Central Avenue Walk-in Sites

Wonderful! Some tips: the entrance to the campsites is off the entrance road on the right-hand side opposite the parking lot entrance, not easy to find from online maps but there's a yellow plastic sign in the bushes. Except for site 1, it's a long walk from the parking lot to your campsite. Not backpacking long, but long if you're making multiple car trips. Get here early in peak season because there's no easy parking except for the park lot. Highly recommended experience we are so lucky to have this in the Midwest.

Wonderful! Some tips: the entrance to the campsites is off the entrance road on the right-hand side opposite the parking lot entrance, not easy to find from online maps but there's a yellow plastic sign in the bushes. Except for site 1, it's a long walk from the parking lot to your campsite. Not backpacking long, but long if you're making multiple car trips. Get here early in peak season because there's no easy parking except for the park lot. Highly recommended experience we are so lucky to have this in the Midwest.

What a cool place to camp! It took about 2 minuets to walk from the parking lot up to the campsite, the beach is about 3 minuets away with incredible views of Lake Michigan, and the Chicago skyline. This site was large, clean, and nicely protected from the wind. The firepit has a grate for cooking. There is a small hill to hike up to get into the campsite.

What a cool place to camp! It took about 2 minuets to walk from the parking lot up to the campsite, the beach is about 3 minuets away with incredible views of Lake Michigan, and the Chicago skyline. This site was large, clean, and nicely protected from the wind. The firepit has a grate for cooking. There is a small hill to hike up to get into the campsite.

We stayed in site 1, which was lovely. A little less secluded, but most convenient. It's up on top of a dune, surrounded by trees, with so many birds! It is definitely walk-in, so I would bring a wagon if you can, or be prepared in some way to carry your gear. There is a picnic table at the site. We chose to eat dinner down at the beach (about a 5-10 minute walk), and had a gorgeous sunset with the Chicago skyline far in the distance. The rangers we consulted with beforehand told us mixed things, but the restrooms at the beach were open and had potable water. There is also a well-stocked Dollar General not far away where we bought water (before realizing there was water nearby). We were bike camping, and it all worked beautifully. We were a little anxious about not having a place to secure food overnight, but we had everything tidy and no critters got into it. If we had had a car, we would have left our food inside the car; we saw a raccoon not far from the site. Beware of ticks.

Great location, firewood was provided in the communal pit area, and the site had a picnic table and a fire pit ring. Quiet place and a beautiful view of Lake Michigan just under a quarter mile away!

We stayed in site 1, which was lovely. A little less secluded, but most convenient. It's up on top of a dune, surrounded by trees, with so many birds! It is definitely walk-in, so I would bring a wagon if you can, or be prepared in some way to carry your gear. There is a picnic table at the site. We chose to eat dinner down at the beach (about a 5-10 minute walk), and had a gorgeous sunset with the Chicago skyline far in the distance. The rangers we consulted with beforehand told us mixed things, but the restrooms at the beach were open and had potable water. There is also a well-stocked Dollar General not far away where we bought water (before realizing there was water nearby). We were bike camping, and it all worked beautifully. We were a little anxious about not having a place to secure food overnight, but we had everything tidy and no critters got into it. If we had had a car, we would have left our food inside the car; we saw a raccoon not far from the site. Beware of ticks.

Great location, firewood was provided in the communal pit area, and the site had a picnic table and a fire pit ring. Quiet place and a beautiful view of Lake Michigan just under a quarter mile away!