Illinois Beach State Park
Located in the northeast corner of Illinois, Illinois Beach State Park occupies 6.5 miles of sandy shoreline along Lake Michigan. The 4,260 acre park is composed of the North Unit and the South Unit and offers swimming, boating, picnicking, hiking, fishing, and camping for recreation enthusiasts. The Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center offers fine dining and lodging for those who want to take a break from roughing it outdoors.
Hiking
There are 5 miles of trails in the South Unit, including a 2.2 mile graveled loop trail. A 1.8 mile multi-use loop trail is located in the North Unit. Some shore areas along the lake are covered with tiny shells.
Camping
The campground is situated in the South Unit, offering 241 Class A Premium sites with electricity. A shower building with flush toilets sits on the southern end of this area. Several campsites are close enough to Lake Michigan to view it from the site. The campsites are all sandy soil, with some of them sloping quite a bit, possibly posing a challenge for some campers with trailers or RVs. Most of the sites appear to be suitable for tenting. The dump station is near the entrance to the campground with potable water also available to fill fresh water tanks. Reservations are advisable for weekend camping, although there are some sites available on a first-come first-serve basis.
Resources:
- Access ExploreMoreIL to make a reservation at an Illinois State Park.
- Access information from IDNR at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/AdelineJayGeo-KarisIllinoisBeach.aspx.
- Access map of Illinois Beach State Park at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Documents/ILBeachSiteMap.pdf.