Dam West Spillway

Had a lake front site with beachfront access. It was flat ground, everyone was so nice and it was so clean and the area was lovely. There were bathrooms with clean toilets locks and showers, laundry access, a marina, massive amounts of fish spots, several playgrounds, drivers were slow and courteous. Trip couldn’t have gone better!

We stayed the weekend here and it got really busy. When we tried to book online, all were taken but saw they had a few sites that were first come. Luckily, we got one of the last two. This campground is kept very clean and the hosts were excellent! The sites that overlook the lake are absolutely gorgeous! We didn’t land one but had lots of room where we were in site #24. There are a couple of beach areas you can walk or ride a bike to. The campground is close to a wal mart and a Mexican restaurant.

Pretty nice area, there were alot of people when we were there. But alot of good trails and fishing at the spillway.

Big, spacious campsites with really pretty, big trees for lots of shade. The bathroom and shower facilities are FABULOUS, and super clean. They smell like the laundry facilities as well, so great all around there. Rangers are walking/driving around, and really friendly. Marina and beach are close, and the most of the drive up sites are concrete or at least rocked. Fire rings/grates are provided and next to the picnic table.

A good place to walk or fish

Ranger Review Primus LiTech Trek Kettle at Dam West Campground

Campground Review

What a great campground on the shore of Carlyle Lake! Right next to the marina and with many sites right on the lake, you can’t go wrong here. Sites looked a bit more level on the inside of the loop than the lakeside sites, but I guess that’s the price you pay for real estate. My site was not the most level, but only steps from the beach with a few trees that might work for hammocking. The site was really clean and had plenty of space, with a nice paved parking pad, fire pit, picnic table, and electric hook up (all sites have electric!). Across the drive was a nice amphitheater and playground and a basic bathroom. The fairly clean shower house for the whole campground is up near the entrance (it also has a laundry room, but I did not check it out). The campground host for this summer is super nice and is likely to visit for a bit as he buzzes around on his scooter. There is a bike path that goes right past the campground that was busy all weekend with bikers, runners, and walkers, and takes you from the shower house to the marina in just a short walk.

Gear Review

Primus LiTech Trek Kettle As a Ranger for The Dyrt, from time to time I get new gear to review. On this camping trip I tested out Primus LiTech Trek Kettle. I have to say, this may be my new favorite cooking pot. It is the perfect size for one person(which works well as I frequently camp solo). I used it to heat up some frozen chili for dinner and then used it again in the morning to heat water for oatmeal. Here’s what I liked: The kettle holds just a bit more than a liter of water(or chili), which is about all you need to make coffee, heat large single servings of food, or just about anything It’s non-stick, so clean-up is a breeze and doesn’t retain odors The handles fold out and are easy to grip, and fold around the pot for easy out of the way storage Its super light weight(perfect for backpacking) Even though it was taller than wide, water heated up in it very quickly My little fuel canister fits inside perfectly with almost no rattling Primus included a nice carrying bag that fits the pot and has a small bit of room to spare Here’s what baffled me: The lid doubles as a tiny nonstick frying pan. But it is big enough for maybe one egg. It is so small that I am not exactly sure what you could make in it. I understand the desire to make the lid“usable”, but maybe a regular lid with a colander built in would have been more useful. The lid is not a great fit, and when packing up for storage, it kept sliding off. Despite the weird frying pan lid, I am really happy with the LiTech Kettle. It meets all of my needs in a lightweight package. It is easy to clean up, packs small, has good handles, and is a great addition to my camp cooking arsenal.

Great campground well maintained. Expertly managed

This campground qualifies for the senior pass for reduced rates. It is directly on Carlyle Lake, ,the largest lake in Illinois. It has activities for children on the weekends. The campsites have sewer and water on some sites, as well as other sites with electricity available. There are a lot of mature trees in the campground that provides plenty of shade int he summer. Many of the sites are blacktopped and large RV's will fit on the sites. There is a beach very near the campground that is within walking distance. There are also pools located near to the campground that can be used by the public.

Family and pet friendly, nice bath houses, most sites are spacious.

Minutes away from beach access.

This campsite is very clean and safe for young children. The camp spots are spacious wIth some paved spots or gravel. All spots have electrIc hookups wIth a few full service. They have outdoor informational presentations about plants and animals geared toward children. Paved bike paths with views of the lake. Be advised to make reservations for weekends. $20-25 a night.