DuPage County, IL Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Camping banned on trail system
- Covers
- Illinois Prairie Path, Great Western Trail
- Citation
- DuPage County Code § 23-70
- Penalty
- Treated as criminal trespass
- Adopted
- Ord. ODT-0020-97 (1997)
Summary
DuPage County bans camping outright on its two county trail corridors, the Illinois Prairie Path and the Great Western Trail, treating violators as trespassers under Chapter 23 of the county code.
PROHIBITION OF CAMPING ON COUNTY TRAIL SYSTEM. Camping is prohibited on both the Illinois Prairie Path and the Great Western Trail.
(2005 Code)
23-71: - PENALTIES. Any violator shall be deemed a trespasser and subject to such penalties as provided by law.
(Ord. ODT-0020-97, 8-26-1997; amd. Ord. ODT-0020A-97, 1-11-1998)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 14 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Article VII of Chapter 23 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) flatly bars camping anywhere along the Illinois Prairie Path or the Great Western Trail, the county's two long-distance multi-use trail corridors through unincorporated DuPage. The rule was adopted in 1997 alongside the county's existing ban on motor vehicles on the same trail system. There is no permit process or exception listed in the article; camping there is simply prohibited.
Violations & Fines
Anyone caught camping on either trail is treated as a trespasser under Section 23-71 and faces the penalties provided by law for trespassing, enforced by the DuPage County Sheriff or the Division of Transportation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you camp overnight on the Illinois Prairie Path?
What happens if you're caught camping on the trail?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DuPage County
Compare DuPage County to another location·View the Illinois homelessness & encampment rules overview
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