Chicago Land Places to Wheel

[Scott_sFZJ80]

In the Chicago land area there are a few places to go wheeling, some better than others depending on what you are looking for. Below is a list of points of interest, but the list would grow depending on how far out you want to venture. Below that list is a short list of rumors of more possible places to go. This list will be updated when more information becomes available. All of these places are great places to wheel at so please visit them in lieu of illegal wheeling, Thanks.

Existing Places –

The Cliffs Insane Terrain Off-Road Park in Marseilles, Illinois about an hours drive (approx. 300 acres?)
The Cliffs Insane Terrain

Badlands Off-Road Park in Attica, Indiana about a 3 hour drive (Approx. 700 acres)
Badlands Off Road Park - Indiana, 4x4, ATV, motorcycle riding, sand dunes, mud pits, rock crawling

Hannibal Rocks Off-Road Park in Rockport, Illinois about a 4 hour drive (Approx. 1600 acres)
Hannibal Rocks | Home Page
Updated link (2009) for the old Rockport Off-Road Park

Redbird State Riding Area in Dugger, Indiana about a 5 hour drive (Approx. 225 acres)
Redbird SRA - Home

Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Hart, Michigan about a 5 hour drive (Approx. 2000 acres)
Silver Lake Sand Dunes Area, Silver Lake Michigan Hart, Mears, Pentwater Michigan

Lake Geneva Raceway 4x4 Area in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin about a 2 hour drive (approx. 300 acres?)
Lake Geneva Raceway Online (need to call for group reservations)
2008 update - CLOSED


New Places -

Haspin Acres in Laurel, Indiana about a 5 hour drive (Approx. 750 acres)
Haspin Acres | Off-Road & Motocross Park in Laurel, Indiana
2009 update


Possible Future Places –

Rocky Glen in Rockford, Illinois about an hours drive (Approx. 120 acres)
rocky glen home
Most likely just another ATV park, but I heard that there were plans being “considered” to allow rigs like ours.
2008 update - Link added; looks like it is only an ATV park

[archie]

Thanks for the list! Just what I was looking for. Anybody suggest which place is good for mild offroad experience for a lifted 62 with no lockers,winch and sliders? I've been to Cliffs with Gumby and would like to get a milder offroad terrain than the Cliffs.Something like a novice like me can practice.Thanks for the suggestion.

[Scott_sFZJ80]

archie
IMHO the best place for all around use is the Badlands because you have all levels of wheeling. Click on this link for map of area… (Although I find the map quite vague)
http://www.badlandsoffroad.com/image..._map_large.jpg
You can go all out or just buzz around the light trails or even the just ride around in the sand/gravel area. The Cliffs is a great place but due to its limited overall size the trails go from entrance to hang on. If you were interested in ridding around the dunes Silver Lake is a big place but you will be extracting sand from every nook and cranny on your rig for years to come because the sand there is very fine and gets into everything, so I hear. Then there is Lake Geneva, that is a very mild offroad experience but you would have to get a bunch of people together and reserve the place to wheel there. I want to say that it is around $300 for the day. I hope this helps and if you want a lot of us are going down to the Badlands for the Toys4Tots run on the 3rd and if you don’t want to take your rig out you are welcome to ride shotgun with me.

[archie]

Scott, thanks for the offer and the comprehensive reply. I have a family occasion to attend so I think I will pass. It sure would be nice to have a fellow landcruiser pull me out of the mud .

[kenton]

Depending on how far "NW" you are, there's a place just across the Wisconsin border (1 hour from my house in Cary) called Lake Geneva Raceway. They have a 'back acreage' they rent out to 4wheeling groups. It is pretty mild, but enough stuff to exercise your vehicle. Praire State 4WDC is heading up there June 17 and July 29th. I'm planning to go, drop me a line if you'd like to as well. It'll be like $10-20.

[nuclearlemon]

oglesby, but it may be shut down now.

[BigBluye]

Oglesby was private land that I heard was fenced off a little while after you left Ige.

[chicago]

Hey all,
Since Im home in Chicago right now, I thought Id check the club board here...I was curious too, as to where you could go wheelin in these parts. My dad asked me, and I didnt know!

I have NOT seen one FJ60/62/40 since Ive been here...A couple 80's and 100's, but none of the classics. I think I might have seen a handful of the FJ cruisers, but that is about it. Its kind of a bummer.

Happy holidays to you all!

Chicago

[chitown40]

Originally Posted by chicago

Hey all,
I have NOT seen one FJ60/62/40 since Ive been here...A couple 80's and 100's, but none of the classics. I think I might have seen a handful of the FJ cruisers, but that is about it. Its kind of a bummer.
Chicago

I've got mine bundled up in the garage until all the salt is gone. Where you staying at here in town?

[Gumby]

My current 55 isn't really anything you want to drive on the street anymore, but I'm bringing home another one next week.

[archie]

Originally Posted by Gumby

My current 55 isn't really anything you want to drive on the street anymore, but I'm bringing home another one next week.

You must have been a good boy, cos Santa really got you something nice for the holidays!
Post pics!

[Gumby]

http://forum.ih8mud.com/fj55-iron-pig-preservation-society/97506-gumbys-1973-fj55-buildup.html

[x3inchesx]

What's the plan for this 55 Todd? Or is it gonna be a parts truck for the other one?

[Gumby]

Daily Driver. Eventually on a 80/100/Tundra/Sequoia platform.



I've got a lot of body work to do first.

[chicago]

Originally Posted by chitown40

I've got mine bundled up in the garage until all the salt is gone. Where you staying at here in town?

Im staying up in Wauconda with my dad!

Yeah, the salt is a KILLER out here. That is one thing that I dont miss about home, here. That is a great idea keeping it stored during the winter months.
If any of you head out to the Reno area, let me know!

Chicago

[archie]

Originally Posted by chicago

Im staying up in Wauconda with my dad!

Yeah, the salt is a KILLER out here. That is one thing that I dont miss about home, here. That is a great idea keeping it stored during the winter months.
If any of you head out to the Reno area, let me know!

Chicago

Salt sucks, I developed a fuel line leak on my 88 fj62 . Fuel lines look like baclava, all flakey. Worst part is that it is above the gas tank.

[Scott_sFZJ80]

Originally Posted by Gumby

Daily Driver. Eventually on a 80/100/Tundra/Sequoia platform.



I've got a lot of body work to do first.

So how did it go? What was your average speed hauling it with an 80 and the MPG? Did you get started on working on it yet?

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by Scott_sFZJ80

So how did it go? What was your average speed hauling it with an 80 and the MPG? Did you get started on working on it yet?

Wimped out and had it shipped. For $700 I couldn't afford not to.

Loaded yesterday, leaving CO tomorrow.

It'll be here on Saturday. I'll probably throw some tires and a carb on it and drive it around a bit. Just because.

I finished the four link and cable locker conversion on the other pig today too. Flexy testing tomorrow.

[Ming89FJ62]

Another pig in the loose in N-ville, what's this world coming to? Let me know when you're settled in, I'd like to stop by and check the new swine out.

Harry

[lolwut]

Originally Posted by chicago

Im staying up in Wauconda with my dad!

Yeah, the salt is a KILLER out here. That is one thing that I dont miss about home, here. That is a great idea keeping it stored during the winter months.
If any of you head out to the Reno area, let me know!

Chicago

I just moved to Hoffman Estates and have had the urge to go wheeling but I can't find any safe spots and don't have time to commit to going out of town or join a club.

[alia176]

Lake Geneva raceway offroading area is gone (sold to developers) I believe.

[PhilC64]

LG was sold close to 5 years ago. Now it's a huge housing development. There's nothing I know of in southern Wisconsin.

[Scott_sFZJ80]

Updated info and added info

Please view first post for information