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Established Camping

South Marcum Campground

South Marcum Campground, near Benton, Illinois, is a fantastic spot for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors without sacrificing comfort. With full-hookup sites available at a reasonable price, it’s a popular choice for campers who want to kick back and relax by the water.

This campground is known for its spacious sites that provide a bit of privacy, making it a great place for families or groups. Many visitors have praised the clean facilities, including well-maintained bathrooms, and the friendly atmosphere created by both staff and fellow campers. As one happy camper noted, “We love this campground as it is on the water, quiet, and the people are all very friendly.”

Outdoor activities abound here, with Rend Lake offering opportunities for swimming, fishing, and boating right at your doorstep. The scenic views, especially at sunset, are a highlight, and wildlife sightings, including deer and turkeys, add to the charm of the area.

While some campers have mentioned that certain sites can be tricky to level, bringing along extra leveling blocks can make your stay more comfortable. Overall, South Marcum Campground is a solid choice for anyone looking to enjoy a peaceful getaway surrounded by nature.

Description

US Army Corps of Engineers

Rend Lake

Overview

Congratulations! You've just discovered Rend Lake, the perfect place to enjoy a wide variety of activities, events and nature at its best. Even a short visit to Rend Lake will impress you with the versatility of this magnificent area. Rend Lake is made up of 20,633 acres of water and 19,523 acres of land. Wildlife in the area includes deer, turkey, fox, raccoon, opossu, waterfowl, and others as seasons change throughout the year. Whether you're looking for high adventure, a peaceful retreat, or something in between, you'll find it here in the heart of Southern Illinois.

Recreation

Take a leisurely morning stroll, ski or sail lake waters, spend the afternoon viewing inspiring art exhibits and end your day by the warm glow of a campfire under starry night skies. The fields, forests and waters of Rend Lake provide a natural haven for wildlife and an outdoor wonderland for you. Boat, hike, fish, hunt, swim, and explore at your leisure. If you prefer a little less nature, visit one of the resorts around the lake and delight in superb lodging and dining. Just minutes away you'll find golf, trap and skeet, arts, antiques, museums, wineries, and more.

Natural Features

South Marcum Campground sits along the banks of Rend Lake in the heart of Southern Illinois. With plenty of unobstructed views of the water, campers are able to take in scenic sunsets as well as enjoy activities such as bank fishing, right from the campground.

Nearby Attractions

Rend Lake Dam

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Location

South Marcum Campground is located in Illinois

Detail location of campground

Directions

From I-57 take exit 71 and turn west onto Highway 14. After 3 miles turn right on Rend City Road, then right on Rend Lake Dam Rd. Continue 3 miles to the park entrance on the left.

Address

11623 Trailhead Lane
Benton, IL 62812

Coordinates

38.033844 N
88.940156 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
    Unknown
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

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

Features

For Campers

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

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • 50 Amp Hookups
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

15 Reviews

Reviewed May. 13, 2024

Great Campground

Only $26 a night for full-hookups is amazing. Cell service for AT&T is marginal at 2 bars LTE. Only issue that I have is that site 49 is very hard to get level in, make sure that you bring extra leveling blocks if possible

Site49
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by James N., May 13, 2024
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by James N., May 13, 2024
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by James N., May 13, 2024
Reviewed Mar. 30, 2023

Great campground

We love this campground as it is on the water, quiet and the people and core of engineer workers are all very friendly. We camp here from April till October off and on.

Site74; 76; 79 and 80
Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Apr. 7, 2021

Convenient to I-57

South Marcum Campground is a Corp of Engineers campground just of I-57 in southern Illinois with over 100 reservable campsites. Sites have 30 & 50 amp Electric hookups. There is a dump station, hot showers, flush toilets, and drinking. Also a playground in the Whispering Pines loop. The campground is on Rend Lake with swimming, fishing and boating. Most sites are level. Some are pull-through. The sites are set up to provide some privacy, and are not right on top of each other.

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Joel R., April 7, 2021
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Joel R., April 7, 2021
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Joel R., April 7, 2021
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Oct. 7, 2020

Pretty but..

I really enjoyed the drive in for this one- crossed the dam, saw tons of deer, fairly large so lots of sites but descent space between them. The view off the lake at sunset was beautiful! However, our site didn’t have water hook up which I though let it should (some did, some didn’t so maybe just missed on my end). Our site was pretty trashed from the people prior and the fire was actually still burning. And heard the highway sounds all. night. long. I thought we were far enough away but not the case. Also had a train, some planes, and neighbors were up very early. It was a pretty campground for sure but overall not an enjoyable experience.

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Lindsay W., October 7, 2020
Reviewed Sep. 23, 2020

Nicely spaced out camping!

Great camp ground.. 50 amp service, some with water and some with Full hookup... Dump stations are EZ access on the way out..... Bathrooms were clean, loved Rend Lake.

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by kent F., September 23, 2020
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by kent F., September 23, 2020
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by kent F., September 23, 2020
Reviewed Aug. 23, 2020

Pretty Nice Lakeside CG

This is a very nice Corps of Engineers campground. The RV sites are paved and pretty level. Tent sites look nice too. Bathrooms are nice and clean. Didn’t use the shower facilities. The lake has a lot of boats flying around, but it’s placid after dark. Bugs weren’t bad at all.

No water or sewer hookups on Site 86.

Have fun!

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Matt M., August 23, 2020
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Matt M., August 23, 2020
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Matt M., August 23, 2020
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2020

South Marcum

Great place for camping, clean and really nice place.

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Jim L., August 17, 2020
Reviewed Jul. 29, 2020

Looking forward to a return trip

We only spent one night on our way back home, but can’t wait to go back. The campground gives campers plenty of room to spread out, lots of open space for the kids to play, and not crowded when we stopped by late July. We are looking forward to a return trip to do some more exploring around the lake.

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by CHris B., July 29, 2020
Reviewed Jun. 3, 2020

Relaxing and wonderful!

I really enjoyed staying there. It was a lot of fun. I went there for the Fourth of July for many years in a row. I loved the experience!

Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Aug. 6, 2019

Best campground on Rend Lake!

This is hands-down the nicest campground on Rend Lake. With hundreds of sites to choose from with some being tucked into the woods and others sitting right on the lake including some walking intense fights this campground is one of the nicest that you’ll find in Illinois. Plenty of bathrooms and bath houses as well as playgrounds and spacious campsites for larger RVs and plenty of access to the lake.

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by J K., August 6, 2019
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by J K., August 6, 2019
  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by J K., August 6, 2019
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Apr. 23, 2019

Tent/RV/lake

Great camping, usual campground with clean facility's. My family & i enjoy the lake for fishing , boating,swimming & beach time! Close to town for the forgotten marshmallows! Amazing sunsets over beautiful Rend lake!

Reviewed Jul. 31, 2016

Nice and quiet

These sites are pretty run of the mill average camping sites. They're very close to the Illinois state fair grounds. There are tent sites as well as RV sites that are very close to the lake.

  • Review photo of South Marcum Campground by Carrie J., July 31, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does South Marcum Campground have RV hookups?

    According to TheDyrt.com, South Marcum Campground has 50 amp electric hookups, water hookups and sewer hookups.

  • What is the max vehicle length at South Marcum Campground?

    South Marcum Campground allows vehicles up to 94 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at South Marcum Campground?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at South Marcum Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does South Marcum Campground have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, South Marcum Campground does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at South Marcum Campground?

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

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at South Marcum Campground?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at South Marcum Campground. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at South Marcum Campground, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at South Marcum Campground?

    There are 160 campsites at South Marcum Campground and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts