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Dam West Campground: how hard is it to reserve?
Carlyle Lake · US Army Corps of Engineers · Carlyle, IL
As of Oct 10, 2026, 92% of Friday and Saturday site-nights at Dam West Campground over the next 90 days are already reserved, compared with 78% of weeknights. In the next 30 days, 19 of 30 dates have at least one open site (424 open site-nights in total; 424 over 90 days).
Upcoming weekends
| Weekend (Fri–Sat) | Booked | Open sites Fri | Open sites Sat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2026 | 99% | 2 | 1 |
| Oct 23, 2026 | 100% | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 72% | 22 | 39 |
| 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 | 75 | 92% | 78% | 19 |
About Dam West Campground
- 108 campsites (108 listed in availability data)
- $20–$60 per night
- Recreation.gov rating 4.7/5 from 963 reviews
- Equipment: Tent, RV, Trailer
- Activities: Day Use Area, Fishing, Camping, Boating, Biking, Accessible Swimming, Visitor Center
Dam West Campground is a recreation area situated on the southern 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 man-made lake. Dam West Campground contains 109 reservable campsites. It provides modern amenities and access to a marina and boat storage facility. The adjacent Dam West Spillway and Dam West Day Use Area offer additional recreational opportunities. Visitors can also walk or bike across the dam to the Dam East facilities an…
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coles Creek Campground Carlyle Lake | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Boulder Campground Carlyle Lake | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| 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 | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Gun Creek Rend Lake | IL | Moderate | 71% | 30 |
| South Sandusky Campground Rend Lake | IL | Hard | 88% | 23 |
| South Marcum Campground Rend Lake | IL | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Lithia Springs Lake Shelbyville | IL | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Opossum Creek Lake Shelbyville | IL | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |