Apple River Canyon State Park

Another hiking adventure during our Galena vacation. It was a great place to go for a walk and take some pictures. The water was so clear you could see fish swimming around. Some areas of the trail can get a little rugged so make sure to leave the flip flops at home. We didn’t camp here but it looked like a nice area. I liked how they were not all in the same spot. I would definitely consider coming back to camp.

This state park has long been our favorite place to tent camp in Illinois. There is no light pollution, so you can see every star in the sky and the Milky Way, as well. As previously noted, this is a simple place. But the simplicity is a large part of the appeal. If you want crowds, lots of noise, and a polluted sky, I can give you suggestions for places to camp. If you seek a simple, quiet experience, this is your spot. Prima Dona’s need not apply.

A very nice campground in Northwest Illinois.
Most of the sites are fairly private with a lot of vegetation blocking the view of other sites and they are not placed too close together. A few are close together for those camping in a group. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.
The facilities are bare bones, pit toilets, no electricity and some water spigots, but that helps keep things quiet because the crowd that camped when I was there were a little older or couples with young kids.
The hiking trails are short, but the scenery is awesome.
The town of Stockton is about 15 minutes away so there is easy access to any camping supplies you need or forgot to pack.

Apple River Canyon (ARC) is my favorite campground in Illinois. No question. I’ll start with a excerpt from the Illinois DNR website:
«Apple River Canyon State Park is in the hilly northwest corner of Illinois in Jo Daviess County near the Wisconsin border. Limestone bluffs, deep ravines, springs, streams and wildlife characterize this area. Once a part of a vast sea bottom that stretched from the Alleghenies to the Rockies, the scenic canyon area was formed by the action of the winding waters of the Apple River.»
My husband and I have been coming here since the late 90’s. We love it here.
Pros:
+ Only 2 ½ hours from Chicago.
+ Did you read that paragraph above that I took from the website? It’s BEAUTIFUL here.
+ 5 awesome hiking trails; some of them easier than others.
+ Hike (or drive) down to the river from your campsite. There’s some good fishing. And our dogs love to swim in it. (Swimming for you is prohibited, however.)
+ 2 big loops in the campground. Most of them are nicely sized and thoughtfully spaced apart.
+ Only 15 minutes to Stockton (the closest town) for groceries and firewood.
+ Eight bucks per night for a non-​electrical site.
Cons:
— I am not there right now. I am at my desk, rotting under flourescent lighting.
This is the kind of place that, as soon as we arrive, I’m already saying, «I don’t want to go home!»
But I want to be completely honest — there are no showers here, and only pit toilets. There are, of course, 2 or 3 water stations in each loop (pump). So, if maintaining hygiene is the number one most important thing for you during a camping weekend, you may not find ARC as perfect as I do. Me? I try my best to make do. You’re camping for God’s sake! Shower when you go home!
See you at Apple River Canyon!

This is a small park in the northwest corner of Illinois. If you blink you might miss it.
I have been camping here a few times and I have not had a bad experience. I like going here because it isn’t crowded and the sites are more spread out than what you can find in Illinois.
No running water. If plumbing is your thing, then you should probably avoid this park.
There are tons of trails up the bluff and down to the Apple River. It is hard to believe it is Illinois.