Illinois state park alcohol rules

[trailernovice]

Reserved into an Illinois state park for our summer trip.

I see on the 'rules' page no alcohol allowed in campground, either consuming or possessing.

Texas state parks policy bars consumption or display of alcohol in any 'public area', which is defined as anything outside of a camper's tent or trailer.

Does the Illinois policy mean what it seems to mean? that drinking is barred even within the confines of our own travel trailer?
Thanks

[naturist]

I know nothing about Illinois and how that policy is implemented at any particular location in that fair state. What I have observed elsewhere is that "the authorities" famously make rules for the sole purpose of dealing with jerks, a**oles, the obnoxious, and the dangerous, rules that are mostly unenforceable in practical terms, but can easily be cited for making it clear that a particular person is non grata. And in purely practical terms, one can ignore those rules as long as one does not go about making a jerk, etc. out of him/herself.

Actually, if you get right down to it, nobody likes those sorts of folks, and we'll gladly let "the authorities" chuck the bums out, however they need to go about doing it. So, yeah, alcohol is forbidden here, just don't let me see you with it, and BTW, we never had this conversation.

[bucky]

GDS-3950BH wrote:

bucky wrote:
Plenty of commercial CGs that would appreciate the business.

And Plenty of people who avoid commercial CG's by rule who do not like parking lots, lights, the awning scraping the neighbors rig, golf cart races, and bingo.

Lantley wrote:

Not disputing your account of what happened. However I won't change my approach until I experience the beer Nazis first hand.

Nor would I expect you would. As I said thats the only time I have ever experienced that in many years of going to state parks in many different states, including MD. At the time I suspected new guys as they looked really young, with Barney Fife syndrome.

I only meant in Illinois. We prefer state and federal parks.

[All_I_could_aff]

I’ve always found that if you keep your site neat,quiet, and free of empty bottles, you rarely get confronted

[GDS-3950BH]

wildtoad wrote:
Illinois, as many outside Illinois may suspect, makes it difficult to determine if, where, when one is allowed or barred from consuming, processing alcoholic beverages. See attached...

https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/Camp/Pages/Alcohol-Ban.aspx

The OP did say "I see on the 'rules' page no alcohol allowed in campground, either consuming or possessing." so I would assume thats the rule at the particular park he made reservations at. Nothing difficult to determine. No alcohol allowed in campground, period.!

So don't cover the table with 5ths or longnecks. Buy canned beer and use a Koozie, dump it in a cup, pour a triple bourbon in a glass, guzzle it at night around the fire when no one can see what you're doing.
Here's to wishing you don't get next to some nosy busybodies. Seems to be plenty to go around these days.


I know some make it easy to determine. In PA they have signs at every state park entrance, not to the campground but the entire park, "Alcoholic Beverages Prohibited". That is every state park and they have a sheetload of them.

[wildtoad]

Illinois, as many outside Illinois may suspect, makes it difficult to determine if, where, when one is allowed or barred from consuming, processing alcoholic beverages. See attached...

https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/Camp/Pages/Alcohol-Ban.aspx

[wildtoad]

For those in MD or going there ... Might want to read this...

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Documents/MPS-AlcoholPolicy.pdf

[wildtoad]

I kept hearing that SC state parks disallowed alcohol. Some parks make you initial that they told you so. I sent an email to the dept of parks and recreation and their response was in a nut shell: they have no control over what you may or may not consume in your motorhome, fifth wheel, travel trailer, or even a tent. They do disallow the public display or consumption of alcohol. So don’t get drunk and make an A$$ of yourselves, and they will leave you alone. If you MUST walk around the campground with a beverage, don’t take it in the bottle or can it came with.

[BarabooBob]

My wife and I will sometimes have a glass of wine in the evening. I have never been approached by a ranger or campground host regarding the wine. We do drink it from a solid colored glass.
I love having my own property for the big weekends. We have 25 or 30 people at our property for Memorial Day, Labor Day, and fourth of July every year and a few (OK, quite a few) drinks get consumed. The county sheriff will frequently stop by for a couple of minutes and leaves (with a brat & potato salad) when he finds out is us.

[GDS-3950BH]

bucky wrote:
Plenty of commercial CGs that would appreciate the business.

And Plenty of people who avoid commercial CG's by rule who do not like parking lots, lights, the awning scraping the neighbors rig, golf cart races, and bingo.

Lantley wrote:

Not disputing your account of what happened. However I won't change my approach until I experience the beer Nazis first hand.

Nor would I expect you would. As I said thats the only time I have ever experienced that in many years of going to state parks in many different states, including MD. At the time I suspected new guys as they looked really young, with Barney Fife syndrome.

[Lantley]

GDS-3950BH wrote:

Lantley wrote:
THere are plenty of states including my home state of MD that do not allow any alcohol, however these rules are not strictly enforced. If you are discreet and orderly alcohol is not an issue.
If you are a loud,rowdy party guy you will be shut down and removed. No alcohol rules are there to make it easy for the rangers to maintain order.

Ever try Deep Creek Lake SP? I watched at least a dozen people get cited in the summer of 2017 for alcohol. None were loud. Rangers went campsite to campsite in the evening specifically looking for it. Even if you had beer in a cup they would ask what was in the cup. A couple who were having a glass of wine with dinner got one. Later that year when we went back they wanted to search your rig or coolers upon arrival. Never been back and have never seen that happen in any other state or park in MD, and have been to many. Beer Nazis at Deep Creek.

Not disputing your account of what happened. However I won't change my approach until I experience the beer Nazis first hand.

[dodge_guy]

Keep and pour it inside. Don't make it obvious (clear glass or plastic cup). Use a coffee travel mug or pour it into a pop can. They won't bother you unless you are loud and obnoxious!

And yes, I don't think the rules apply to me!

[hotpepperkid]

Was at a state park in Colorado many years ago and the rule was 3.2 beer only

[theoldwizard1]

My daughter's family likes to camp at a private Christian campground (great family accommodation). The rules there state absolutely no alcohol, but if consumed in moderation and you do not display containers, no one is going to "inspect" the inside of your camper !
Rules also state "modest" swimwear, so guys and ladies leave your bikinis at home !

[bucky]

Plenty of commercial CGs that would appreciate the business.

[STBRetired]

Having lived in the Land of Taxes for most of my life, I have found that Lantley is pretty much on-point for how alcohol is handled in Illinois State Parks. Don't be loud or obvious. Don't have containers (full or empty) visible in your site. A couple of parks get pretty aggressive with enforcement. Starved Rock State Park is one of them. Guess they got tired of rescuing drunk people from the canyons and cliffs.

BTW
Even though cannabis is now legal as of 01/01/2020, it is banned in all the State Parks. They will probably be pretty strict about that for a while at least until they see how things shake out.