3 campgrounds with availability next weekend
The area surrounding Nashville, Illinois features several established campgrounds with Washington County State Recreation Area serving as the closest developed camping option. Located 18 miles from Nashville, this recreation area provides tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin accommodations in a wooded setting around a lake. Campgrounds in the region predominantly offer electric hookups with varying levels of amenities, from primitive sites to full-service facilities. Most camping areas in southern Illinois lie within state-managed recreation areas or along the shores of lakes like Carlyle Lake and Rend Lake, providing water-based recreation opportunities.
Many campgrounds in the Nashville area operate year-round with peak season running from April through October. Water access points and shower facilities may be limited during winter months. Reservations are recommended for summer weekends, particularly at waterfront sites. "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," noted one visitor to Washington County State Recreation Area. Most developed campgrounds in the region provide basic amenities including drinking water, restrooms, and electric hookups, though not all sites offer sewer connections. Cell service varies throughout the area with better connectivity near larger towns.
Lakeside camping represents a significant draw for visitors to the Nashville area with several campgrounds offering direct water access. Washington County State Recreation Area receives positive reviews for its quiet atmosphere and dark skies, making it popular for stargazing. As one camper described, "The campground is pretty far from any big metro area, so the sky was real dark, great for picking out constellations." Mixed-use campgrounds throughout southern Illinois accommodate various camping styles, with many offering separate areas for tent camping and RV hookups. The majority of developed campgrounds maintain clean restroom facilities and spacious sites, though amenities vary between locations. Several state recreation areas in the region provide additional activities including hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and boat rentals, making them suitable for extended stays.
"Hidden amongst the corn fields…little town of Nashville had ample supplies for restocking! Tent area was flat! Quiet after 10pm. Lots of nature sounds at night."
"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."
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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"
"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
"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
"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.
Nashville, Illinois camping options extend beyond typical state recreation areas with several lesser-known campgrounds within a 30-40 mile radius. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-90°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer milder conditions in the 60-75°F range. Many campsites in this region don't require advance reservations during weekdays, though holiday weekends fill quickly.
Fishing opportunities: Carlyle Lake at Dam West Spillway provides excellent shoreline fishing access. "My wife and I stayed at this campground for two nights along our cross-country road trip. We wanted to hit up a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game and this campground was close enough. The lake is enormous and there are plenty of fishing access points including a large dock so bring a boat!!" noted one visitor to Washington County State Recreation Area.
Swimming options: Many campgrounds offer beach access for cooling off during summer months. "We stayed at site #7 for one night in the spring. Some sites are spacious, others are pretty cramped. The loop that we stayed on was close to the water with views of Carlyle Lake. There is a swimming pool and campground store. The pool was closed when we were there but looked nice," reports a camper at Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Biking trails: Paved paths connect many campgrounds to nearby attractions and towns. "I really enjoyed my stay here! There's miles and miles of walking and biking trails! The sites are pretty generously sized. Easy bike ride into the town of Carlyle," writes a visitor at COE Lake Carlyle McNair Campground.
Affordability: Many campgrounds in the Nashville area offer low rates with additional discounts for seniors. "This is an ACOE so it is inexpensive and clean. There's lots of shade, level lots and waterfront sites. Though there is no water access on each site, it's not far from anyone. They do accept America the beautiful pass," notes a camper at Dam West Campground.
Privacy between sites: Some campgrounds provide more seclusion than others. "Site 26. We were basically by ourselves being mid week in November. Great view. Nice camp hosts. This place looks like it could get pretty full in the summer. It has its own swimming pool," mentions a visitor at Boulder Recreation Area.
Lake views: Many sites offer direct waterfront access with scenic vistas. "We stayed in site #6. Had full hookups, plenty of space, lots of shade, and a wonderful view. The site is level and also has a picnic table and fire ring. Overlooks the marina so you can watch boats come and go," reports a camper at Boulder Recreation Area.
Seasonal water access: Water facilities and hookups can change throughout the year. "Easy to find. Affordable overnight stay with electric. Beautiful lake. Friendly campers and hosts. Pit toilets. Spotty Verizon," notes a visitor at Washington County State Recreation Area.
Bathroom variability: Facilities range from primitive to modern across campgrounds. "Overall this is a VERY nice campground. There is a camp store, firewood available, and even a pool! The trails around are nice and our family had fun hiking. HOWEVER: Unless you have a restroom in your rig, be prepared to walk up to the showerhouse. The pit toilets that were spread across the campground were in horrendous condition," warns a camper at Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Reservation requirements: Some campgrounds fill quickly, especially on weekends. "We arrived at this campground at 11am on a Friday only to find that the first-come, first-serve sites were already full. After talking to the campground host, it sounds like they go fast," advises a visitor at Dam West Campground.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. "We stayed here for the first time the weekend of October 9th. 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," shares a camper at Coles Creek Recreation Area.
Halloween festivities: Special seasonal events occur at select 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. The campground also provides pumpkin painting contests and other fun activities. Better get there at least a week in advance for the halloween festivities- it fills up!" advises a visitor at Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Beach swimming: Many Nashville area campgrounds offer lake access with designated swimming areas. "While there are many full service sites available, this campground offers dozens of rustic tent sites right next to Carlyle Lake as well! We felt secluded yet had easy access to the campground shower house, swimming pool, wooded nature trail, campground hosts and camp store," reports a visitor at Eldon Hazlet State Park.
Electric hookup variability: Most campgrounds offer electric sites but amperage differs. "Quick overnight stay on our way West. Staff was friendly and welcoming on check in. Easy on and off Interstate 64," notes a visitor at Archway RV Park.
Site leveling challenges: Some waterfront sites require additional leveling equipment. "Sites are nice, although all sites face each other meaning you will be 5-10 feet from your neighbors if you are sitting out front. Full-hookups with only a 50amp connection so if you are using 30 make sure you have a 50/30 adapter," advises an RVer at Archway RV Park.
Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds have sewer connections at individual sites. "I was thoroughly impressed with the upkeep of this area. The campground is well maintained and has plenty of hiking area, fishing area, and playing/swimming area for children. The only thing I would change is the ONE dump station for this massive campground," mentions a visitor at Coles Creek Recreation Area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Nashville, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, Nashville, IL offers a wide range of camping options, with 85 campgrounds and RV parks near Nashville, IL and 1 free dispersed camping spot.
Which is the most popular campground near Nashville, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Nashville, IL is Washington County State Recreation Area with a 4.2-star rating from 13 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Nashville, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Nashville, IL.
What parks are near Nashville, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Nashville, IL that allow camping, notably Carlyle Lake and Rend Lake.
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