Had a great weekend with friends. It was the perfect setting for a winter weekend away. The lodge…read morewas ideal with lots of space as well as cozy gathering rooms for hanging out. Keith and Lisa were fantastic hosts. Easy drive from the burbs. The warm country setting was the right break from the winter grind. I would absolutly recommend for a gathering of friends or a wedding in any season. We roamed the property and were impressed by all the venue options that they had to offer.

Unexpected beautiful setting near Dixon, Illinois. Five star lodge in terms of comfort, amenities…read more Lodge was transported from out West and it is incredible to think that happened. Owners/workers were incredibly accommodating, seeing to every need in a timely manner. Was amazing setting for our granddaughter's wedding. I kept thinking this place is designed to build relationships, experiences and memories, maybe perfect for a corporate retreat!

I'd heard great tales of the park with the big statue and we finally went to check it out. The…read morestatue is impressively large! Definitely worth a visit. You then have 3 options to walk down to the river. One that is stairs straight down and two others that call themselves steep/ rough. Honestly all seem pretty steep! we took one of the side rough trails which was a gradual decline down to the river. Although you had to pay attention to where you were going it wasn't too tough to navigate. The river was a nice reward at the end. We used the other trail to go back up and it seemed more steep and tricky. But fun! I'd say it took about 20 minutes each way. It was a fun little outing!

This park was a gorgeous weekend getaway from Chicago. It's easy to find right along the Rock…read moreRiver. We camped in a tent but the weekend we were here, there were mostly RVs around us. If you camp here in dry weather, the site B38 is the most perfect one because there are no neighbors to your sides - yet it's somewhat close to the toilets/showers, and a comfortable distance from the trash bins. (The site is on lower ground, so in wet weather, it looks like a rivulet goes right through the site.) I've been camping all my life and I've never been in a quieter campground! People were so respectful. It's also super clean and well maintained, though the shower building was small and older. The camp hosts were super laid-back but did their patrols. Be sure to go say hi to the friendly guy at Quirky's camp store and hot dog stand. Then take off into the quiet, well-marked trails, don't miss the Blackhawk statue and breathtaking view, and meander along the river. So peaceful!

I would like to give this two and a half stars, but that's not possible, so I'm going with 2…read more We tented right along the pond (its not really a lake). The sites there are pretty, but not especially flat for tents. The pool is nice, well maintained with lots of seating. Great bathrooms, clean and well kept (possibly the cheapest toilet paper on the planet, though). Lots of other fun campground things to do like a game room, hay rides on the weekends, giant chess board, pedal bikes, canoe and peddle boat rentals, basketball courts and a bar. The bar. That seemed to be the source of the bad side of this campground. There's no information about a bar plus VERY loud, late music they play on the weekends on the website and I feel like we got the bait and switch. The rules as listed make it seem like its a family-friendly campground (quiet times are posted and there seem to be strict rules about kids making trouble and being off their sites after curfew). Maybe if you're staying in an RV with the air running this is no big deal to you. Maybe you like taking your kids to a campground where you can go after dark to drink and listen to loud music. This is your place! If not, try a state park. We had a great time at Timber Lake until dark, and then it was a bit of a nightmare. Tenters, and the peace-seeking campers beware.

I have camped here many times, however, I've been lazy and I haven't written a review yet! I was…read moreprompted to write a review because I camped at a different place this weekend and it was AWFUL. This morning I am feeling very appreciative of Timber Lake so I felt the need to type out my thoughts. Timber Lake is incredibly well maintained. The tent sites by the lake are spacious and feel very private. I would suggest putting up your tent with the door facing the lake. The tent blocks the RV sites and you really have the feeling that you're alone. It's lovely. The pool, restrooms, and showers are clean and well maintained. The staff is very friendly and the manager lives on the property. I read a few of the other reviews and I'd like to comment on the bar situation. Yes, there's a bar and yes - they play music. However, Timber Lake DOES enforce it's posted quiet hours. We have never been kept awake by people partying here. It's kind of the best of both worlds. You can go to the bar, the pool, etc... but you also have a restful/peaceful night. They have a general store in case you forget something. One of my favorite things about Timber Lake is that they have coffee, donuts, and biscuits and gravy available on Saturday and Sunday mornings for very little money. There are indoor tables and chairs set up if you'd like to eat your breakfast inside while watching the news. For the theatre-lovers among you - Timber Lake Playhouse is just up the driveway. They put on fun/lively musicals and plays with professional actors/directors/etc. I highly recommend this place for tent campers, cabin campers, and RV folks. Thanks Ron and everyone on staff at Timber Lake!

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!

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!

The RV park is really nice. Lots of trees for shade; but the trees interfere with Internet. They do…read moreoffer wi-fi, which worked great for TV. But anything computer or cellular related was extremely SLOW!!! They do offer a huge playground area, miniature Golf, volleyball, pickleball, and basketball courts, as well as Frisbee Golf. Many sites are gravel, but are pretty level. They are close together though. If you like your neighbors close, you won't mind this. But we felt they were just a bit too close. There are some Seasonal sites; but a lot of empty sites too. So plenty of room for those looking for short stays. We enjoyed our stay here & met quite a few friendly people. We will most likely stay here again.

Nice campground. Very well maintained. Spaces are super close together and the best spots are for…read morethe monthly/seasonal campers. Oh and did I mention that there is a rule not to wash clothes in your camper. Reasonable rates. Internet with Verizon and AT&T non existent. Park WIFi intermittent.

I grew up at this place I missed it horribly we lived on creekside and I mean it made me who I am…read moretoday it was awesome.we all knew each other had cookouts every weekend we camped there from Chicago.i recently went back remember I used to go every weekend from 85-94 in summers best place ever now it looked to be honest I wouldn't care but definitely rough around edges kind of people for I'd still camp here!!

Soooo, I've been camping a lot. Usually attached to canoeing in Southern Missouri. Pretty much…read moreevery year since I can remember. And there's different types of campgrounds. This is a party camp. For partying. "Locals" run all over the place in golf carts, there's beer by the case 15 minutes drive in any direction, and lights out is loosely enforced if at all. I say "locals" because these are largely Chicagoans who own RV's and 5th wheels and leave them at the campsite all season, visiting every weekend. Or townies who just hang out because they like to party; I didn't ask a lot of questions. The only time it's quiet is between 4am and 8am when everyone is passed out. There was a Grateful Dead cover band at the pavilion the first night we were there, and a DJ spinning the best of blue collar rock the second night (with requisite 4th of July fireworks). The bathrooms were impeccable, for a campsite. The staff was friendly, though definitely moved at "rural speed". The sites themselves were decently kept grass, with easy soil for driving tent spikes. There were plenty of sticks lying about for kindling, and wood for reasonably priced purchase at the office. There was a little bit of broken glass about, but I've seen worse. We tubed for an hour on the Fox River for $5, though the launch and take out were not marked at all. The launch especially was difficult to find, and utilize. Other than that the float was awesome. Overall I had a wonderful time, and so did our group. I'd very much recommend this place, as long as you know what to expect: A Party Atmosphere.

Nothing is better than quiet days and nights surrounded by nature! Weekends get a little busy but…read moredefinitely a fun way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

One of my favorite things about Woodhaven is the quality musicians they hire both for the Friday…read morenight live acoustic shows which are adult evening entertainment and the bands at the pavilion on Saturday and sometimes Sunday nights. This weekend we listed to Burn N Bush Friday and even though I wouldn't consider myself a country music fan, these two guys were very entertaining. Saturday night Strung Out put on quite the 70's decade show. Great job Woodhaven!

Our family has been camping at White Pines for well over a decade. We enjoy it because it is clean,…read morequiet, and the camping sites are a good size and the hiking trails are fun. The only thing preventing me from giving five stars is that, during my last visit last weekend, it was obvious the pit toilets were not being cleaned/maintained well. I've used worse, but this was not up to par from my past experiences. I hope this was the exception and not how they are being kept now. Hoping to be back in 2024!

Friends had their nearby destination wedding here, it was lovely. Plenty of space, gorgeous…read moreoutdoors experiences, and the lodge was really beautiful. Camping experience was decent. Many guests camped in a reserved area, and some had cabins. I heard the bathrooms were not that great, but the space itself was nice. The wedding was held a bit down the road from the campgrounds in a lovely canyon. VERY beautiful! The reception was held at the lodge and served buffet style. The prime rib was the spotlight. It's a very quaint spot for weddings. The staff was very friendly and accommodating 6 stars to the staff! The day after the wedding, the lodge has a brunch buffet. The food is decent, but it's pretty pricey. I probably would not personally revisit it just based on the price for what you get, but it's understandable since it's the only dining option nearby as far as I could tell. I would love to visit this spot again for hiking and biking. A nice little getaway in the middle of nowhere Illinois.