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Thomson Causeway: how hard is it to reserve?
Mississippi River - Pools 11-22 · US Army Corps of Engineers · Thomson, IL
As of Oct 10, 2026, 72% of Friday and Saturday site-nights at Thomson Causeway over the next 90 days are already reserved, compared with 46% 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, 15 of 30 dates have at least one open site (874 open site-nights in total; 874 over 90 days).
Upcoming weekends
| Weekend (Fri–Sat) | Booked | Open sites Fri | Open sites Sat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2026 | 96% | 7 | 3 |
| Oct 23, 2026 | 36% | 79 | 85 |
| 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 | 65 | 72% | 46% | 15 |
About Thomson Causeway
- 128 campsites (128 listed in availability data)
- $14–$26 per night
- Recreation.gov rating 4.7/5 from 906 reviews
- Equipment: Tent, RV, RV/Motorhome, Trailer, Caravan/Camper Van, Pickup Camper, Fifth Wheel, Pop up
- Activities: Day Use Area, Hunting, Hiking, Fishing, Camping, Biking
Thomson Causeway provides the unique experience of island camping on the great Mississippi River and it's well worth a try! The western edge of the recreation area offers visitors an unobstructed view of the widest spot on the Upper Mississippi River Basin, 3.5 miles from shore-to-shore. Here, campers can enjoy memorable views of the river and the valley, and partake in plenty of great water activities. For local information, please call (563) 362-8839 or call (815) 259-3628 for general information.Of the 125 reservable campsites, 120 have electric hookups and 5 campsites do not have electric …
Description excerpt from Recreation.gov.
Check live availability and book on Recreation.gov →
Other campgrounds in Mississippi River - Pools 11-22
| Campground | Difficulty | Weekends booked | Open dates (30d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishermans Corner Mississippi River - Pools 11-22 | Moderate | 47% | 15 |
| Grant River Mississippi River - Pools 11-22 | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Shady Creek Mississippi River - Pools 11-22 | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Clarks Ferry Mississippi River - Pools 11-22 | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
Nearby campgrounds
| Campground | State | Difficulty | Weekends booked | Open dates (30d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tailwater West Campground Coralville Lake | IA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| West Overlook Campground Coralville Lake | IA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Sugar Bottom Campground Coralville Lake | IA | Not measured yet | n/a | 0 |
| Sandy Beach Camp Coralville Lake | IA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Blackhawk Park Mississippi River - Pool 9 | WI | Easy | 32% | 22 |
| North Overlook Camp Lake Red Rock | IA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |