Carlyle Lake, IL-(Effingham Radio)- As the summer recreation season winds down at Carlyle Lake, visitors are reminded that despite the cooling weather, there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy the lake before seasonal closures begin. Please review the following updates on facility availability as we transition into fall.
All U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) campgrounds will remain open into the fall season, with the exception of Dam East-McNair Spillway Loop, which remains open year-round. The Illini Campground at Eldon Hazlet State Park is also open year-round. For Illini Campground availability, please contact the State Park Office at 618-594-3015. Closure dates for all USACE – Carlyle Lake campgrounds are as follows:
- Coles Creek Campground – 28 September 2025
- Boulder Campground – 13 October 2025
- Dam East-McNair Campground (North & South Loops) – 2 November 2025
- Dam West Campground – 2 November 2025
Camping reservations for all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds can be made online at recreation.gov or by calling R1S at 877-444-6777.
All public beaches at Carlyle Lake, including Coles Creek, Dam West, Harbor Light Bay, McNair, and Keyesport, will close on 15 September 2025. The Carlyle Lake Visitor Center will remain open on weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through 28 September 2025. Picnic shelters will be available by reservation until 30 September 2025, after which they will be open on a first-come, first-served basis until May 2026. While all day-use areas will remain open year-round, all fish cleaning stations will close by 15 October 2025.
For more information, please contact the Carlyle Lake Project Office at 618-594-2484 or email carlyle.lake@usace.army.mil.
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