Searching for the best camping near Salem, IL? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Salem campgrounds just for you. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Salem, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
"Most of the sites are large and a good distance from the next one. Shower house is alright. The store/restaurant has been closed for a year or two now because of the Illinois budget."
"It's a small campground that offers a playground,bathhouse, hiking trails, and a small swimming area. There is easy access walking down to the marina. With small towns close to this state park."
$15 - $30 / night
"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."
$20 - $250 / 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!"
$20 - $40 / 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!"
"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!"
$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."
$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."
$20 - $60 / 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. "
"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"
$20 - $125 / 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."
ScoutIf I was in any other spot this would probably be a 4/5, but spot 56 has a crazy lake view and is on the tip of an outlook with pretty nice privacy!
TravelerGun Creek Campground is very peaceful, beautiful, and clean. They keep up with the grounds and shower houses very well. Easy to navigate roads and many things to do. You also have easy access to stores in the surrounding towns.
ScoutFriendly hosts, affordable, has a very welcoming vibe.. down home fun!
Can’t wait to go back and stay again!!
New owners.. improvements daily can’t wait to go back and see the transformation!!
Just fell in love with it!!
ScoutThis is one of the most beautiful campgrounds I’ve been in in a long time. It’s small, owned by an older farmer, has electricity and bathrooms. It’s on a couple of small lakes and the bird sounds, the frogs, ducks, the whole natural environment is just wonderful. I would’ve stayed there for weeks if I could and will definitely be back.
ScoutThe pool, the lake, the gigantic playground, the pavilion, the laundromat, the location, the cleanliness in the bathhouse, the gardens… the hosts Barb and Gary work their asses off to upkeep this place. You just cant beat it. You gotta stop in and experience it yourself, highly recommend!
LegendUsing your GPS of choice, you can reach this campground off I-57 via Benton or the IL-154/Sesser exit. The area includes both North Sandusky and South Sandusky COE campgrounds, clearly marked and easy to find. We arrived around 2:00 PM and found the check-in gate closed, but since we had a reservation, we proceeded directly to our back-in site 123 with full hookups. Most sites here offer water and electric (50/30/20 AMP), while the Dogwood loop features several full hookup sites in its upper section. 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. There’s one full hookup pull-through site in the Dogwood loop—a long, slightly curved pad with sewer and power connections on the yard side, and water on the standard side. Both North and South Sandusky COE campgrounds offer a wide variety of site types, including lake views, varying utility setups, and well-spaced sites. Paved bike trails run throughout the area. We've been coming here for years, and this campground remains one of our favorites close to home.
GuideClean well kept grounds. Decent spacing and sites look mostly level. Water not at many sites. Showers are great separate toilets/shower rooms.
TravelerLots of interstate noise. Many sites are very off level. CHECK carefully
TravelerBooked a overnight stay while traveling through the area. Nice set up, but lots are tight with winding roads to sites. Many sites overlook small lake. Must be nice in summer and fall when leaves are on trees. Full hook up on lots but no cable. Park has nice store and commons area with games. A pizza place is operating on site. Had pizza and wings that were good. Enjoyed our stay. Staff was friendly
Camping near Salem, IL, offers a variety of beautiful spots for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.
Camping near Salem, IL, has something for everyone, from families to RVers. With a mix of activities, clean facilities, and friendly hosts, it’s a great spot to unwind and enjoy nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Salem, IL is Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area with a 3.8-star rating from 13 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near Salem, IL that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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