$15 - $30 / night

Camper submitted image from Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area - 1

Camper submitted image from Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area - 2

Nature

Camper submitted image from Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area - 3

People

Camper submitted image from Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area - 4

Facilities

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Roads

Established Camping

Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area

24 Reviews

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About

Welcome to Illini Campground at Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area, nestled near Carlyle, Illinois. This spot is a gem for anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors year-round. The campground offers a mix of tent, RV, cabin, and even glamping accommodations, so there's something for everyone.

One of the standout features here is the spaciousness of the sites. Visitors often rave about the large, well-maintained sites shaded by old-growth trees. It's a perfect setup whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your big rig. Plus, the campground is pet-friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friends along.

The campground is equipped with electric hookups, drinking water, and sanitary dump stations. Showers and toilets are available, though some campers have noted they didn't use the showers during their stay. Firewood is available on-site, and campfires are allowed, making it easy to enjoy a cozy evening under the stars.

For those interested in activities, the campground doesn't disappoint. There's a swimming pool open during the summer months, multiple playgrounds, a basketball court, and sand volleyball. If you're into water sports, the nearby lake offers opportunities for boating, fishing, and even jet skiing. Boat ramps are free to use if you have a campsite, which is a nice perk.

The nearby town of Carlyle has all the essentials, including a Walmart and several dining options. A highly recommended Mexican restaurant is a local favorite.

Overall, Illini Campground is a fantastic spot for families, couples, or solo adventurers looking to enjoy nature with the convenience of modern amenities. The friendly hosts and beautiful surroundings make it a place you'll want to return to again and again.

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Location

Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area is located in Illinois

Address

20100 Hazlet Park Road
Carlyle, IL 62231

Coordinates

38.65444716 N
89.328318 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.
Hike-In
Backcountry sites.
Boat-In
Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Available
Verizon
Good
AT&T
Available
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group
Cabins
Tent Cabin

Features

For Campers

Market
ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Firewood Available
Phone Service
Reservable
Showers
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Sewer Hookups
Water Hookups
Big Rig Friendly

$15 - $30

/ night

For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

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Contact

General Info

Kelsey S.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 15, 2024

Beautiful secluded location

We stayed for 1 night, had a spot in the back with a perfect view of the lake. Lots of room for dogs.

Month of VisitMay

William Y.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 30, 2024

Wonderful surprise

Arrived just after a terrible storm so parts of the park were closed for clean up. The parts that were open were all cleaned up, spacious sites, easy access, with fantastic hosts. An absolutely beautiful evening in gorgeous surroundings…we’ll be back and so glad we stumbled upon this place. Didn’t use the showers so can’t report on the facilities….

SiteReservable 58

Month of VisitJune

Jay B.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 5, 2023

Illini campground: Huge sites and wonderfully nice hosts 0

Popped in late on July 4th during a cross-country trip just for the night. Wonderful hosts checked us in (Happy Anniversary!) Absolutely huge site with old growth trees throughout the campground without lots of space between.

Site58

Month of VisitAugust

Art W.

Traveler

Reviewed Oct. 18, 2021

Beautiful lake

We had reservations nearly one month ahead, and the campground was full, yet quiet and restful. Our site only had electric hookup, and there were two pit toilets in the cul de sac, and we never found the showers that were supposedly on site. The acorns were falling, and we nearly jumped out of bed when they struck our roof! No fault of the campground, but a mild annoyance nevertheless. There is a camp store but we didn't visit it. The nearby town of Carlyle has a Walmart and several fast food eateries, but only one independent restaurant, Mexican , which came highly recommended. We met campers that return here often, but it was our first time. We would stay again if in the area.

Site1

Month of VisitNovember

Brooke C.

Ranger

Reviewed Oct. 11, 2021

Great Campground for Family

We stayed here for the first time the weekend of October 9th. The weather was perfect, warmer than typical fall in IL. but a nice breese off the lake kept it from feeling hot out. The campground filled up by 11am on Friday, which was a surprise to us. We lucked out and were able to reserve one of the last spots (site #76) which happened to have a nice view of the lake and several short trails down to the water. There was a sand/beach area and plenty of firewood around. Our site was narrow and tighter than we prefer, but the location and view made up for that! Most of the sites in the camper are larger and more open. There are three playground areas, a basketball court, sand volleyball and a pool during summer months. Lots of families with kids, bike rides and plenty of other lake and outdoor activities in the area. Walmart is just 5-10min away if needed as well as restaurants, gas station, and other amenities in Carlyle nearby. The camp hosts were nice and very helpful! When our electric wasn’t working, they sent a tech over right away and he has us up and running in no time. We highly recommend this campground!

Site76

Month of VisitNovember

(8) View All

cathy

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 13, 2021

Not a good experience

The sites were fine but the pit toilets were filthy. They also have a problem with skunks. One came through in the middle of the night. Luckily it didn’t spray our tent.

Month of VisitOctober

J T.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 26, 2021

Great place to camp.

Very nice place to camp and go boating. Fishing, tubing, skiing, all of it’s great people are very friendly and sites are kept up well. Boat ramps are free as long as you have a campsite.

Sitenot sure. but all are good

Month of VisitOctober

(14) View All

Carol B.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 18, 2021

Nice Campground

Stayed here many times. So much fun and memories. Campground with a pool, store, bath houses. Could use some updates but very family frie.

Wendy F.

Scout

Reviewed Nov. 10, 2020

Great campground

Site 26. We were basically by ourselves being mid week in November. Great view. Nice camp hosts. This place looks like it could get pretty full in the summer. It has its own swimming pool. Wish we could stay one more night.

Jake L.

Traveler

Reviewed Oct. 27, 2020

Cabins and more

This State Park is located outside Carlyle,Illinois. This park offers playground areas and more. Cabins, campsites with power or no power the choice is yours. This is one State Park i enjoy visiting. However there are times this park cannot be accessed because of flooding.

Lynn A.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 6, 2020

Hazlet-Carlyle Lake

This is a decent place with quite a few spots with lake views. Well maintained. Plenty of shade. Tents and RVs. Crowded most holidays. Close to grocery. Great Mexican restaurant in town.

Will W.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 25, 2020

Huge! Sites....

I have gone to Idnr Hazlet since I was a little kid. The lake is definitely an upside while in 100 degree IL humidity. Most of the campsite are spacious and almost every one has water access as long as you don’t mind a little mud. The bathrooms could be cleaner but other wise not to shabby. Unfortunately I don’t have any picture to did it justice.

Stef C.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 23, 2020

Large Campground, Good Amenities

“Hazlet” has over 300 sites with electric hook-ups and 30+ tent sites. It is a popular destination for locals and those nearby during the summer and fall, but if you are able to choose your site early, there are quite a few options that will offer more privacy. Some sites sit directly on Carlyle Lake.

There are many walking trails in and around the campground, plus a pool and campground store at the entrance. The bathrooms and showers are pretty well maintained and spread out well throughout the large campground.

Michael T.

Scout

Reviewed Mar. 3, 2020

Beautiful lake

Beautiful park and excellent pool.

Chelsea D.

Guide

Reviewed Oct. 6, 2019

Restroom situation needs attention

Overall this is a VERY nice campground. There is a camp store, firewood available, and even a pool! The trails around are nice and our family had fun hiking. HOWEVER: Unless you have a restroom in your rig, be prepared to walk up to the showerhouse. The pit toilets that were spread across the campground were in horrendous condition and had wasps, spiders, and other critters hanging out. With 4 kids in tow and a pop-up camper, we made the long treck to the shower house many times in one weekend. If we'd had a heads up, we would have stayed somewhere with more accessible restrooms.

Oh and lots of deer bed down in the grassy areas at night, which was a fun thing to see!

J K.

Legend

Reviewed Aug. 26, 2019

Great park near saint Louis!

If you live in the St. Louis area and are looking for a great park for a weekend getaway near the water then look no further. Tons of reservable and walk up sites for primitive and RV. Most sites have plenty of shade and room in between so you were not right on top of your neighbors The only thing that would be a complaint about the sites is that many of them have a metal culvert running under the entrance to each campsite so if you’re not careful backing your camper out you can run over those and possibly cut a tire Other than that it is a great campground that boasts the only swimming pool in an Illinois state park. There is also a small store that has all of the basics and even has a built-in laundry mat The only other small complaint is that there is only one fill station to fill your freshwater tanks. So during busier times there can sometimes be a line of people waiting to fill their freshwater tanks so if you can do that at home I highly advise it

(20) View All

Rick B.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 20, 2019

Very nice

Right next to Carlyle Lake. Clean campground with electric sites only. Reservations available on line at Reserve America.

SiteSite 30

Month of VisitJune

(12) View All

b K.

Guide

Reviewed Feb. 9, 2019

Not good!

Not very well maintained by the State of Illinois. Restrooms are horrible! So many better places to camp in the Carlyle Lake area.

Aimee T.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 6, 2018

Great family campground

We LOVE Hazlet! We have a popup camper and camp here often. It's a huge campground with a smaller reservable section and an extensive first come, first serve section. There are usually always spaces available. Sites are pretty level, are gravel, wooded, and spacious. There are several 'loops'' of sites that extend out and have water views. The shower houses are clean and air conditioned, there's a nice camp store that serves breakfast and basic lunches, and there is a nice large zero entry pool for a $5 fee on weekends. The campground hosts are sprinkled througout the grounds and are always friendly and accommodating. They have a huge Halloween event every year where people decorate their sites (pretty extensively) and there's a haunted house, then kids trick or treat from site to site. The campground also provides pumpkin painting contests and other fun activities. Better get there at least a week in advance for the halloweeen festivities- it fills up!

Site76

Month of VisitJuly

(4) View All

Gary R.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 25, 2018

Pretty good for a state park

Has electric sites only. Water and dump at the entrance. Shower houses. Very nice pool and camp store. Hosts scattered and occasionally hard to find to pay for your spot. Wildlife galore. Next to largest lake in Illinois. Fishing good with a boat. Worth the trip.

Julie M.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 11, 2018

Quiet, peaceful waterfront escape!

while there are many full service sites available, this campground offers dozens of rustic tent sites right next to Carlyle Lake as well! Our tent site was shaded and our one neighbor was quiet and friendly. We felt secluded yet had easy access to the campground shower house, swimming pool, wooded nature trail, campground hosts and camp store. We were within a few minutes drive of the main lake beach and facilities that include a restaraunt and visitors center. A 7 minute drive gets you into the town of Carlyle which has all the necessities- food, gas and Walmart.

We were incredibly pleased with the quiet tranquility of this site and the views were fantastic. We woke up to hear the lake lapping at the shoreline. We had a nearly private cove to fish as well.

This is a wonderful campground and we will certainly Be back again!

SiteTent site 3

Month of VisitAugust

(5) View All

Mark B.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 27, 2018

State run campground with basic camping and lots of wildlife

Basic camping with lots of wildlife in a man made lake. Pool available during the Summer

Month of VisitNovember

Allen S.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 17, 2018

Decent IL State Park

We stayed in site #7 for one night in the spring. Some sites are spacious, others are pretty cramped. The loop that we stayed on was close to the water with views of Carlyle Lake.

There is a swimming pool and campground store. The pool was closed when we were there but looked nice.

Only complaint that I have was the potable water supply. I filled by trailer’s tank at the drinking water supply when you enter the campground. It was extremely dirty with a lot of copper colored solids. I drained the tank and filled with a spicket next to our site and had the same dirty water. Not sure if this was related to it being early in the season but was not impressed at all.

Brenda M.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 6, 2018

Very Nice, big camp sites.

Sites are big. Area is clean. Camp hosts are friendly and do patrol the area. One area you can reserve on line. A lot of trees for shade. Swimming pool.

Month of VisitJune

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to camp at Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area?

Camping at Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area can cost between $15.00 and $30.00 depending on the site.

Does Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area have RV hookups?

According to TheDyrt.com, Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area has water hookups and sewer hookups.

Are fires allowed at Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Does Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is good, AT&T is available, and T-Mobile is unknown.