Dam West Recreation Area
Army Corps Of Engineers
Write a Review 801 Lake Rd. Carlyle, IL 62231 618-594-4410 Reservations: 877-444-6777 Official WebsiteGPS: 38.6321, -89.3608
Overview of Dam West Recreation Area
Last Price Paid: $9
Reported by WhatsNext_OutWest on 10/24/2023
Longest RV Reported: 42 feet
Reported by LMcG on 6/13/2018
Number of Sites 109
Reservations yes
Elevation 426 ft / 129 m
Discover a smarter way to RV with Roadtrippers
All your Campendium favorites and more are now in Roadtrippers.
Q&A - Ask the Community about Dam West Recreation Area
To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. 618-594-4410
Campendium users haven't asked any questions about Dam West Recreation Area
Reviews of Dam West Recreation Area 15 people have reviewed this location.
Cell Phone Coverage
Confirmed by 9 Users
Last reported 10/24/2023
Confirmed by 2 Users
Last reported 11/26/2021
“No complaints, big sites”
Reviewed 10/19/2024
| Days stayed: | 6 |
|---|---|
| Site Number: | 72 |
| RV Length: | 30' (Travel Trailer) |
Overall Rating
Cellular speeds were good at >30Mbps download and >4 upload. Mature shade trees could cause Starlink obstructions. We arrived here on a Sunday evening and there were several FCFS sites still available. The access road is two lane and in good shape. Some of the sites are extremely long - like 75+ feet. They seem to be in decent ... more
Cellular speeds were good at >30Mbps download and >4 upload. Mature shade trees could cause Starlink obstructions.
We arrived here on a Sunday evening and there were several FCFS sites still available. The access road is two lane and in good shape.
Some of the sites are extremely long - like 75+ feet. They seem to be in decent shape. There are a handful of waterfront sites if you get lucky. Our site was levellable with standard techniques. No issues with noise.
No issues with the electrical hookups. Potable water is available at the entrance, the dump station, and at spigots throughout. Trash service is available. Propane available at the nearby Tractor Supply.
Tin Tumbleweed would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Another great COE campground!”
Reviewed 10/24/2023
| Nightly rate: | $9 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 1 |
| Site Number: | 44 |
| RV Length: | 20' (Pop Up Camper) |
Overall Rating
Camped 10/5/23 (Thur). Elec only site. $9 reflects senior pass half price. Check-in is 5 pm. Check-out is 4 pm. Our site 44 was a large back-in site with a nice view of the lake. It was level and had part shade. Restrooms are private rooms with shower (photo uploaded). They were very clean and had soap and hand dryers. Water s... more
Camped 10/5/23 (Thur). Elec only site. $9 reflects senior pass half price. Check-in is 5 pm. Check-out is 4 pm. Our site 44 was a large back-in site with a nice view of the lake. It was level and had part shade. Restrooms are private rooms with shower (photo uploaded). They were very clean and had soap and hand dryers. Water spigots are in various spots throughout the campground. To fill an RV with water, there is a place to fill just after you enter, past the check-in station.
Campground was almost full (glad we had a reservation), so there was some noise, but not bad. That night, our neighbors burned wet wood that filled our area with smoke, so that wasn't the nicest experience, but other than that, it was a really nice campground.
| Access | |
| Location | |
| Cleanliness | |
| Site Quality | |
| Noise |
Verizon 4G
WhatsNext_OutWest would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Everything was as Good As It Could Be”
Reviewed 5/1/2023
| Days stayed: | 1 |
|---|---|
| Site Number: | 49 |
Overall Rating
We arrived to a CAMPGROUND IS FULL sign. As we were turning around, the lady came out. We asked if they didn’t have a corner they could stick us, and they said YES WE DO! Someone had checked out early just a few minutes before we got there. #49! The best spot in the world! Big cement pad, right on the water, 30 amp hookup, across the s... more
We arrived to a CAMPGROUND IS FULL sign. As we were turning around, the lady came out. We asked if they didn’t have a corner they could stick us, and they said YES WE DO! Someone had checked out early just a few minutes before we got there. #49! The best spot in the world! Big cement pad, right on the water, 30 amp hookup, across the street from the restroom and shower!
All for $8!
Pung would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Awesome”
Reviewed 11/17/2022
| Nightly rate: | $9 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 2 |
| Site Number: | 54 |
| RV Length: | 24' (Travel Trailer) |
Overall Rating
We stayed here July 25-26, 2022. I cant believe this place is $18 per night and I get half off with America the Beautiful pass. Two nights for $18 in a campground this nice is unbelievable to someone from California. We picked a spot on-line but as my water filled, I rode thru on my bike. Spot 54 was open right on the water and the... more
We stayed here July 25-26, 2022. I cant believe this place is $18 per night and I get half off with America the Beautiful pass. Two nights for $18 in a campground this nice is unbelievable to someone from California. We picked a spot on-line but as my water filled, I rode thru on my bike. Spot 54 was open right on the water and they switched me to that spot with a smile. With a smile! I love the mid-west! Any spot would have been nice, but on the water was awesome. Beautiful shaded campground with paved roads and sites. All size rigs will fit here. Electric on site with water on the way in and dump on the way out. It rained like crazy while we were here so we mostly stayed in and read while enjoying the view but did get some bike rides in when the rain let up. We were going to go into St. Louis but decided to stay home with the rain. Great place, nice hosts.
| Access | |
| Location | |
| Cleanliness | |
| Site Quality | |
| Noise |
Verizon 5G
JerryandDiane-Catch.us.if.you.can. would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Quiet Campground”
Reviewed 10/7/2022
| Days stayed: | 1 |
|---|---|
| Site Number: | 107 |
Overall Rating
We stayed in the smaller camping area which was nice and quiet. Had power at the site but water available to fill our unit. Site was very level
| Access | |
| Location | |
| Cleanliness | |
| Site Quality | |
| Noise |
Verizon 5G
camper-720481 would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Nice sites, very clean ”
Reviewed 6/25/2022
| Nightly rate: | $18 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 1 |
| Site Number: | 111 |
Overall Rating
Wide, level, paved, shaded sites. Nice picnic tables, fire rings. Sites 102-113 are in a small, standalone loop with their own bathhouse. I prefer that smaller campground feeling. Nice air conditioned, clean bathhouse with flush toilets and shower. As noted elsewhere, there’s not much privacy between sites. The campground is... more
Wide, level, paved, shaded sites. Nice picnic tables, fire rings. Sites 102-113 are in a small, standalone loop with their own bathhouse. I prefer that smaller campground feeling.
Nice air conditioned, clean bathhouse with flush toilets and shower.
As noted elsewhere, there’s not much privacy between sites. The campground is easy to get to from I-70 but a bit off the beaten path.
Deborah Elias-Smith would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Amazing ACOE Park!”
Reviewed 11/26/2021
| Nightly rate: | $18 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 3 |
| Site Number: | 50 |
Overall Rating
This is a lovely park with very huge sites, but yet, lacking a lot of privacy at most. Some sites have full hook-ups, other electric only (and only one water fill right at the entrance). We snagged site 50 as a last minute reservation - which is a huge pull through running along the road. But waterfront. In our van, we could treat ... more
This is a lovely park with very huge sites, but yet, lacking a lot of privacy at most. Some sites have full hook-ups, other electric only (and only one water fill right at the entrance).
We snagged site 50 as a last minute reservation - which is a huge pull through running along the road. But waterfront. In our van, we could treat it as a back in which gave us some privacy - but no shade.
The views across the lake are lovely, and there's a great Mexican restaurant pretty much in the front parking lot! Also lots of shopping really close by.
There's also access to great bike trails that take you across the dam and further afield. Really lovely area, and we enjoyed our stay.
Great cell signal too.
| Access | |
| Location | |
| Cleanliness | |
| Site Quality | |
| Noise |
AT&T 4G
Verizon 4G
Technomadia would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Very nice park, inexpensive and well maintained”
Reviewed 9/1/2021
| Nightly rate: | $18 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 1 |
| Site Number: | 50 |
Overall Rating
This park has a nice beach not far from the campground and swimming in this lake is pleasant. Site 50 was right on the water, but too much asphalt and not enough of a natural feel, and not very private - however the place was very quiet. Other sites around us were nicer. Restrooms right across the site were very clean.
Annick would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Lovely park, noisy neighbors”
Reviewed 8/22/2021
| Nightly rate: | $18 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 1 |
| Site Number: | 28 |
Overall Rating
Beautiful park on a lake. This is the kind of place you dream of when you think of camping. The site was long & mostly level. Electric hookups only. Didn’t use electric because I would’ve had to wade thru 6” of water to do so & back up to reach with my cord. The site was not level at the back so I stayed put. Well spaced sites, concre... more
Beautiful park on a lake. This is the kind of place you dream of when you think of camping. The site was long & mostly level. Electric hookups only. Didn’t use electric because I would’ve had to wade thru 6” of water to do so & back up to reach with my cord. The site was not level at the back so I stayed put. Well spaced sites, concrete pad plus gravel area with picnic table. Dump area & potable water available at entrance. Good AT&T 5Ge signal.
I arrived on a Saturday in a downpour. Camp host wouldn’t just let me check into a site unseen & made me go scope them out. By the time I returned the rain was downright biblical & his internet had gone down. Had to walk back later to get checked in.
Someone played loud music & bellowed along to the songs till sometime after 11pm. I turned on a white noise app at high volume & fell asleep instantly. I asked the camp hosts the next morning & they said that was unusual.
| Access | |
| Location | |
| Cleanliness | |
| Site Quality | |
| Noise |
AT&T 4G
Rsquared would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Wonderful clean park”
Reviewed 8/10/2021
| Nightly rate: | $9 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 2 |
| Site Number: | 3 |
| RV Length: | 26' (Fifth Wheel) |
Overall Rating
We hit this park in the afternoon and were lucky to get the last spot. We were in site 3 which was nice and quiet with shade all day. Almost all site are large level paved areas with fire ring and picnic table. There is really good spacing between most sites. This is a well kept walkable park. Visitor center is very small but the host... more
We hit this park in the afternoon and were lucky to get the last spot. We were in site 3 which was nice and quiet with shade all day. Almost all site are large level paved areas with fire ring and picnic table. There is really good spacing between most sites. This is a well kept walkable park. Visitor center is very small but the host was nice and informative. I would recommend this park for anyone who wants to visit this area or drive into St. Louis like we did.
| Access | |
| Location | |
| Cleanliness | |
| Site Quality | |
| Noise |
Verizon 4G
Moseyin would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
Page 1 of 2
Be the first to add a note for Dam West Recreation Area!
Be the first to add a video for Dam West Recreation Area!
3 reviews
Carlyle Lake – Dam West
Dan and I recently spent four nights at a nearby, newly found favorite campground. The campground is called Dam West, and it is located at Carlyle Lake near Carlyle, Illinois. Carlyle Lake is kn...
23 reviews
Carlyle, IL 04-2015
Lost (temporarily) in translation After a lunch that couldn't be beat, we headed north from Evansville with Rocinante. Our chosen target was a Core of Engineers (COE) campground at the south end of C...
Contact us to update this listing.
Amenities
Hookups
- 50 Amp
- 30 Amp
- 20 Amp
- water
- sewer
- Full Hookups
Recreation
- boat ramp
- fishing
- marina
- picnic area
- playground
- recreation trail
- water access
Site Amenities
- big rig
Facilities
- dump station
- restrooms: flush
- showers
- trash
- water available
Pets
- pets
Nearby RV Rentals
In partnership with
Nearby RV Rentals
In partnership with
3 Reviews
2021 TRAVEL TRAILER
Keystone RV Bullet 290BHS
$135 /night | Sleeps 10 Guests
2 Reviews
2021 FIFTH WHEEL
Heartland Milestone 28BH
$90 /night | Sleeps 6 Guests
6 Reviews
2020 TRAVEL TRAILER
Coachmen RV Clipper Ultra-Lite 17BHS
$95 /night | Sleeps 5 Guests
New Listing
2023 FIFTH WHEEL
Palomino Puma 315BHTS
$170 /night | Sleeps 8 Guests
6 Reviews
2022 TRAVEL TRAILER
Coachmen RV Catalina 293QBCK
$119 /night | Sleeps 10 Guests
13 Reviews
2021 TRAVEL TRAILER
Keystone RV Hideout 318BR
$140 /night | Sleeps 9 Guests
Please select a reason for flagging this item: