Vandalia's prairie landscape offers a central Illinois location with access to Carlyle Lake, the state's largest reservoir at 26,000 acres. Winter camping remains viable at several campgrounds, with temperatures rarely dropping below 20°F, though summer humidity creates muddy conditions after rainfall. The region includes both heavily wooded sites and more open camping areas near water.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Boulder Recreation Area provides waterfront sites with direct lake access. "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 Jake L., though he cautions "when the lake is flooded you can not access this campground."
Swimming options: Coles Creek Recreation Area includes a dedicated beach for campers. "This wonderful camping area is beautiful with clean campsites. With picnic areas and a beach close you and the family will have a good time and make new friends," reports Jake L. The campground features multiple loops with electric hookups and a newly renovated bath house.
Biking and walking: Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area offers extensive trails for cyclists and hikers. The park has "clean and very nice campsites" according to Lon K., with reasonable pricing. Jareth C. adds that "the park is reasonable priced, beautiful surrounding and friendly staff. The only downside is that it's somewhat far from supply stores."
What campers like
Spacious sites: Boulder Recreation Area earns high marks for site size. "Campground was well maintained with spacious campsites. I tried to get a spot on the water but they were all reserved, they looked really nice," says Stephanie S., who also appreciated that "showers were nice with air conditioning."
Clean facilities: Okaw Valley Kampground maintains exceptional bathroom cleanliness. "We stayed for five days during Labor Day weekend on our way to Emporia Kansas. This turned out to be a lovely little vacation for us," reports Shirley M., adding "the camp owners were friendly and helpful."
Peaceful atmosphere: Timber Trails Campground provides a tranquil setting for travelers. Jason G. describes it as "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. The campground had a peaceful atmosphere, ideal for relaxation and recreation."
What you should know
Site reservation timing: Illini Campground at Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area fills quickly for special events. "It's a huge campground with a smaller reservable section and an extensive first come, first serve section. There are usually always spaces available," explains Aimee T., who recommends arriving "at least a week in advance for the halloween festivities- it fills up!"
Winter camping considerations: Some campgrounds remain open year-round but with limited services. "Site 26. We were basically by ourselves being mid week in November. Great view. Nice camp hosts," reports Wendy F. about Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area.
Water quality issues: At some campgrounds, early season water systems may have problems. One camper at Eldon Hazlet noted filling their trailer tank with "extremely dirty water with a lot of copper colored solids" and had the same issue when trying another spigot, suggesting this might be related to early season operation.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area offers excellent playground facilities. "Went in late April and had a good time with not ideal weather. Kid had a blast at playground with other kids," shares J N., though notes there were "cold showers but said they were looking into it."
Swimming pool options: Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area features a dedicated swimming pool. "There is a nice large zero entry pool for a $5 fee on weekends," mentions Aimee T., who also highlighted their Halloween events where "people decorate their sites (pretty extensively) and there's a haunted house, then kids trick or treat from site to site."
Close-knit camping community: Okaw Valley Kampground creates a social atmosphere for families. The campground includes "a little pond where people fished, and a little walking path for little kid 'hikes'," according to Shirley M., who also suggests visiting Casey, "the little town of big things," to see attractions like "the world's largest rocking chair, wind chime etc."
Tips from RVers
Level sites: Bonanza Campground offers exceptionally level spots for RVs. Bruce H. calls it "THE MOST level site we have ever had in allllll our years of travel. Literally 0's all around for level on the Levelmate Pro. I didn't even unhook the trailer, just put the 4 scissor jacks and tongue jack down for stability."
Full hookup availability: Kaskaskia Dragon RV Park in Vandalia provides complete services for RVs. "Long spots, friendly owner, easy access to hardware store across the street, coin laundry available," says Kaitlynn B., though she notes "wifi is poor, gravel is unlevel, limited menu on DoorDash."
Dump station limitations: Plan ahead for dump station access at larger campgrounds. One reviewer at Coles Creek Recreation Area mentioned being "thoroughly impressed with the upkeep of this area" but noted "the ONE dump station for this massive campground" was insufficient for the size of the facility.
