M
Mikayla E.
Traveler
TravelerSt. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park
Quiet and very clean
This campground is very well taken care of. The kids had plenty of things to do to stay busy and entertained outside.
Camping near Highland, IL
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Several campgrounds near Highland, Illinois provide camping access along the shores of Carlyle Lake, the largest lake in Illinois. Major established options include Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area's Illini Campground, Dam West Campground, and Coles Creek Recreation Area, all offering tent, RV, and some cabin accommodations. Rustic Acres Jellystone, located about 15 miles northwest of Highland, provides family-oriented camping with tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals. Tomahawk Campground in Pocahontas offers year-round camping approximately 8 miles from Highland.
Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with peak availability from April through October. Dam West Campground specifically operates from March 30 to October 30, while Boulder Recreation Area runs from April 13 to October 12. Reservations are recommended for weekend stays during summer months when lakeside sites fill quickly. Many campgrounds offer electric hookups, water access, and sanitary dump stations for RVs. Shower and toilet facilities are available at most established sites, though amenities vary by location. A camper wrote, "Dam West Campground is heavenly and peaceful. Lots of migrant waterfowl. Pelicans, egrets, blue herons."
Lakefront access represents a significant draw for campers visiting the Highland area, with multiple campgrounds offering waterfront sites along Carlyle Lake. Dam West Campground receives particularly high ratings for its lakeside sites, which provide direct water views. Scott AFB FamCamp, while primarily serving military personnel, offers a quieter alternative with lake access about 25 miles southwest of Highland. Campers frequently mention the region's wildlife viewing opportunities, particularly bird watching along the lake shores. Horseshoe Lake State Park Campground, located near Granite City, provides another option with electric hookups and basic amenities. A recent review noted that at Dam West, "We camped right on the lake with a great view. This site and the site next to it are the best sites in the campground with a pull through layout for a great setup for a lake view."
Best Campgrounds near Highland (63)
1. Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area
"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
Check Availability2. Tomahawk Campground
3. Rustic Acres Jellystone
"We chose this campground because it was near our route and we needed a place to stay for one night."
4. Dam West Campground
"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. "
from $20 - $60 / night
Check Availability5. Dam West Spillway
"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 $30 / night
Check Availability6. Scott AFB FamCamp
"You are on the entire opposite side of the base, away from everything, absolutely everything.."
"GREAT location for camping, especially if you run out of items and need to get something close by. Very natural, and amazing views and the feel is spectacular."
7. Horseshoe Lake State Park Campground
"Great spot in a beautiful area close to St. Louis. No power but access to drinking water and waste water dump for just 8$."
"Horseshoe Lake is one of my most visited parks and most favorite park in the STL and surrounding areas. First off absolutely beautiful land and peace is easily achieved."
8. Coles Creek Recreation Area
"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!"
from $20 - $250 / night
Check Availability9. Boulder Rec. Area - COE Campground
"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!"
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability10. St. Louis NE-Granite City KOA
"Conveniently located just outside of St Louis. We camped here for a trip to the city for St Louis cardinals game and zoo. My kids loved the jumping pillow at the park."
"It's not in the prettiest location, very industrial and the train tracks run close. First night one came through blowing its horns around 5am."
Drive Time
- 30 min from St. Louis, MO
- 1 hr 8 min from Springfield, IL
- 1 hr 39 min from Decatur, IL
- 2 hrs 1 min from Cape Girardeau, MO
Recent Camping Photos near Highland, IL
43 Photos of 63 Highland Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tomahawk Campground
Rustic Acres Jellystone
Dam West Campground
Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area
Dam West Spillway
Horseshoe Lake State Park CampgroundF
Dam East - Mcnair CampgroundK
Coles Creek Recreation Area
Boulder Rec. Area - COE Campground
Lazy Days RV Park & Campground
Country Bend CampgroundK
Beaver Dam State Park Campground
Recent Reviews near Highland, IL
377 Reviews of 63 Highland Campgrounds
Maddie E.
ScoutSt. Louis NE-Granite City KOA
Its fine 🤷🏼♀️
Its fine. Nothing snazzy. Its in more of an industrial area so its kind of loud with the trains going by and whatnot. Mostly an RV site. 9 tent sites (first come first serve on spot) and a handful of cabins.
Patrick L.
GuideHorseshoe Lake State Park Campground
Today 8/8/2026 camping area is closed for construction.
Camping area is closed until further notice. Construction
MickandKarla W.
LegendSt. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park
Our Recommended Campground for Visiting the St. Louis Area
This campground was easy to find, as both our GPS and the campground signs led us right to the city park and campground entrance. Check-in begins at 2:00 p.m., but we called ahead and were graciously allowed to arrive an hour early. We checked in and proceeded to back-in Site 426 with full hookups. As the last site in the campground, the curve in the road made for an exceptionally easy back-in. The concrete pad easily accommodated our 40-foot toy hauler and F-450, with utilities conveniently located near the center of the site and no issues connecting two sewer hoses. Water pressure was adequate, and the 50-amp electric performed flawlessly. The campground's four loops have mostly younger trees, so satellite reception should not be a problem in most sites. Although we brought our Starlink, we used our T-Mobile Home Internet instead, averaging 217 Mbps download and 21.5 Mbps upload. The campground information sheet mentioned Wi-Fi, but we never saw a network to join and didn't inquire further since our internet worked well. We received three bars on Verizon and two bars on T-Mobile. The campground has a nice fenced dog park that's large enough to actually throw a ball, plus a paved walking and biking trail that circles the lake. The office also sells ice and firewood, and the dump station is located behind the office. Many sites offer lake views, and the RV sites are generally well spaced. We noticed Loop 100 has all concrete pads, the first two rows of Loop 200 are concrete with the remaining sites primarily gravel except for some end sites, Loop 300 is reserved for primitive camping and tents, and Loop 400 has a mix of concrete and gravel sites. The center rows of the RV loops are pull-throughs. One thing to be aware of is that the campground has begun charging short-term campers for electricity. We weren't informed about it during check-in, although our traveling companions were shown how to monitor their usage online. The information sheet we received only referenced weekly and monthly electric charges. Even with hot weather and occasionally running three air conditioners during our three-day stay, our electric charge was only about $14. We departed without stopping at the office and received a checkout email about an hour after the noon checkout time. The St. Louis area is our home base, and in our opinion, this is the best RV park in the area and the one we most often recommend to our RV friends.
Matthew M.TravelerScott AFB FamCamp
No frills
BL, the camp could use a Camp Host or Mayor. Stayed 1 night. We used the bathhouse and walked the grounds- so did a lot of other people; especially in the morning up to lunch. Quiet camp -Aircraft noise held off until 08:00 (bonus). Men’s shower side had great water pressure and temp- water fixtures were dated, dirty and temperamental (2 shower heads-1 working) also, cozy up to your multi-legged friends (spider webs and bugs were in competition for our shower space), Laundry is $1.50/wash&dry. I’ve stayed at a good many FamCamps: Lake Martin Rec -AL Uchee Creek-GA Destin Army Inf CTR-FL Robins AFB FamCamp-GA Round Pond -NY Kings Creek-VA Ellsworth AFB-SD Blue Angel Rec-FL Anniston Army Depot-AL Sigsbee-FL That’s my starter list! So, I’d like to see this one level up. It’s in a good area (we come through every couple years) and I think it could get a few more interested in it, if it were managed just a little bit better.
Tammy S.GuideSt. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park
Great price for what you get!
Full hook up. Lovely lake. Great paved path. Sites are level. Landscaping is amazing. My only issue is no shade trees. Where else are you getting full hook up with all of these activities for this price?
- BBarbara S.Guide
Archway RV Park
Convenient but pricey for quick stop
Right off the freeway. We were going to overnight park at Loves but had problems with our generator. 93 degrees at 11 pm so we splurged for a site and paid $71 for full hookups. It’s a small campground, more like a parking lot, so easy in and out. They have a handful of cabins and a wash house.
There are two unisex bathrooms, each with multiple toilets and showers, which is weird because you have to lock the outer door for privacy while using the facilities. Good for a parent with small children, I guess, but I felt like I was hogging the bathroom.
There is a small pond at the back of the grounds and a kid was fishing it. They also have a fenced in dog park. No shade in that area, but nice touch!
- WWilliam M.Traveler
Sherwood Forest
Great spot by lake
This place was amazing other than the humidity (mid july). Showed up and the hosts were super nice and helped me to my spot. They have lots of camper spots, most seemed like long term campers. I used a tent and had a great spot near the lake. No other tent campers around. They have a good open spot for tents that you just find a spot and set up. Campers seemed nice and we re quiet.
- Tammy S.Guide
Boulder Rec. Area - COE Campground
Nice place to relax
Great views. Lots of water view sites. Just not a lot to do in the area. Hosts are very kind
Guide to Highland
Carlyle Lake sits at the heart of camping spots near Highland, Illinois, spanning 26,000 acres with over 80 miles of shoreline. Most campgrounds in this region maintain operations from April through October, with seasonal closures often extending into winter months. Water levels can fluctuate significantly throughout the year, occasionally causing temporary closures of lower-elevation campsites during heavy spring rains.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Boulder Recreation Area provides direct lake access with multiple shoreline fishing spots. "We had a nearly private cove to fish as well," notes Julie M. about nearby Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Swimming options: Coles Creek Recreation Area features a dedicated beach for campers. "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," explains Jeanie H.
Boating access: Several campgrounds offer proximity to marinas with boat launching facilities. "Overlooks the marina so you can watch boats come and go," writes Joanna M. about Boulder Rec. Area, which provides easy water access.
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Many sites offer generous spacing compared to commercial campgrounds. At Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area, "Some sites are spacious, others are pretty cramped. The loop that we stayed on was close to the water with views of Carlyle Lake," reports Allen S.
Clean facilities: Bathroom and shower facilities receive consistent praise at many locations. "The bathrooms and shower facilities are FABULOUS, and super clean. They smell like the laundry facilities as well, so great all around there," notes heather S. about Dam West Spillway.
Lakefront views: Premium sites with direct water views are highly coveted. "We 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," shares Sarah J. about her stay at Dam West Spillway.
What you should know
Reservation timing: For peak summer weekends, plan far ahead. "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," warns Brooke C. from her experience at Eldon Hazlet.
Water quality issues: Some campers report problems with drinking water supplies. "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," cautions Allen S. about Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Facility variation: Bathroom facilities vary significantly between campgrounds. At Dam West Spillway, "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)," mentions Annie C.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Multiple play areas keep children entertained. At Eldon Hazlet State Park, "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," explains Brooke C.
Special events: Some campgrounds organize seasonal activities for families. "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," shares Aimee T. about Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Nature opportunities: Wildlife viewing adds educational value for children. "Lots of migrant waterfowl. Pelicans, egrets, blue herons," observes Shawn about the variety of birds at Dam West Campground.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Come prepared with leveling blocks at certain campgrounds. At Scott AFB FamCamp, "A lot of spots are not level, so come prepared. Some spots are shaded. Some spots are in full sun," advises MGySgt K.
Hookup availability: Hookup options vary widely between campgrounds and specific sites. "Sites are either full hookup, or electric. Many can be reserved online some are FCFS," explains Shane E. about Boulder Recreation Area.
Dump station congestion: During busy checkout periods, plan for potential delays. "Does not have sewer hook up. One dump station that is clean, black water hose provided, but used a lot. Expect to wait your turn," warns MGySgt K. about Scott AFB FamCamp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Highland, IL?
Which is the most popular campground near Highland, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Highland, IL is Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area with a 4.2-star rating from 26 reviews.
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