Quick overnight bike/camp trip from Chicago?

Factual Questions
1

So the calendar tells me that Spring is approaching, though there is still a thick layer of grimy ice covering the ground, and my thoughts are turning to outdoor fun.

I live on the North side of Chicago for the last few years, and would love to find somewhere within a couple hours bike ride (say 15-20 miles) where I could go for quickie overnight camping trips during the nice weather. There don’t seem to be any official, legal camping areas within that radius that I can find on the internets.

I know people do camp in the Cook County Forest Preserves (often as a primary residence), but I’m not sure how safe that sounds.

Anyone have any experience with this? Any other ideas.

Waiting for the sunshine…

2

North of Chicago in the Skokie Lagoons (Cook County FPD) there may be less chance of running into “permanent campers”. There are plenty of peninsulas and islands in there. It is pretty easy to get to by bicycle. I’ve spent a few nights out there for fun with friends of mine.

Not really a wilderness experience, however. I usually drive to the UP for that sort of thing.