In Might, I met the Woman Camper group at Illinois Seaside State Park in Zion, Illinois, which is north of Chicago simply close to the Wisconsin state line.
The park sits on the western fringe of Lake Michigan and is damaged up into two sections. The South part is the busier part with the campground and Nature Middle. Close to the Nature Middle are two loop climbing trails.
The purple path is the Deep River Path and is 1.8 miles lengthy. The path follows alongside a river that’s often blocked by sand dunes at one finish.
The Dunes Path is 2.2 miles lengthy and can also be a loop. The path begins out by main down a gravel path to extra distant sand dunes.
Again by the campground, the seashore was good and fairly rocky in components! The rocks had been fascinating and all completely different colours!
A fellow woman camper was telling us about how widespread the park was many years in the past. As you stroll alongside the seashore path, you see deteriorating buildings that inform a narrative from way back. There was once a concession stand and tub home and the life guard would climb the ladder on the prime and be careful over the lake. There have been additionally solar shelters that are actually being swallowed by the dunes. The State is making an attempt to convey the park again and has introduced in numerous rock to construct the seashore again up.
The campground is fairly giant with reservable and non-reservable websites. The websites are spaced fairly far aside, and on the north finish of the 200s, a number of websites are in a pine grove. In addition they simply constructed a brand new Camp Retailer, which had a snack bar and park merchandise. There may be additionally a resort inside this park too!
I additionally took a drive to the north a part of the park with a fellow camper, and we hiked the path there and likewise walked alongside the seashore. This a part of the park was fairly quiet and peaceable.
A motorbike path runs all through a lot of the park. Someday we adopted the path north to the marina. That they had a small brewery, Harbor Brewery, and stay music. It was a pleasant midway level to our experience!
Additionally, no canine are allowed on the seashore or the climbing trails, so Ellie stayed residence this journey.
We additionally skilled all of the seasons of the Midwest from hail on Thursday, solar and brief sleeves on Friday, to chilly and windy on Saturday!
Additionally, this park is positioned fairly near numerous locations, so you may simply go into city for breakfast or dinner. We went to Emily’s Pancake Home, and it was actually good! I like to recommend the pancakes 🙂 I additionally drove to Wisconsin, which was a couple of 20-minute drive, and picked up beer that’s solely bought in Wisconsin! Shout out to New Glarus Brewing Firm!
This park was good and an excellent day journey from Chicago. The lake felt just like the ocean in the midst of the Midwest! You’ll be able to even see the skyline of Chicago (barely seen within the image under!)
I hope you loved this publish!
