3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Rend Lake in southern Illinois features multiple Corps of Engineers campgrounds with both basic and full-hookup sites. South Sandusky Campground, North Sandusky Recreation Area, and Gun Creek provide a range of camping experiences from waterfront tent sites to RV camping with electric and sewer connections. Most developed campgrounds near Rend Lake maintain paved pads for RVs, while also accommodating tent campers with shaded sites. The Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground offers cabins alongside traditional camping areas, providing visitors with multiple accommodation types within proximity to the lake.
Camping in the Rend Lake area operates seasonally at most locations, with many campgrounds opening in March and closing in November. Several campgrounds like South Sandusky and North Marcum offer water and electric hookups, with some providing full service sites including sewer connections. "Most sites here offer water and electric (50/30/20 AMP), while the Dogwood loop features several full hookup sites in its upper section," noted one visitor describing South Sandusky. Site accessibility varies throughout the region, with some campgrounds featuring paved bike trails connecting different areas. Roads within the developed camping areas are typically paved, though some camping spots have uneven terrain requiring leveling equipment for RVs.
Waterfront sites throughout the Rend Lake region receive consistent praise from campers who appreciate the lake views and easy water access. A camper observed, "South Sandusky is a very nice campground with lots of trees, concrete pad, fire pit, playground, and bathroom facilities. It is wheelchair accessible and walking distance from the lake where you can swim, fish, boat, go tubing or just walk the trails." Wildlife viewing opportunities enhance the camping experience, with visitors regularly reporting deer sightings near their campsites. Restroom and shower facilities at most developed campgrounds are well-maintained, though some visitors mention issues with insects in bathroom buildings. Family-friendly amenities include playgrounds, swimming beaches, and fishing access, making these campgrounds popular destinations for multi-generational trips during the peak summer season.
"This 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."
"Rend 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."
Available this weekend
from $20 - $30 / night
"This is hands-down the nicest campground on Rend Lake."
"South Marcum Campground is a Corp of Engineers campground just of I-57 in southern Illinois with over 100 reservable campsites. Sites have 30 & 50 amp Electric hookups."
Available this weekend
from $16 - $44 / night
"Well maintained on beautiful Rend Lake in southern Illinois. Reservations accepted on reservation.gov. Walk ins also welcome."
"South Sandusky campground is a Corps of Engineers campground on Rend Lake, just off I-57 in Southern Illinois. There are 8 tent sites & 119 sites with electric and full hook-ups."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $16 - $28 / night
"Wayne Fitzgerald State Park is on Rend Lake, just off I-57 in Southern Illinois. It’s a great place for camping, fishing and bikes."
"Many of the sites are walk up only. The sites have a lot of room to enjoy a relaxing weekend or set up yard games. Rend lake is a good size lake with numerous areas to explore the water."
"Short drive to Rend Lake, bike trails, kayaks, fishing. Also, a fun winery about 1 mile north! I do recommend this campground!"
"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."
"There are mature trees around the seven pull-through sites across the road from the main campground, but Starlink should work in most of them if you're able to position the dish around the trees."
"Not a bad place for a stop between destinations or a couple days at the lake would be fine. Roads and sites were well maintained. The dog park gets muddy quick, it’s mostly moss and dirt."
"North Sandusky Campground is a gem in Southern Illinois. Many of the sites are backed up to Rend lake and the others back up to the woods. The sites all seem to be fairly well maintained and roomy."
"What can I say, all the places around Rend Lake are great. Really enjoyed camping here, stayed a week. I’ll be back."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $28 / night
"Rend Lake is one of our favorite lakes at which to camp. All of the COE engineer campgrounds are well maintained and have waterfront sites!"
"The bathrooms were magnificently clean at the South Sandusky in Rend Lake. The lake was nice. There was lots of trees very very nice campground."
"The Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Rend Lake are very well kept and a safe bet for a weekend away. Showers are clean, bathrooms all “flush”. Campsite sizes vary, but all are reasonably spaced."
"Most of the campsites feature beautiful lake views and are well-shaded by tall trees."
from $30 / night
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.
LegendWe were heading back to our home base and decided to check out this new KOA Holiday and dump our tanks before heading home. The campground (CG) was approximately 10 miles and 20 minutes off I-57 on southern Illinois backcountry roads. Along the way, we encountered a suspiciously low power line that our 13.5'-high rig cleared. Small KOA signs guided us all the way in. We've stayed at many KOAs and particularly enjoyed KOA Holidays for their service and amenities, but this CG was not what we expected. We arrived at a large gravel parking area and found a check-in room at the end of a warehouse, with envelopes on a bulletin board and a phone number to request an escort. Since the RV sites were down a steep hill, we checked our assigned Creek Side site 26 before moving our rig. Sites 23–26 sat in a bowl at the bottom of the CG, with little room to maneuver our 41' fifth wheel and F450. The escort number went to voicemail, but we reached the manager using the CG brochure number. He agreed our rig wouldn't fit and moved us to back-in site 18 on the hill. All RV sites were back-ins. Creek Side sites appeared better suited for smaller RVs, although larger rigs might fit sites 23 and 24. We later discovered the main KOA office near the marina, which handled cabin check-ins, food, and boat rentals. Sites 1–19 were former pull-through motorcoach sites converted to back-ins, with utilities on the opposite side to accommodate other RVs. Our site 18 was exceptionally wide but close to neighboring sites. We positioned our rig toward the right side of the gravel pad (facing the site) to maintain reasonable access to hookups. The electrical pedestal was at the far back, requiring approximately 35' of power cord to accommodate our toy hauler's rear deck. The wide pad provided plenty of parking for a tow vehicle or boat. However, the CG brochure listed a $75 fee for parking boats or trailers at sites, and a marina sign listed a $50 launch fee. We couldn't determine how these fees applied. Water pressure was excellent, so use a regulator. CG Wi-Fi delivered 20.9 Mbps, Verizon had two bars, and T-Mobile had three. Our T-Mobile Home Internet delivered 358 Mbps, allowing us to stream golf and football. With no trees around the RV sites, satellite reception shouldn't be a problem. Some sites had limited lake views, but don't expect panoramic views or direct lake access. The CG had undergone considerable improvements, including attractive cabins, several right on the lake. KOA cabins were mixed with privately owned cabins, while lake access was concentrated near the small marina and swimming area. We expected more direct lake access and walking trails, but neither was available from the RV sites. A standard fenced KOA dog park was available, but longer walks with our pup were limited to a short path around the fishing pond, gravel areas, and CG roads. Considerable work and investment had gone into this CG, but our experience didn't entice us to return.
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!
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.
GuideVery small, maybe 10-12 sites that are first come first serve. $10 per night as of September 2026. Solid Verizon cell coverage. Very quiet.
GuideI stayed at a walk-to tent site for which the price was $8 per night. Pretty solid Verizon cell signal. Clean showers and well kept. The place did sound pretty loud as far as older partiers, though around 9pm, it was near silent. I'd definitely stay here again.
Rend Lake camping facilities operate within specific environmental regulations enforced by the Army Corps of Engineers. The 18,900-acre reservoir, formed by the Big Muddy River, maintains a maximum depth of 35 feet with numerous shallow fishing areas throughout. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-95°F with high humidity levels, while spring and fall camping seasons experience milder conditions with occasional thunderstorms.
Fishing opportunities: Rend Lake offers abundant catfish, crappie and bass fishing directly from waterfront sites. "Great rates and even better campsites. We got there late and had no problems finding a great campsite right next to the lake," notes a visitor at Gun Creek. Fish cleaning facilities are available near the golf course.
Water recreation: Swimming beaches adjoin several campgrounds for convenient access. "Rend Lake is one of our favorite lakes at which to camp. All of the COE engineer campgrounds are well maintained and have waterfront sites!" reports a camper at Rend Lake. Many campsites allow direct boat access.
Biking trails: Paved paths connect campgrounds throughout the recreation area. "There's a biking trail that we also used as a walking trail. Beautiful scenery along the way," mentions a reviewer at COE Rend Lake North Sandusky Recreation Area. Most trails remain open year-round, weather permitting.
Lake views: Many sites offer direct water frontage with sunset views. "What a beautiful campground, it's our second time here. Some spots do have a fairly good slope to them," notes a camper from Gun Creek. The western-facing sites provide optimal sunset viewing.
Wildlife viewing: Deer frequently visit campsites in quieter areas. "Beautiful and spacious camp sights in a quiet environment. We have had deer playing on an adjacent site to us," shares a visitor to COE Rend Lake North Sandusky Recreation Area. Morning and evening hours offer the best wildlife observation times.
Site spacing: Most campgrounds provide adequate room between sites. "The campground gives campers plenty of room to spread out, lots of open space for the kids to play, and not crowded when we stopped by late July," explains a reviewer at South Marcum Campground. Site sizes vary considerably between campground loops.
Reservation systems: Different campgrounds have varying reservation policies. "The stay was pleasant and the lake was very nice but the reservation system and finding a spot was overly complicated for a first timer," explains a camper at Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground. Some campsites require daily payment by 8 pm to maintain your spot.
Site leveling: Many lakeside sites have significant slopes. "Overall a great stay, very busy as it was full the entire time we were there. Absolutely must check how level the spots are before you book, as lots of sites are over 4 inch incline," warns a Gun Creek visitor. Bring leveling blocks for RVs.
Noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience traffic sounds. "It was a good view, also pretty RV heavy, but tent friendly. Because of the lake there are tons of mosquitos, plan accordingly! There was also a little skunk walking around this morning," reports a Gun Creek camper. Highway noise affects certain loops more than others.
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds feature play equipment for children. "South Sandusky is a very nice campground with lots of trees, concrete pad, fire pit, playground, and bathroom facilities," confirms a visitor to South Sandusky Day Use. Playground equipment typically accommodates ages 5-12.
Swimming beaches: Sandy swimming areas provide safer water entry points. "We love the large beach. The campsites have a nice set up and are a decent size. The kids loved the playground. There were kids everywhere and everyone was very friendly!" shares a camper from South Sandusky Campground.
Insect preparation: Lake environments attract mosquitoes, particularly during summer evenings. "Because of the lake there are tons of mosquitos, plan accordingly!" warns a Gun Creek camper. Bring insect repellent and consider screened shelter areas for evening activities.
Hookup configurations: Full-service sites have specific layout considerations. "Using your GPS of choice, you can reach this campground off I-57 via Benton or the IL-154/Sesser exit. 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," advises a South Sandusky Campground visitor.
Off-season availability: Several campgrounds remain open with reduced services outside summer months. "Nice place, just a tad hard to figure out where our spot is," notes a camper from Whittington Woods Campground. Winter camping typically requires self-contained units with internal heating.
Site selection strategy: Waterfront sites fill quickly during peak season. "We went on Labor Day weekend and there were a number of sites open. Many of the sites are walk up only. The sites have a lot of room to enjoy a relaxing weekend or set up yard games," reports a Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park visitor. Weekday arrivals improve chances of securing premium sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find a detailed map of Rend Lake campgrounds?
Detailed maps of Rend Lake campgrounds are available at the Corps of Engineers visitor centers located throughout the recreation area. You can also find comprehensive maps at ranger stations at South Marcum Campground, which has over 100 reservable campsites spread across multiple loops including Whispering Pines. For online options, visit Recreation.gov and search for Rend Lake to access downloadable maps. The Rend Lake official website also provides detailed PDF maps showing all campground locations, amenities, and waterfront sites throughout the recreation area.
How do I make camping reservations at Rend Lake?
Camping reservations at Rend Lake can be made through Recreation.gov, which is the official reservation system for Corps of Engineers campgrounds. North Sandusky Campground and other Rend Lake campgrounds accept reservations up to six months in advance. Some campgrounds like South Sandusky Campground also welcome walk-ins for unreserved sites on a first-come, first-served basis. For the best selection, especially during peak summer season, make reservations early as waterfront sites tend to fill quickly. America the Beautiful pass holders can receive discounts at Corps of Engineers campgrounds around the lake.
Is tent camping allowed at Rend Lake?
Yes, tent camping is definitely allowed at Rend Lake. South Sandusky Campground offers 8 dedicated tent sites in addition to their 119 sites with electric and full hookups. Many of the sites are wooded with plenty of space between them, creating a pleasant tent camping experience. Gun Creek Campground also accommodates tent campers with shaded sites. Most Rend Lake campgrounds provide amenities tent campers appreciate including drinking water, clean shower houses, flush toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings. The lakeside location offers beautiful views and easy access to swimming, fishing, and hiking opportunities.
What camping options are available at Rend Lake's Whittington campground?
Whittington Woods Campground offers beautiful RV camping options with modern amenities. The campground provides electric hookups, water access, and well-maintained facilities. For those seeking more rustic accommodations, nearby Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Campground is conveniently located just off I-57 and provides excellent options for camping and recreational activities including fishing and biking. The campground is situated on Rend Lake, making it ideal for water activities while still offering convenient access to nearby amenities.
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