2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Centralia, Illinois serves as a hub for several mixed-use campgrounds with diverse accommodation options. The area features established campgrounds like Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area and Coles Creek Recreation Area on Carlyle Lake, the largest lake in Illinois. These campgrounds provide a range of camping experiences from primitive tent sites to full-hookup RV spots, with some locations also offering cabin rentals. Washington County State Recreation Area, located south of Centralia, provides a more secluded camping environment with wooded sites surrounding a smaller lake.
Most campgrounds in the region operate year-round or have extended seasons from early spring through late fall. Carlyle Lake campgrounds like Dam West and Dam East offer electrical hookups at most sites, with some providing full hookups including water and sewer connections. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for weekend stays during summer months when waterfront sites fill quickly. Weather conditions can affect camping experiences, with potential for flooding in some areas during heavy rain periods. A camper noted, "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."
Lakefront camping represents a significant draw for visitors to the Centralia area, with multiple campgrounds providing direct water access. Several Corps of Engineers campgrounds on Carlyle Lake receive consistently high ratings for their spacious sites and lake views. According to one visitor, "This is our favorite campground in Central/southern Illinois. The sites are very nice and most have shade. There is a beach for campers to use, and a really nice playground." Campgrounds typically feature amenities such as shower houses, dump stations, and playgrounds. The region's camping areas balance proximity to water recreation with wooded settings, offering both sunny lakeside spots and shaded forest sites. Visitors frequently mention the quality of fishing opportunities, particularly at Rend Lake and Carlyle Lake, where crappie, largemouth bass, and catfish are common catches.
"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."
"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."
from $15 - $30 / night
"This is our favorite campground in Central/southern illinois. The sites are very nice and most have shade. There is a beach for campers to use, and a really nice playground."
"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!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $250 / 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!"
"The bathrooms, showers, and laundry all close by. Good hot water in the showers. The host was friendly and helpful. I’d go back again!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $40 / night
"Long first day drive, but so handy and staff couldn’t be more accommodating to our late arrivals. Just far enough from Interstate so noise isn’t an issue. Lots of services at the same exit."
"This is primarily a RV park near I-64 and on a highway. Noisy!! Bad noisy. Camp site was nice. Grassy, level, near a picnic shelter with tables. Shade trees. But only about 2-3 such sites."
from $60 - $75 / night
"It is directly on Carlyle Lake, ,the largest lake in Illinois. It has activities for children on the weekends."
"Right next to the marina and with many sites right on the lake, you can’t go wrong here."
from $30 / night
"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 camped right on the lake with a great view. "
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $60 / 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."
Available this weekend
from $20 - $125 / night
"Overall Rating: 4 for cleanliness and location for travels on nearby highway. Spillway is not particularly pretty."
"Every camping spot has trees surrounding it so it’s very"
"This is a nice little park in southern Illinois. It is surrounded by cornfields, however the park is wooded. The park surrounds a very pretty lake and I have attached a picture."
"This is a small lake management by the state of Illinois. The campground is usually not crowded, but some weekends do get busy. There is a shower/bathroom that was clean each time we were there."
"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."
"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."
TravelerThis is a 100 site campground on Rend Lake in Illinois. Lots of trees. Level paved sites unless you book right by the lake. Some are very steep. Bring lots to level with! We are in site 92. Away from the lake but beautiful sunshine.
GuideGreat place easy on off the hyw sites are old so you may need to block up your RV to level it . Some sites only have electric so be careful when you book it. Heard some road noise from the HYW but the campsite had plenty of room
LegendWe had never stayed at Whittington Woods, but several of our camping friends have stayed here over the years while traveling through the area. At a recent RV open house, we talked with the campground (CG) owners and decided to switch our reservation from another private CG to Whittington Woods to check it out. The owners suggested sites 92 or 97, and we were able to reserve back-in site 92 with FHUs for our two-night stay. Site 92 is one of the better sites, with a large yard and good separation from neighboring sites. The CG was easy to find off I-57—follow your GPS or the signs. Check-in was quick, and we were escorted to our site. Unfortunately, one of the CG’s regular guests had set up in our reserved site 92 instead of site 93. After a brief discussion between our owner/escort and the guest, moving him was clearly not going to be a quick process. We were offered a couple of other available sites and decided to take site 93. Site 93 was a significant downgrade, with only a sliver of yard and very little separation from site 94. The sewer and electrical connections are near the center of the gravel pad, while the electrical breaker is on the opposite side of site 94. The water connection is at the very back, requiring more than 30 feet of hose for our rig. The owners were very nice, probably too nice when dealing with their“regulars,” and made the situation more tolerable by giving us a good discount for site 93. We received two bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. We normally get good performance from our T-Mobile internet with two bars, but download speed was only 41.2 Mbps. The CG Wi-Fi was better at 69.3 Mbps download. There are a lot of mature trees, so satellite/Starlink reception could be iffy depending on the site. The CG is conveniently located near I-57 and right off IL-37, although there was quite a bit of highway noise that was manageable for us. The property provides plenty of room for walking, especially with a dog, and has a decent-sized dog park. There are quite a few full-timers and regulars, with some keeping their sites well maintained and others not so much. We also saw some of the same latitude given to“regulars” when it came to keeping dogs on a leash and picking up after them. They have 5 pull throughs that are mainly used for overnighters that are handy but close together. We understand why several of our friends regularly stay here for a night or two while traveling to and from Florida. Whittington Woods is conveniently located off I-57 and offers FHUs, making the CG a practical overnight stop. Our home base is only about an hour and a half away, however, and we have better options in the area when we need a final stop to flush tanks before heading home.
GuideGreat campsite very large easy to get in and additional parking for your truck right next to your trailer
GuideWhat started as a one-night camping trip quickly turned into a three-night stay—I just didn't want to leave! Most of the campsites feature beautiful lake views and are well-shaded by tall trees. Each spot is equipped with an electric hookup, a fire pit, and a picnic table, plus having access to hot showers made the stay super comfortable. To top it off, our cats loved taking walks with us around the campground!
GuideThis was a beautiful place to spend an evening on our cross country trip. We were able to secure site B7 -a nice level and shady spot on a beautiful tree lined lake. The site was dusty but there was a picnic table and electricity. It was 90 degrees in early October so I can imagine the open spots are really hot during the heat of the summer. Signs tell you to check in with camp host before parking but there was no one at their camper. I called the phone number and a helpful gentleman explained that the sites were first come, first served and someone would be around to collect our $20 fee. One large bathhouse for the campground was a good walk away but was spotless. I would have given this campground a 5 rating but after walking around, we realized that most of the sites by the lake were hard packed dirt, small and not level. However there is a new section I that has 10 long back in gravel pads with electric & water. They are away from the water but close to the shower house. Finally, google coordinates directed us to a private residence just short of the marina. Follow directions to the marina and find the road to the campground at the end of the parking lot.
ScoutRend Lake, in Whittington, Il is just a great place to camp. From primitive to full hook ups they have what you need for a Corps of Engineers campground.
TravelerJody, the hostess, is friendly and responsive. We stayed one night in the fall so the many permanent RVs were not occupied. The park is large and surrounded by woods and fields. We had a peaceful night near the cornfields where the short-term RV sites are located. Can hear the train horn in the distance. Note that they are tandem, so pull thru for the first person but back in for the second. We would stay here again.
TravelerI believe this is one of the best campgrounds I've been to. It is safe friendly, theres laundry, lp fill, close to rend lake, 20 mins from walmart, a great place to relax and visit, vacation, whatever you like.
Centralia, Illinois camping areas cluster around Carlyle Lake, a 26,000-acre reservoir with 83 miles of shoreline. The region sits at approximately 500 feet elevation with humid continental climate conditions featuring hot summers and mild springs and falls. Most camping areas remain open from April through October, with limited winter camping available at select locations.
Fishing opportunities: Dam East Recreation Area offers prime fishing spots along the spillway. One visitor noted, "Lots of fisherman bed down in the grassy areas at night, which was a fun thing to see!"
Swimming access: Boulder Recreation Area provides direct lake access with clean swimming areas. A camper shared, "Bathrooms and showers are available. Boat ramp on site and plenty of parking."
Walking trails: The region features extensive trail networks connecting many campgrounds. A visitor at COE Lake Carlyle McNair Campground mentioned, "There's miles and miles of walking and biking trails! Great campground for taking long walks and bike rides."
Nature viewing: Washington County State Recreation Area offers excellent stargazing due to minimal light pollution. A camper reported, "The sky was real dark, great for picking out constellations. We listened to Whip-por-will calls around the campfire."
Spacious sites: Many Corps of Engineers campgrounds feature generous camping spaces. At Dam West Campground, a visitor noted, "The sites are beautiful and well maintained! Great place to bike, hike, and swim at the beach."
Clean facilities: Campgrounds throughout the region receive praise for well-maintained amenities. One camper at Boulder Rec Area stated, "This campground boasts the best shower house/bathrooms around. They are air conditioned and cleaned regularly."
Affordability: Corps of Engineers campgrounds offer excellent value, especially for seniors. A visitor to McNair Campground shared, "If you're a senior, the rate is $7/night with electric. I paid $42 for 4 nights."
Lake views: Many sites provide direct water access. A camper at Coles Creek Recreation Area reported, "It has full hook up, 50 amp sites with many located right on the water!"
Reservation requirements: During peak season, particularly weekends, reservations are essential. A visitor to Dam West Campground noted, "Full hookup sites are booked solid so make sure you go online 6 months out or you are out of luck."
Weather considerations: Flooding can impact accessibility at certain campgrounds. A reviewer of Boulder Recreation Area cautioned, "When the lake is flooded you cannot access this campground."
Drinking water quality: Water quality varies by location and season. One camper at Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area reported, "The potable water supply... was extremely dirty with a lot of copper colored solids. Not sure if this was related to it being early in the season."
Pit toilet conditions: Basic restroom facilities can be problematic at some sites. A visitor mentioned, "The pit toilets that were spread across the campground were in horrendous condition and had wasps, spiders, and other critters hanging out."
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. A visitor to Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area shared, "There are three playground areas, a basketball court, sand volleyball and a pool during summer months."
Halloween events: Special seasonal activities attract families. A camper noted, "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."
Independent exploration: The campground layout allows for supervised freedom. One visitor observed, "Reminds me of when I was a kid and there were camp clubs. You came with your parents and didn't see them again until night time. We swam rode bikes and just played."
Beach proximity: Many campsites offer walking distance to swimming areas. A family at Coles Creek mentioned, "There is a beach for campers to use, and a really nice playground. Their bathrooms and showerhouse were impeccably clean."
Site selection: For optimal experiences, waterfront sites offer the best views. At Washington County State Recreation Area, a reviewer noted, "The cabins have no running water or nearby toilet but more private and great lake views."
Hookup availability: Full-service sites are limited and in high demand. A camper at Dam West explained, "Full hookups, reservable sites, walk up sites, and all sites are large! Full hookup sites are booked solid."
Dump station limitations: Some campgrounds have limited waste disposal facilities. One RVer cautioned, "The only thing I would change is the ONE dump station for this massive campground."
Leveling considerations: Site conditions vary throughout the region. A visitor at Boulder noted, "Sites were very level," while another at Dam East mentioned, "Some sites are spacious, others are pretty cramped."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Centralia, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Centralia, IL is Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area with a 4.2-star rating from 26 reviews.
What parks are near Centralia, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Centralia, IL that allow camping, notably Carlyle Lake and Rend Lake.
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