Dam West Day Use

DAM WEST DAY USE
Dam West Beach
DAM WEST DAY USE

Featured amenities

Showers Showers
Playground Playground

About Dam West Day Use

Dam West Day Use Area is 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.

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Boating

Boating

Spring Summer Fall
Fishing

Fishing

Year-round
Swimming

Swimming

Summer

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - May 1 to Sep 30

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Showers Showers
Playground Playground
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Showers
On Site Services

On Site Services

  • Playground
Water Access

Water Access

  • Beach Access
  • Marina
Missing information?

Reviews (27)

What Guests Are Saying

Dam West Day Use offers a clean and spacious environment, perfect for family gatherings and events. Reviewers appreciated the availability of grills, picnic tables, and the efficiency of the boat rental process. Overall, guests found the facilities accommodating and the staff friendly, making it a desirable location for both relaxation and activities.

Review Summary

4.1
27 reviews
5
63.0%
17
4
14.8%
4
3
0.0%
0
2
14.8%
4
1
7.4%
2

John P

August 16, 2026

4

John P

August 16, 2026

4

Ciaira J

July 10, 2026

5

My family and I had a blast there for my birthday.

Carolyn B

June 1, 2026

5

The Area Was Nice And Clean Grills Was Available Enough Space For The Whole Family I've Rented This Location Several Time Will Return Soon So Relaxing

Kris S

May 23, 2026

5

It was awesome

Luis H

January 15, 2026

5

We had our annual church service; we had a great time.

Luis H

January 15, 2026

5

We had our annual church service; we had a great time.

Quentin H

June 27, 2025

5

I rented Shelter #1 on a Friday to be close to the marina where I also rented a boat to take my family out on the lake. Shelter was perfect, large, 8 picnic tables and two grills with plenty of shade. Boat was easy to rent and folks were just great. We grew up camping and fishing and water skiing on this lake in the 70’s and 80’s, but had not returned in many years. We returned for a memorial service on the lake for my folks. Facilities were clean and A/C in restrooms was a welcome relief as temp was in low 90’s! Couldn’t be happier with facility and rental process which was great and very nice folks as well as the marina crew. All super folks. Will come back again as it’s well worth it. Thanks to all of them.

Quentin H

June 27, 2025

5

I rented Shelter #1 on a Friday to be close to the marina where I also rented a boat to take my family out on the lake. Shelter was perfect, large, 8 picnic tables and two grills with plenty of shade. Boat was easy to rent and folks were just great. We grew up camping and fishing and water skiing on this lake in the 70’s and 80’s, but had not returned in many years. We returned for a memorial service on the lake for my folks. Facilities were clean and A/C in restrooms was a welcome relief as temp was in low 90’s! Couldn’t be happier with facility and rental process which was great and very nice folks as well as the marina crew. All super folks. Will come back again as it’s well worth it. Thanks to all of them.

Luis H

August 7, 2023

5

Easy to get to and accommodations were great. Great access to beach and restrooms.

Location Dam West Day Use

Address:
801 Lake Road
Carlyle, IL, 62231
United States

Highway access

The campground is accessible via I-70, with State Route 127 providing direct access south to Carlyle.

Elevation: 138 feet

Distance to downtown

1.9 mi drive to downtown Carlyle (about 5 min)

Policies & Rules

General

  • Day-use hours are daily.
  • 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.
  • Click here for a virtual tour of Carlyle Lake.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: August 23, 2026

US Army Corps of Engineers Logo
Managed by US Army Corps of Engineers