Carlyle, IL is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Carlyle, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Carlyle and user-submitted reviews.
$15 - $30 / night
"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."
"while there are many full service sites available, this campground offers dozens of rustic tent sites right next to Carlyle Lake as well!"
$20 - $250 / night
"Coles Creek is a nice, large campground located on Carlyle Lake in Illinois. It has full hook up, 50 amp sites with many located right on the water!"
"Coles Creek Campground on Carlyle Lake has 219 sites, most with full hookups, and shade. (There is 30 & 50 a as no service). Internet is spotty. There are also 2 group campsites with cabins."
$30 / night
"It is directly on Carlyle Lake, ,the largest lake in Illinois. It has activities for children on the weekends."
"Ranger Review Primus LiTech Trek Kettle at Dam West Campground
Campground Review
What a great campground on the shore of Carlyle Lake!"
$20 - $40 / night
"Boulder is a lovely campground tucked away on Carlyle Lake. It has it's own marina where you can rent a slip for your boat. The sites are well spaced and have a beautiful view of the lake and sunsets!"
"Boulder Rec is a quiet, clean, COE camp on Lake Carlyle. Well kept, well tended. Site was relatively level (w/in couple inches) and had fire ring and picnic table. Stayed at Site 35."
$20 - $60 / night
"We love Lake Carlyle and Dam West is a great place to camp. CLEAN (and air conditioned) bath houses. The sites are beautiful and well maintained! Great place to bike, hike, and swim at the beach."
"Full hookups, reservable sites, walk up sites, and all sites are large! Full hookup sites are booked solid so make sure you go online 6 months out or you are out of luck."
"We love camping at all the campgrounds on Carlyle Lake. It’s always a good time. There are plenty of areas to fish, hike, swim, picnic."
"Overall Rating: 4 for cleanliness and location for travels on nearby highway. Spillway is not particularly pretty."
"There's miles and miles of walking and biking trails! The sites are pretty generously sized. The host was nice and the price was fantastic! I paid $42 for 4 nights."
"Quiet and plenty of trees and a walking path. A beach to swim at and a dock to fish off. A playground for kids. You can tent camp in a.few places but mai.ly for electric campers and.RV's."
$20 - $125 / night
"McNair ACE: Tate 4 for cleanliness and stopover location for travels on nearby highway. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(72 yr olds in 27’ trailer.)"
"Bathroom close by and very clean. Shower house only available at the main campground, which was a distance away and not reasonable to walk with a little one."
"Fun little trails, boat rentals and a swimming “beach” . On-site store and nicely groomed campgrounds."
TravelerWe stayed for five days during Labor Day weekend on our way to Emporia Kansas for Unbound gravel bike ride. This turned out to be a lovely little vacation for us. We were tired from the drive though we didn’t realize it until we stopped. There is a little pond where people fished, and a little walking path for little kid “hikes”. One day when we were bored we went to Casey the little town of big things and got a kick out of seeing the world’s largest rocking chair, wind chime etc. And we got a kick out of the fire breathing dragon in Vandalia. The camp owners were friendly and helpful. The bathroom was the cleanest I have seen at a campsite. The sites are close as it is a small campground. But it was easy as people were respectful of each others spaces and it was quiet.
ScoutIf I was in any other spot this would probably be a 4/5, but spot 56 has a crazy lake view and is on the tip of an outlook with pretty nice privacy!
TravelerGun Creek Campground is very peaceful, beautiful, and clean. They keep up with the grounds and shower houses very well. Easy to navigate roads and many things to do. You also have easy access to stores in the surrounding towns.
ScoutFriendly hosts, affordable, has a very welcoming vibe.. down home fun!
Can’t wait to go back and stay again!!
New owners.. improvements daily can’t wait to go back and see the transformation!!
Just fell in love with it!!
ScoutThe pool, the lake, the gigantic playground, the pavilion, the laundromat, the location, the cleanliness in the bathhouse, the gardens… the hosts Barb and Gary work their asses off to upkeep this place. You just cant beat it. You gotta stop in and experience it yourself, highly recommend!
GuideIt’s a beautiful place with good people but could definitely use some updating on the playground, signage, and drive.
LegendUsing your GPS of choice, you can reach this campground off I-57 via Benton or the IL-154/Sesser exit. The area includes both North Sandusky and South Sandusky COE campgrounds, clearly marked and easy to find. We arrived around 2:00 PM and found the check-in gate closed, but since we had a reservation, we proceeded directly to our back-in site 123 with full hookups. Most sites here offer water and electric (50/30/20 AMP), while the Dogwood loop features several full hookup sites in its upper section. Note that the loop has low-sloping ditches on both sides of the road, so precise backing is needed to land on the asphalt pad. There’s one full hookup pull-through site in the Dogwood loop—a long, slightly curved pad with sewer and power connections on the yard side, and water on the standard side. Both North and South Sandusky COE campgrounds offer a wide variety of site types, including lake views, varying utility setups, and well-spaced sites. Paved bike trails run throughout the area. We've been coming here for years, and this campground remains one of our favorites close to home.
GuideClean well kept grounds. Decent spacing and sites look mostly level. Water not at many sites. Showers are great separate toilets/shower rooms.
TravelerThis is not a rural campground. It's a centrally located campground in the Metro St. Louis area. It's close to interstates and it's a short drive across the river to Missouri attractions. Getting in after a long drive and seeing the on-site BBQ restaurant was a huge positive. Facilities are clean and orderly. We have booked a return trip already.
Camping near Carlyle, Illinois, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and family-friendly activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun-filled adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Carlyle, Illinois, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. With a variety of campgrounds and activities, you're sure to find the perfect spot for your next getaway!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Carlyle, IL is Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area with a 4.1-star rating from 25 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Carlyle, IL that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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