Dam West Campground, Carlyle Lake, IL

[Oakman]

With gasoline hanging around the four dollar a gallon mark, we have curtailed our long trips in favor of shorter ones. This past week we went to Carlyle Lake in IL and camped at the COE Dam West campground. I use my senior discount pass at COE campgrounds so we had a full hookup site for twelve bucks a night. We stayed three nights. The nice thing about being retired is that it is so much easier to get campground reservations for weekdays.

The Dam West campground is an excellent COE campground on Carlyle Lake. This lake is Illinois’ largest man-made lake and just seventy miles from my house. Many of the sites in the campground are long enough to accommodate a fifth wheel, truck, and a boat. Sites 75 - 97 are full hookup. Most of the sites are nicely spaced. The campground is close to the marina and a restaurant. The restrooms and shower houses are clean, but there wasn’t a hot air blower or towel dispenser in the restrooms. I guess that’s a part of the COE budget cutting. There is a walking/biking path that starts at the campground and nearby is the Governors Run Golf Club. There are grocery stores and a WalMart close by in the town of Carlyle. Due to budget constraints the campground will close early this year on September 2nd.

[gofast!]

that place looks awesome.....love all the trees and everything is green unlike here in the desert.