About Dam West Campground
Number of accommodations: 109
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
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Rates, Sites & Availability
109 Sites Available
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Site Details
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109 Sites Available
No available sites
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Reviews (616)
What Guests Are Saying
Dam West Campground offers a wonderful camping experience with friendly and knowledgeable staff, clean facilities, and beautiful surroundings. Guests appreciate the well-maintained restrooms, hot showers, and the variety of recreational activities available nearby. While some reviewers noted minor issues like low water pressure and windy sites, the overall sentiment reflects a strong desire to return and recommend the campground.
What Guests Are Saying
Dam West Campground offers a wonderful camping experience with friendly and knowledgeable staff, clean facilities, and beautiful surroundings. Guests appreciate the well-maintained restrooms, hot showers, and the variety of recreational activities available nearby. While some reviewers noted minor issues like low water pressure and windy sites, the overall sentiment reflects a strong desire to return and recommend the campground.
Review Summary
Rebecca S
VerifiedMay 11, 2024 • Stayed at: 010, Loop: DAM WEST
My strongest memory of Dam West will forever be .. the showers. They start off with amazing water pressure and the perfect temperature of hot but not too hot.. you THINK you're going to be able to take a nice shower and then the water stops. Every 15 seconds more or less the water stops & you have to push a button to turn it back on ... and every 15 seconds it gets a little less hot .. then suddenly half way through rinsing your hair ICE cold ! And no matter how long you stand in the shower it is never going to get above ice cold again ! It's not because the hot water heater ran out of hot water either because someone else can come in and take a shower and their shower will start off the same way .. with hot water. You CAN get dressed, leave the bathroom, turn around, go back in and get hot water again but that's rediculous. If it had run out of hot water that would be one thing but the fact that they are only allowing you a set amount of time to shower is rediculous. .. and you can't trick it by just going into the shower next to you. You have to physically leave the bathroom and come back in. I'm not sure how it knows ... but it knows. Lol.
My next issue was that someone comes to the campsites every morning and cleans out the fire pits. I had some left over half burned sticks I would have used to start my next fire but they were removed at 8am. I'm not crazy about someone coming into my campsite and removing my sticks. Seems unnecessary.
I've been to dozens of Corps of Engineers campgrounds across this beautiful country and this was by far my least favorite. I thoroughly appreciate that they give 50% off to America the beautiful pass holders because if I had paid full price I wouldn't have been very happy about it at all. I live full time in my class B and rarely pay to camp anywhere so when I do, it's mainly to shower .. and other than Elephant Butte State Park in New Mexico, these were the worst showers yet. Friendly staff was a plus.
John C
VerifiedMay 10, 2024 • Stayed at: 089, Loop: DAM WEST
Dam West is a great campground near Carlyle, IL. We have been camping here for many years at different times of the year. The bath houses are kept immaculately and the laundry room is air conditioned in the summer. Most, if not all, campers are respectful of others including noise control, dogs on leashes, and kids under parents' supervision. The town offers a WalMart less than one mile away along with gas stations, farm store, and fast food. The Rangers make routine inspection rides around the campgrounds and they are available for any problems.
Joseph Y
VerifiedMay 10, 2024 • Stayed at: 079, Loop: DAM WEST
Friendly and helpful staff! Beautiful campground with plenty of trees and large sites. Nice bath houses with plenty of hot water. Several sites have FHU. If we’re back in the area, we’ll plan to stay at Dam West CG.
Gino G
VerifiedMay 8, 2024 • Stayed at: 055, Loop: DAM WEST
Another beautiful dam site. Ice bathrooms too. Had site 55 which was on the water with electric only. Beautiful.
Elmer S
VerifiedMay 8, 2024 • Stayed at: 039, Loop: DAM WEST
very nice camp sites, had a great time.
Terry P
VerifiedMay 7, 2024 • Stayed at: 039, Loop: DAM WEST
Great buddy site, right on the lake front great for those who like fishing and watching the wildlife. Good spot for those who use tents nice flat spot behind the gravel site for several tents. Will definitely camp in this spot again with friends
Larry S
VerifiedMay 6, 2024 • Stayed at: 081, Loop: DAM WEST
We love this location! We did notice that there are some trees that are dead and need to come down before they land on someone’s vehicle like it did to our friends last year. Other than that the place is great and taken care of.
Virgil H
VerifiedMay 6, 2024 • Stayed at: 107, Loop: DAM WEST
clean restrooms
Lawrence C
VerifiedApril 29, 2024 • Stayed at: 050, Loop: DAM WEST
Great, well maintained campground close to home! We would like to see more full hookup (EWS) sites available for reservations.
Charles M
VerifiedApril 28, 2024 • Stayed at: 079, Loop: DAM WEST
Nice place. Too bad the sites aren’t paved like Coles and Boulder. The campground needs some upgrades
Location Dam West Campground
Address:
801 Lake Road
Carlyle, IL, 62231-9703
United States
From I-70, take State Route 127 south to Carlyle and turn east on William Road. Continue for 1/2-mile and turn north on Lake Road to reach the campground or turn south to reach the day use area.
Dam West Campground is accessible via IL-127, which is approximately 5 miles away. Additionally, I-70 can be accessed about 15 miles from the campground.
Latitude & Longitude: 38.6278 / -89.3583
Elevation: 136 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
5PM
Check out time
4PM
General
- All campsites are reservable.
- No personal checks or cash are accepted at this time. Credit/Debit card only.
- Camping No-Show - Camping no-show customers who do not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by check out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date will be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night use fee. If the no-show service fee is greater than the reservation amount, the customer will not be charged any additional service fees.
- Cancellation Fees - A $10 service fee is withheld from the refund anytime the customer cancels a camping or day use reservation. Depending on when the cancellation is made, it may be considered a late cancellation and additional fees may be forfeited. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.
- Firewood brought into this facility must be purchased, or collected locally due to invasive insects.
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
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Last updated: June 4, 2026
