We live 30 miles W of Chicago, we are looking for a place where we can go off roading and part and camp. Wouldn't mind some trails to walk around while there, and some water maybe a lake to kayak in.   Also looking for places in AL, that is where we vacation to, but IL is where we live.

I live in Chicago sadly.   So options are limited.   Starved rock state park is awesome and good hikes but no off roading in vics.
 Indiana dunes is sweet also. I go there in all seasons and usually do a solid 4 or 5 mile hike through the dunes.

  Both of these though do not offer dispersed camping of any kind. But, I recently went dispersed camping in Manistee national forest. Its in lower / mid Michigan. Was a 4 hour drive from the south side of Chicago.  Its huge, and you can easily disappear out there to,camp.

It is bear country , ( rare of course)  and on the outskirts there is private land so you gotta buy a map at home and really plan your route and sites. But I did it for one night and it is legit in the " wild"

Forgot another detail,   of course hiking/ camping at any of these places will be a pain the summer.  The lines for starved rock and the dunes are for miles just to get in. Since ppl are wanting to swim and do their fake hikes. A few summers ago I waited about an hour in traffic in my hot car just to get to the parking lot which took another 45 min to find a spot at the dunes.

  Go in the winter lol.

For offroading and camping checkout Badlands Off-Road park in attica indiana.  About a two hour drive, no hiking trails however.

Want to know the best place? A few hours drive from Shitcago!

Garden of the Gods

Giant City

Great places a lot of places to hike or go for a short walk and a lot of history if you go  on the right walks! My family loved camping here be it car or RV camping there is a lot to do! We loved Giant City and they had a great place to eat and there BBQ is some of the best in the area! Want to know about anything else as I know of wine trails and great places to buy fresh apples along with Carbondale's Farmers market that is not far from the park. Lived in this area for a few years and I will argue to say Southern IL is by far the best part of IL!

Born and raised in the shit called Cook County moved to Bloomington IL then lived near Marion or Carbondale IL! So I can say its the best part of IL by far! Send me a IM if you care to know more!

I believe there is a book "60 hikes within 60 miles of Chicago"
I have the Salt Lake City version and love it and remembered seeing that they had a Chicago and wished I had it when I lived there.

ETA
Link

best places to go in Il.???   Wisconsin or Iowa!!!

Devil's Lake

Thanks everyone, we are now waiting on kayaks to go on sale.