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Sand Pond

Zion, Illinois — Lake County.

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20Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 94393919).

Getting there

Flying here

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Sand Pond, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Sand Pond.

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Staying here

Look for hotels in and around Zion, IL.

Search hotels near Zion, IL on Klook

Hotel links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability are set by Klook. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Things to do near Sand Pond

Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Zion, IL on Klook.

Browse things to do near Zion, IL on Klook

Activity links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Boat rentals near Sand Pond

Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.

Boat rentals in Zion, IL on GetMyBoat

Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.

Location & fast facts

Where Sand Pond is in Illinois

The red circle marks Sand Pond.

Fast facts

About Sand Pond

  • County: Lake
  • City or town on the shore: Zion
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 41 mi from Chicago and 153 mi from Peoria, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Illinois: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Illinois

Official IDNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Fishing. Largemouth bass, Bluegill, Channel catfish and Common carp
  • Camping. 3 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

    Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

    Official fishing data (Illinois DNR)

    9.6 ftMaximum depth
    18Acres (state figure)

    Fish species in the IDNR fishing outlook, with the IDNR rating from its fish surveys: Bluegill (fair), Channel catfish (fair), Common carp (fair), Largemouth bass (good).

    Stocked by the state: Channel catfish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Rainbow trout (2025, 2026)

    Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries, ifishillinois.org page for Sand Pond - IBSP (Lake County): fishing outlook, recent stocking history and lake description. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

    Fishing gear for Sand Pond

    Gear picks based on the fish listed for Sand Pond above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

    Lake map

    Sand Pond shoreline

    0.1 mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 94393919), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Campgrounds near Sand Pond

    We found 3 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Sand Pond, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

    All campgrounds & RV parks in Illinois

    Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

    Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (42.4623, -87.8076). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Sand Pond. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Sand Pond

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Sand Pond

      How big is Sand Pond?

      Sand Pond covers about 20 acres in Zion, Illinois (Lake County).

      How deep is Sand Pond?

      The maximum recorded depth is 10 feet, according to the IDNR Division of Fisheries lake page.

      What fish are in Sand Pond?

      IDNR Division of Fisheries lake page lists Largemouth bass, Bluegill, Channel catfish and Common carp.

      Are there campgrounds near Sand Pond?

      Yes. We list 3 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

      What towns are on Sand Pond?

      Sand Pond touches Zion in Lake County, Illinois.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Sand Pond? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Illinois lakes & ponds · All waters in Zion