in the site next to us spent most of the night screaming, and we could hear people from the sites on the other loop of big sites. Also having to pay to park for a day is $10 and the yearly is $35, so if you're camping for a long weekend you might as well buy the year long parking pass, which is kind of BS, never had to pay to camp and then to park before. Will go somewhere better like Gov. Dodge next time. read more

I initially believed that after going hiking in Colorado, it would be hard to feel satisfied with the mountain-less Midwest. The Kettle Moraine State Forest however has proved me wrong. Trail: We hiked the Scuppernong Trail which has three routes that go in a loop: Red (2.3 mi), Orange (4.1 mi), and Green (4.9 mi). We took the orange loop around, and WOW it was beautiful. The pinewoods towered over us on the sides of the trails and so did the rest of the trees (I am not very knowledgeable about tress, sorry!). The trails were very well marked and we never had to second guess where we were going. Every so often, you will run into a bench off the side of the trail or a map, usually at a fork, that will tell you where you are on the trail, and other posts with colored arrows that show which trail is which. There were a few slopes here and there, but nothing that someone who knows how to walk can't handle (If I can do it, you can too!) Keep an eye out for wildlife too! We only saw a chipmunk and some random butterflies just flapping on by and landing on the wild flowers that grew on the sides of the trail. Very cute, made me feel like I was in Bambi. People: My bf and I went on the Saturday after the 4th of July, and there was barely anyone around. One jogger and a couple with their toddler. Parking: Since we're from Illinois, there was a $10 parking fee (out-of-state), which is not bad for the scenery and especially if you are hiking more than one trail. Only problem: We originally planned to take the Green trail since we only had time to hike one trail before driving back to Chicago, but since there were a flood of mosquitoes feasting on our legs, arms, neck, and even behind the ear, we opted for the Orange. (Well, it IS a forest, so expect no less!) Advice: Wear long sleeves and long pants to cover yourself up as much as possible and also use mosquito repellent on top of that. (Even though i wore long pants I still got 4 bites on my legs and one on my arm. My bf on the other hand, 8 bites with 4 on his neck, one behind the ear and the rest on his arms and legs.) Do yourself a solid and repel those mini bloodsuckers. Don't forget to take photos if you love taking photos of nature! (: read more

We spent last weekend in Pine Woods. It is one of my favorite campground near Chicago. Well maintained spots. I love quiet area with no music, guitars etc. Just forrest, animals, tents fire pits. When need to chill out I go to Pine Woods. Have a piece of mind without phone signal. It's great we still have heaven close to Chicago read more

I love going hiking here. It's right off the freeway, safe, & has trails of varying difficulty. I hate to give it only 4 stars, but the trails are poorly marked & it's very easy to get lost.... I wouldn't recommend going on a long trail by yourself unless you have an extremely good sense of direction. read more

If you and your friends are looking for an awesome campground to get away from the pressures of city life, look further than the Whitewater Lake Campground. As beautiful as I find the Kettle Moraine forest to appear in the daylight, we were all fined and kicked out before sunrise. I do not recommend this place to teenagers looking to take the edge off (that's why we go camping, right?). We were being quiet, we're not really the "loud party type". In fact I was asleep until the ranger unzipped the door to my tent and breathalyzed me. Families with crying babies seem to love this place though, so I guess I'll leave this plot of dirt to them. read more