Federal Campgrounds in Illinois

Federal coverage only. This directory lists campgrounds on federal land (Forest Service, Park Service, BLM, Corps of Engineers and other agencies) from the Recreation.gov RIDB export. State-park, county and private/KOA campgrounds are out of scope.

Illinois has 45 federal campgrounds offering 1,731 overnight sites for visitors. Management is divided among three federal agencies: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates 43 campgrounds, the U.S. Forest Service manages 1, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service operates 1. The vast majority of these sites—43 campgrounds—accept reservations through Recreation.gov, making advance planning straightforward for most visitors.

This overview covers federal campgrounds only. Illinois state parks and private/commercial campgrounds (including KOA facilities) are not included here. For current site availability, detailed facility information, and to make reservations, visit Recreation.gov. Conditions and offerings change seasonally, so checking the site directly before your trip is recommended.

How to read the Illinois directory

Use this page as a starting map of federal camping in Illinois: the agency split tells you whether you're mostly looking at national-forest sites, park-service grounds or Corps-of-Engineers lakeside camps, and the busiest rec areas below point to where the campgrounds cluster. Every name links to its live Recreation.gov page for current site counts, photos and booking.

Largest federal campgrounds in Illinois

• Coon Creek (Il) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 185 sites · Shelbyville
• South Marcum Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 160 sites · Benton
• Coles Creek Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 148 sites · Carlyle
• Forrest W. Bo Wood · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 141 sites · Shelbyville
• Thomson Causeway · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 131 sites · Thomson
• South Sandusky Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 128 sites · Benton
• North Sandusky Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 118 sites · Benton
• Dam West Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 109 sites · Carlyle
• Lithia Springs · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 109 sites · Shelbyville
• Gun Creek · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 100 sites · Benton
• Boulder Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 82 sites · Carlyle
• Lone Point · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 80 sites · Shelbyville
• Opossum Creek · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 70 sites · Shelbyville
• Fishermans Corner · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 56 sites · East Moline
• Dam East - Mcnair Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 48 sites · Carlyle
• Blanding Landing · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 37 sites · Hanover
• Blanchard Island Recreation Area · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 16 sites · New Boston
• Devils Kitchen Group Pavilion · U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service · 8 sites · Carbondale
• Dale Miller Youth · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 1 sites · Benton
• Lotus Group Area · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 1 sites · Carlyle
• Shagbark Group Area · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 1 sites · Benton
• Wilborn Creek (Group Camp) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 1 sites · Shelbyville
• Boulder Day Use · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Carlyle
• Camp Cadiz Campground · U.S. Forest Service · n/a sites · Shawnee National Forest
• Coles Creek Day Use · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Carlyle

Ranked by overnight-site count from RIDB; “n/a” means the site count isn’t published (often a first-come or dispersed area). Each name opens the Recreation.gov facility page.

Compare every managing agency → · Reservable vs first-come in Illinois → · Choosing a Illinois campground →

Compiled from the federal RIDB export, verified June 2026. How we compile this. Confirm current details on Recreation.gov.