Paul Wolff Campground

We stayed in a primitive tent site. They are walk in but very close to parking. I will say that site P7 and P9 might as well be one site as there is NO separation between sites. Also, apparently state forest preserves forbid anything hanging from trees, including hammocks. Like it was peaceful but the cost per night, restrictions and lack privacy made me sad. Pit toilets were VERY clean and water/dumpster access was very convenient.

If you want water, take the reviews about the distance to the water spigots seriously. Although not all sites are the same. We had site 47 which is right near the entrance. The closest water spigot was 85ft away. Luckily a neighbor was kind enough to loan us his hose so we could combine a couple hoses to fill our fresh tank. We arrived late around 9pm and asked the gate guard if we could switch to other empty sites since some of them had water spigots only 10-20 feet away. He politely declined and said their computer system doesn't allow for switching. Those other sites remained empty the duration of our stay so that was a bit unfortunate. Power pedestals at every site. No sewer, although there is a dump station on the way out. Bugs were a little annoying, especially the chiggers in the wet grass. Mosquitoes weren't too bad in late July. There were lots of stray cats. We asked the campground host and guard at the front gate what they do about the strays and they responded that they've personally taken home multiple strays as pets but the nearby shelters refuse them because they are full. So be prepared to hear "meow" all night or take home a new pet. The location isn't necessarily close to much, but it's just 1 hour from downtown Chicago which isn't too bad. Not sure if it was comforting or a little concerning (probably both), but there were sheriffs and police that patrolled the campground regularly. We noticed them several times at night and during the day. Nothing felt unsafe, so perhaps that's just part of their regular patrol area. Overall it's a very spacious and quiet campground with asphalt sites. Tons of space in between each site which is nice... unless you're trying to reach one of the shared water spigots. Seriously, bring extra water hoses if you want water!

The campsites are a little wide open for my tastes, but you can't beat the price for a wooded campground so close to the City of Chicago. We got to enjoy the city sights and restaurants by day and have quiet nights near the big old trees. We also enjoyed the dog-friendly trails. Great for travelers who want some of everything!

This is a great county campground, not compared to other county campgrounds, I mean a great campground period. They have spacious paved sites, 30/50 amp electric service, water hook ups (some are a bit far so bring plenty of hose), surrounded by a forest preserve with plenty of hiking trails, two dump stations, bathroom (men and women) with running water and flush toilets (no showers), two vault toilet houses. The grounds are well maintained with lots of grass, fire pits at each site. Even primitive sites that require a short walk to bring in equipment. Highly recommend staying here. No reservations but sites are almost always available. Come early in the week on holiday weekends. Update: as of the 2024 season online reservations are required prior to arriving to your site. First come, first serve has been discontinued.

Love the clean modern campsites, with nice big firepit area and paved parking pads. The addition of 1 bathroom with flush toilets was a pleasant surprise. Lots of nature paths to roam and ponds to fish in. If you're planning on renting there are several pavilions with picnic tables. The only negative is there are not any showering options.