madman91

Hello,
I live in the northeast part of IL near chicago. Its 20min away by car. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knew a good spot for camping (biking/fishing/sleeping in a tent) near a body of water (obviously ). Hopefully it wouldn't be too far, maybe within 1-4hrs driving. OR Can someone point me to a good camping website with a bunch of locations and possibly maps ? Sorry if this has been asked before or if this is in the wrong topic but I tried searching and wasn't sure where to put it.

Thanks,
Greg

P.S. Does anyone have a TDI operated vehicle? Just wondering because I hope to get a Jetta TDI when I turn 16 .

donnamb 

Don't have an URL, but try Warren Dunes State Park in SW Michigan. For that matter, most of West Michigan is nice for cycling.

Nubie

Hmmm...camping near Chicago...my specialty...

Illinois: Starved Rock is about 90 miles from Chicago, Illinois State Beach Park, Zion (https://www.dnr.state.il.us)

Indiana: Indiana Dunes - the State Park is in Chesteron, the Lakeshore is in Porter, probably about 3-4 hours away.

Wisconsin - Kettle Moraine State Forest is beautiful! https://www.dnr.state.wi.us

Michigan: Isle Royale National Park is great if you like canoeing, plus you can't beat all the moose on the island. I think it's best in the fall, but that's my opinion. https://www.irnha.org
Also, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Tennesse has the a lot of stuff too, but I haven't been out there.

Michigander

First of all, Nubie and donnamb are right on. My favorite weekend getaway spot also deserves mentioning. Theres a neat state park in Michigan called Algonac State Park where you can camp, hunt, fish, hike, and even shoot skeet and archery at a free range. Its right on the border to Canada, so you could also take a ferry to Canada if you wanted.

spider-man

I agree about Isle Royale being best in the fall. Not so many flies then.

A side benefit if you go there is that there is great mountain biking in Copper Harbor, a popular departure point for the island.

No cycling allowed on the island, of course.

outashape

Warren Dunes State Park is close to you. Last time I was there, they had bicycle maps with different routes like 30,70,100 all mapped out on a brochure. About 5-10 miles north of the Warren Dunes camping area is a small inland lake for fishing. Watch out for the bugs. I left my new $40 Coleman tent in the campground with food inside for the next day. I then drove my car about 100 miles away and cycled back. My camping neighbors stopped a family of racoons from eating my baked potato chips (salt) after they tore a big hole in the screen door. There is also a bicycle musuem nearby that is affiliated by a club that puts on an annual ride called the Apple Cider Century in the fall. If you want to do a lot of cycling, contact the lmb.org and purchase the Shoreline West bicycle map for about $10. You can cycle up to Mackinaw. There are many, many state and private campgrounds and further north, national forest campgrounds.

savage24

It is about 4 hours away, but consider the 400 state trail in Wisconsin - camping, bicycling, fishing in lakes and the Baraboo river, canoe rentals on the Baraboo river also.
https://www.rivervalleynewspapers.com...0wisconsin.php

Waldo

I'd also go with Kettle Moraine. Good trails and decent camping in the area, plus it's not far from you.