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Boulder Campground: how hard is it to reserve?
Carlyle Lake · US Army Corps of Engineers · Carlyle, IL
As of Oct 10, 2026, 100% of Friday and Saturday site-nights at Boulder Campground over the next 90 days are already reserved, compared with 71% of weeknights. Weekends are much harder than weekdays here — shifting a trip to Sunday–Thursday is the easiest way to get a site. In the next 30 days, 1 of 30 dates have at least one open site (24 open site-nights in total; 24 over 90 days).
Upcoming weekends
| Weekend (Fri–Sat) | Booked | Open sites Fri | Open sites Sat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2026 | n/a | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 2026 | n/a | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | n/a | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 6, 2026 | n/a | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 13, 2026 | n/a | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 20, 2026 | n/a | 0 | 0 |
Snapshot history
| Snapshot date | Score | Weekends booked | Weeknights booked | Open dates 30d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2026 | 99 | 100% | 71% | 1 |
About Boulder Campground
- 82 campsites (82 listed in availability data)
- $20–$40 per night
- Recreation.gov rating 4.6/5 from 463 reviews
- Equipment: Tent, RV, Trailer
- Activities: Day Use Area, Hunting, Hiking, Fishing, Camping, Boating, Biking, Interpretive Programs
Boulder Campground is situated on the eastern shore of Carlyle Lake, a prime getaway for city-dwellers and families. Located 50 miles east of St. Louis, the area offers the peaceful retreat of a small town combined with the grandeur of Illinois' largest manmade lake. Boulder Campground offers 82 campsites, all of which have a view of the lake with some sites being perched directly on the shoreline. Each campsite is equipped with electric hookups and provides a picnic area with picnic table and fire pit. The campground has modern amenities such as flush toilets, showers and drinking water. It i…
Description excerpt from Recreation.gov.
Check live availability and book on Recreation.gov →
Other campgrounds in Carlyle Lake
| Campground | Difficulty | Weekends booked | Open dates (30d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dam West Campground Carlyle Lake | Hard | 92% | 19 |
| Coles Creek Campground Carlyle Lake | Not measured yet | n/a | 0 |
| Dam East - Mcnair Campground Carlyle Lake | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
Nearby campgrounds
| Campground | State | Difficulty | Weekends booked | Open dates (30d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Sandusky Campground Rend Lake | IL | Hard | 85% | 20 |
| Gun Creek Rend Lake | IL | Moderate | 71% | 30 |
| South Sandusky Campground Rend Lake | IL | Hard | 88% | 23 |
| South Marcum Campground Rend Lake | IL | Moderate | 70% | 30 |
| Lithia Springs Lake Shelbyville | IL | Very hard | 96% | 12 |
| Opossum Creek Lake Shelbyville | IL | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |