Worth it to bring a 4x4 trailer queen to Chicago area? (Phoenix: insurance, how much)

[urbex]

Currently living outside the Phoenix, Arizona area, and have been for about 12 years. I came from Detroit to be closer to the mountains, and more specifically the 4x4 off road trails. So I do have experience with cold weather, snow, ice, driving in it, etc. As it turns out, while I still like the idea, in theory...desert life, along with western life, in general is something I've never really been happy with. Also, as the old saying goes, I didn't realize how much of the Detroit area I'd miss until after I left.

For various reasons, I have zero desire to move back to Detroit again. I have a friend from Chicago who is also living down here, and at least from the way she talks about it, it at least sounds like an area I should consider.

That said, like any good boy, I do still love playing in the dirt. I have a Suzuki Samurai that has had a LOT of my time and money poured into it, though it's largely set up for hot weather and rocks out here. Technically it's street legal, carries current license plates and insurance, but it's not something I'd want to run down the freeway if I could avoid it. It gets trailered every where.

Obviously I would want to come spend some time around the area before moving there, and while I KNOW I wouldn't be living down town, I can't say that there are any specific areas that I would be looking at either. But just saying as far as whatever the Chicago metro area would be, would there be places somewhat nearby to take a dedicated off road play toy, say within an hour drive? Or would I be looking at a several hour drive one way kind of thing? About the only thing I know of would be the Badlands park in Attica, Indiana, which looks to be about a 3 hour drive one way.

[chet everett]

Generally speaking the sorts of "motorized recreational vehicle areas" are going to be in Wisconsin, several hours north of Chicago -- https://docs.zoho.com/sheet/publishe...ba2771b70c1ab3

Indiana also has some options, though those too are similarly hours away -- Places to Go Off-Road in Indiana | USA Today