4 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Camping near Keyesport, Illinois centers on Carlyle Lake, the largest lake in Illinois, with campgrounds managed by state agencies and the Army Corps of Engineers ranging from primitive tent sites to full-hookup RV pads. Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area features the Illini Campground with over 300 electric sites and 30+ tent sites, many positioned along the lakeshore. Several Corps of Engineers campgrounds including Dam West, Dam East, Coles Creek, and McNair offer varying levels of amenities within a 15-minute drive of Keyesport. These facilities accommodate everything from primitive tent camping to full-hookup RV sites, with many campgrounds providing boat ramps for direct lake access. Cabins are available at select locations for those seeking alternatives to traditional camping.
Reservations are essential during peak season (May through September) as waterfront sites fill quickly, especially on summer weekends. Most campgrounds in the area feature paved or gravel pads suitable for RVs, with many sites offering electric hookups and some providing full-service connections. As one camper noted, "Full hookup sites are booked solid, so make sure you go online 6 months out or you are out of luck." Mature trees provide ample shade at many campgrounds, though site leveling can be an issue in some areas. Periodic flooding affects access to certain campgrounds, particularly during spring. Cell service is generally reliable throughout the area, with most visitors reporting 2-3 bars on major carriers.
Lakefront sites consistently receive the highest ratings from visitors, with many campers highlighting the peaceful setting and water access. "We woke up to hear the lake lapping at the shoreline. We had a nearly private cove to fish as well," reported one visitor to Eldon Hazlet. Fishing is a primary attraction, with boat rentals available at marinas near several campgrounds. Swimming beaches and pools complement the water recreation options. Bathroom and shower facilities vary in quality across locations, with Corps of Engineers campgrounds generally receiving higher marks for cleanliness. Bike paths connect some campgrounds to nearby amenities, and most locations are pet-friendly. The town of Carlyle, approximately 7 miles from most campgrounds, provides essential services including grocery stores, restaurants, and a Walmart.
"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
"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 next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $40 / 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 next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $250 / 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 next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $60 / 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
"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"
"There’s a very nice updated playground and a pond with a walking path around it. The place is very well taken care of. If we ever came back this way we would stay again."
"Beautiful walking paths, convenient, great pricing. They filled us up on LP too. Thanks again, Barb and Gary!"
"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."
"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 next weekend
from $20 - $125 / night
"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."
"Timber Trails Campground is a easy layover off of I-70, offering a family-friendly environment. The park provided us an easy in and out, pull-through site that was level and convenient."
TravelerCamp Host is very friendly and brought firewood to our site. Bath/shower house was clean. We were in the equestrian campground due to our 73 foot overall length. It was a great stay for visiting family. There are a lot of outdoor activities at the lake area, but no pool.
TravelerThe campsite is nice plenty of spaces spaced out nicely, but there’s absolutely no signage. took us forever to decide where we could park and what to do. tiny little sign on the Rangers house. Led us to a website and then charged us $50. Not what we were expecting. Plan ahead on this one.
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.
GuideWe arrived at 7 picked a spot in the fcfs area and were surprised that it was almost empty. We got a premium site on the water, with no other campers in sight. The website says the reservation areas were full but that was not true, you have to book 4 days in advance. The camp host was great! It will be on my list of places to overnight in the future. But the lake is beautiful and you could spend multiple days there if you wanted!
GuidePaved roads and campsites. Convenient to the interstate but removed enough to be peaceful. Beautiful sunset at the lake. Bathhouse is outdated but functional.
Carlyle Lake provides the primary camping backdrop near Keyesport, Illinois, covering 26,000 acres with 11.5 miles of shoreline accessible to campers. Winter temperatures can drop to the 20s, making seasonal camping considerations important for visitors. Water levels fluctuate significantly throughout the year, affecting campground access particularly during spring flooding.
Fishing opportunities: The lake attracts many anglers, with Boulder Recreation Area offering direct lake access and fish cleaning stations. "Depending on what site you stay in you will have an amazing view of the lake. With several picnic areas and the marina close. I have enjoyed camping and fishing at this campground," notes a visitor to Boulder Recreation Area.
Beach activities: Multiple swimming areas exist near campgrounds, with Dam West offering a dedicated beach. "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 a camper at Dam West Spillway.
Walking and biking: Many campgrounds connect to extensive trail systems around the lake. "There's miles and miles of walking and biking trails! The sites are pretty generously sized. Easy bike ride into the town of Carlyle," reports a visitor to McNair Campground.
Privacy and spacing: Many campsites offer good separation, particularly at Boulder. "Sites are spacious with plenty of room for camper and vehicles," notes a camper at Boulder Recreation Area.
Clean facilities: The Army Corps of Engineers maintains high standards at their campgrounds. "The shower houses are clean and air conditioned, there's a nice camp store that serves breakfast and basic lunches," reports a visitor to Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area.
Seasonal activities: Halloween events draw large crowds to certain campgrounds. "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," explains a camper at Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Seasonal closures: Not all campgrounds operate year-round. "Only negatives is that this campground is not open year-round," notes a camper at Dam West.
Flooding concerns: Certain campgrounds become inaccessible during high water. "When the lake is flooded you can not access this campground," warns a visitor about Boulder Recreation Area.
Water quality issues: Some campers report problems with the drinking water. "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," reports a visitor at Eldon Hazlet.
Reservation requirements: During peak season, planning ahead is crucial. "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," notes a camper at Coles Creek Recreation Area.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature multiple play areas for children. "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," recommends a visitor to Eldon Hazlet.
Swimming options: Beyond the lake, some campgrounds offer pool facilities. "There is a nice large zero entry pool for a $5 fee on weekends," notes a camper at Eldon Hazlet.
Educational activities: Look for ranger-led programs at certain campgrounds. "They have outdoor informational presentations about plants and animals geared toward children," explains a visitor to Dam West Spillway.
Wildlife viewing: Opportunities to see animals add to the family experience. "Oh and lots of deer bed down in the grassy areas at night, which was a fun thing to see," shares a camper at Eldon Hazlet.
Site leveling: Some lakefront sites require adjustment. "The sites that overlook the lake are absolutely gorgeous! The sites were flat ground," notes a visitor to Dam West Spillway.
Electrical options: Most campgrounds offer electric hookups with varying amperage. "Sites are either full hookup, or electric. Many can be reserved online some are FCFS," explains a visitor at Boulder Recreation Area.
Dump station access: Limited facilities can cause delays during busy periods. "The only thing I would change is the ONE dump station for this massive campground," warns a visitor to Coles Creek Recreation Area.
Pad surfaces: Various campgrounds offer different parking surfaces. "Sites are pretty level, are gravel, wooded, and spacious," explains a camper at Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping options are available near Keyesport?
Numerous camping options surround the Keyesport area. Illini Campground — Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area offers electric sites, shower houses, a pool, and camp store. Coles Creek Recreation Area provides shaded sites, many right on the water, with full hookups and 50-amp service. Other options include Washington County State Recreation Area surrounding a pretty lake, Beaver Dam State Park for tent camping, and Scott AFB FamCamp for military personnel. Most campgrounds in the area feature amenities like fire pits, picnic tables, and access to water activities, with varying levels of hookups from primitive to full-service sites.
Can you fish at Keyesport reservoir?
Yes, fishing is excellent in the Keyesport area, particularly at Carlyle Lake, Illinois' largest lake. Dam West Campground provides direct access to the lake, where fishing is reported to be good, especially with a boat. Washington County State Recreation Area also surrounds a very pretty lake suitable for fishing. The region's water bodies support diverse fish populations, though specific catch information isn't detailed in the reviews. For the best fishing experience, bringing a boat is recommended, though bank fishing is also possible at many locations around these lakes.
Where is Keyesport Sand and Gravel located?
Keyesport is located in south-central Illinois, in the vicinity of Carlyle Lake, which is the largest lake in Illinois. While the specific Keyesport Sand and Gravel operation isn't detailed in the reviews, the area is situated near Dam West Spillway and Dam East - Mcnair Campground, both of which are on Carlyle Lake. The region is characterized by its proximity to water resources, making it popular for outdoor recreation activities including camping, fishing, and boating.
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