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4.5
52 votes

Kickapoo State Recreation Area

10906 Kickapoo Park Rd., Oakwood, Illinois 61858 USA

Closed Now
Opens Fri 7a
  • Independent
  • Credit Cards
    Accepted
  • Pet Friendly
  • Not Wheelchair
    Accessible
  • Public
    Restrooms
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“wasteland turned natural wonderland”

Where in Illinois can you go running or hiking, canoeing, fishing for trout, camping, hunting or scuba diving -- all against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty? Kickapoo State Recreation Area near Danville in Vermilion County, that's where. The site is easily reached via Interstate 74. Once a scarred wasteland ravaged by turn-of-the-century strip-mine operations, Kickapoo State State Recreation Area's 2,842 acres now provide an outdoor playground with something to appeal to every member of the family. Twenty two deep water ponds, ranging in size from 0.2 of an acre to 57 acres, provide a total of 221 acres of water for boaters,canoeists and anglers. Lushly forested uplands and bottomlands along the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is habitat for enough birds, wildlife and wildflowers to please any nature lover, while nature trails and running trails provide pathways to inspiration and physical fitness. If you want a less demanding excursion in the outdoors, there are facilities for camping and picnicking. Kickapoo owes its crystal clear ponds and luxuriantly forested ridges and hillsides to the regenerative powers of nature. Nearly a century of coal production using strip-mining techniques devastated the landscape. But during the past 50 years, trees and vegetation have gradually reclaimed naked ridges of subsoil, and stagnant mine ponds gradually have cleared. The park apparently was the first in the nation built on strip-mined land, and one of the first to be subsidized through public contributions. The state's initial purchase of 1,290 acres of mined lands from United Electric Coal Co. in 1939 was largely underwritten with contributions collected from Danville area residents.

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Reviews of Kickapoo State Recreation Area

15 people have reviewed this location

Ratings Summary

4.4 Access
4.6 Location
4.4 Cleanliness
4.5 Site Quality
4.2 Noise

Cell Coverage

Verizon 4G/5G

Confirmed by 6 users | Last reported on July 03, 2023

AT&T 4G

Confirmed by 3 users | Last reported on October 02, 2019

T-Mobile 5G

Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on August 14, 2023
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Reviewed by
Campendium

July 24, 2017
Rated

This was a salt quarry about 100 years ago, and now it is a series of beautiful ponds. After long days of driving on our way home to Virginia from Seattle, we found plenty of park roads to explore on our bikes. The next morning we rented SUPs at one of the ponds ($10 per hour) where you can also rent kayaks, next door to the bistro/ice cream parlor. A lot of folks fishing. Mountain biking trails. Sites are spread out with lots of trees. Several playgrounds. We could hear the trucks on the highway in the distance at night, but the white noise of the fan and ear plugs blocked it. A little confusing getting back on 74 east, so be careful.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $20.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: 85

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
4 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

April 26, 2018
Rated

It's a nice place with plenty of outdoor adventures. Hiking, kayaking, floating are all good options here. There are also multiple playgrounds for kids, shower houses, and wildlife most mornings and evenings

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $20.00

Days Stayed: 4

Site Number: -

3 Access
4 Location
3 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G

Photo of Campendium

Reviewed by
Campendium

June 17, 2018
Rated

Would not recommend staying weekends in the summer. Weekdays you will have the place to your selves. I dry camped . Shower were clean but very old. Bring your own TP, the moisture and humidity makes everything wet . They will delivery wood - 5$ for a bundle. Each camp spot has a picnic table and a grill pit. Lots of hiking trails for mountain biking or hiking. Lake access you will have to drive there. Dogs allowed - super pet friendly. Camp store - has very little to no supplies . make sure you bring everything you need to closet fuel stops is a 20min drive away

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Nightly Rate: $10.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: -

4 Access
4 Location
4 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G

Photo of Campendium

Reviewed by
Campendium

October 31, 2018
Rated

Kickapoo was a nice surprise. Very nice campground. I first tried to use non electric site $10 but found my battery to be bad. Moved to electric site $20. Very nice and quiet. Host was very good especially when I told her I needed electric spot. I paid the extra put it in the self pay spot when I left

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Nightly Rate: $20.00

Days Stayed: 10

Site Number: -

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

August 10, 2019
Rated

We pulled in later in the evening on a Friday and there were plenty of spots available for tents. Nice trees and lake.
Showers are a bonus!
You can hear the freeway noise but it didn’t keep us up-the peaceful lull of the frogs or crickets singing covered it up.
Can’t believe it was only $10!

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $10.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: 183

4 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
4 Noise
Photo of Campendium

Reviewed by
Campendium

October 02, 2019
Rated

It’s not a bad spot at all, but could use a bit more upkeep, as is the case with many IL state parks. The highway noise is a bummer since it’s such a big park that would otherwise feel tucked away. Lots of deer. The electric sites seem like they’re probably more of a four-star experience.

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Nightly Rate: $10.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: 124

3 Access
3 Location
3 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
3 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

April 29, 2021
Rated

The park has been updated and is well maintained. The lower electric sites and very spacious! Clean restrooms. Nice pull through spots and back in spots.
Very quiet during the week. Gets full on weekends with lots of families.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $20.00

Days Stayed: 15

Site Number: 94

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

Reviewed by
roadtripper24102

  • 75 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
July 02, 2021
Rated

We stayed in Fox loop and it was very big rig friendly. Large spread out sites, trees trimmed up high. The other loops looked ok but not as easy for large rigs. Sites have electric only but there is potable water available and a dump station. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit and lantern holder. Restrooms and shower houses also scattered about but we didn’t use them.

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Nightly Rate: $24.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: 94

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
- Site Quality
- Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

  • 1 Review
  • 0 Helpful
May 21, 2022
Rated

Very hospitable hosts and beautiful clean camp sites. You will have everything you need for camping for a great camping experience. We love it here and we will be back!

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roadtripper3484442 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $20.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: 16

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise
Photo of Campendium

Reviewed by
Campendium

July 12, 2022
Rated

This is a lovely park, with a lot of things to do: hiking, biking, canoe and kayak rentals. The sites are well spaced and in a nice woods. We saw white-tailed deer, Canada geese, fireflies and lots of other critters.

My but is there is NO WATER at the sites. I guess I missed that information somewhere. Also, like all too many public parks, sanitation especially in the rest rooms was spotty at best. I don't think anyone cleaned the rest rooms near our site while we stayed. We also had some large groups for neighbors complete with dogs barking most of the day. That is always a disappointment in an otherwise wonderful setting. Surprisingly, though we felt we were in a nice woods, there was constant highway noise through the night. I guess we were closer to the Interstate than we thought.

Again, this is a lovely setting, it's too bad people can't do a better job of maintaining it.

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Nightly Rate: $20.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: 61

3 Access
4 Location
2 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
2 Noise

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Kickapoo State Recreation Area

10906 Kickapoo Park Rd.
Oakwood, Illinois
61858 USA
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Hours

Closed Now
  • Sun - Thu: 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
  • Fri, Sat: 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

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  • Unavailable
    Parking
  • Check
    Pets Allowed
  • Check
    Restrooms
  • Unknown
    Wifi
  • Unavailable
    Wheelchair Accessible
  • Check
    Credit Cards Accepted
Affiliation
State park or forest
Back In RV Sites Count
12
Last Nightly Rate
20.0
Longest Vehicle Length Reported
40.0
Lowest Nightly Rate
10.0
Max Stay
14
Pull Through RV Sites Count
7
Sites Count
184
  • Unavailable
    Paved Sites
  • Check
    Fifty Amp
  • Unavailable
    Full Hookup
  • Check
    Rec Facilities
  • Check
    Pull Through
  • Check
    Dump Station
  • Check
    Big Rigs
  • Unavailable
    Open Seasonally
  • Unavailable
    Age Restricted
  • Check
    Back In RV Sites
  • Check
    Boondock
  • Unavailable
    Cabin Sites
  • Unavailable
    Dispersed Sites
  • Unavailable
    Firewood
  • Unavailable
    Fulltime Residents
  • Unavailable
    Group Tent Sites
  • Unavailable
    Laundry
  • Unavailable
    Mobile Homes
  • Unavailable
    Permit Required
  • Check
    Potable Water
  • Unavailable
    Propane
  • Check
    Public Water
  • Check
    Pull Through RV Sites
  • Check
    Reservations
  • Unavailable
    Sewer Hookup
  • Check
    Showers
  • Check
    Sites
  • Unavailable
    Vehicle Wash Permitted
  • Unavailable
    Water Hookup
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