$10 - $25 / night

Camper submitted image from Crab Orchard Lake Campground - 1

Camper submitted image from Crab Orchard Lake Campground - 2

Nature

Camper submitted image from Crab Orchard Lake Campground - 3

Facilities

Camper submitted image from Crab Orchard Lake Campground - 4

Water

Camper submitted image from Crab Orchard Lake Campground - 5

People

Established Camping

Crab Orchard Lake Campground

12 Reviews

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About

National Wildlife Refuge

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Location

Crab Orchard Lake Campground is located in Illinois

Directions

From jct US 51 & Hwy 13: Go 4 mi E on Hwy 13 (over bridge), then 1/2 mi S on Campground Rd (at large marina).

Coordinates

37.7397849 N
89.11837518 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Boat-In
Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Good
Verizon
Good
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group

Features

For Campers

ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Reservable
Showers
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Sewer Hookups
Water Hookups
Pull-Through Sites
Big Rig Friendly

$10 - $25

/ night

For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

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Contact

General Info

Reservations

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Lucy P.

Ranger

Reviewed May. 9, 2024

Probably nice in a big rig, sucks otherwise

This campground was essentially an RV park. Only big rigs, some sites well spaced physically but no privacy in between so feels like everyone staring at each other. Some of the waterfront sites okay privacy-wise, but not most. Hookups work well, but bathrooms in terrible condition - especially showers.

The whole place also smells like dead fish. We saw a raccoon go right through our campsite so be careful what you leave out, also tons of geese and saw two baby copperheads.

The lake is at least really pretty and there’s a small beach area.

Month of VisitJune

(4) View All

Steve G.

Legend

Reviewed Apr. 24, 2024

Excellent Lakeside Campgrouind

Getting there: Easy access off Illinois 13 East of Carbondale

Check in and staff: Campground is now under the egis of recreation.gov& reservations through them are a must. This is new& when planning the trip the website said“first come first serve” so we arrived on a Friday evening(4pm) with no reservation. The sign said RV sites all taken. The host was wonderful! He has been here 9 years and steered us to a nice site for the one night we will be here. The online experience with recreation.gov was not pleasant, impossible in fact. So I had to call. This took quite awhile. Once I got a real live person it was great, and we got our site with no problems.

Amenities: Bathrooms: clean, paper towels& air dryers.

Site: A-35. In the middle of the A loop and therefore not on the water. Still, very nice. After all, beggars can’t be choosers! Sites are somewhat spacious, but not terribly private.

SiteA-35

Month of VisitOctober

(19) View All

S F.

Scout

Reviewed Sep. 17, 2023

LOVED!

Visited crab orchard campground for the first time ever for labor day weekend. We had a pretty good size spot with a few trees where we hung our hammocks! We did a tent site right on the water. It was absolutely gorgeous. Very quiet area too. Quiet time starts at 10 or 11pm but actually you don't hear anything after 830pm. Very friendly. Bathrooms and shower were decent for what it was. It was nice to have it then not. Only 1 spider in the shower otherwise clean and good water. If you hate bugs I reccomend bringing an electric bug zapper as there is ALOT. Esp being by the water. Also keep in mind there's many spiders if you pick a spot with trees. But they're only out from 2am-5am.

SiteE

Month of VisitOctober

Melissa H.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 9, 2023

Gorgeous, inexpensive, right on the water!

This campground has it all - spacious sites with many right on the water. Gravel lots were level and plenty big for our 38' Class A motorhome + Jeep. We stayed at site B8, which had a massive yard right and on the lake. The interior sites had full hookups (but were still just a short walk to the water), while the exterior (lake-side) sites had water and 50A electric. It is a FCFS place. We were there the first week of April and arrived by 10am and had no problems securing a spot. There is a swimming beach (though it was closed till Memorial Day - and too cold anyway!), some older but functional and clean shower houses. There was a pile of firewood waiting for us and they allow for picking up downed branches for fires. It was a quiet, lovely place with great sunsets over the water, as well as herons, geese, turtles, and deer. The hosts were extremely helpful and accommodating. We have AT&T and had full bars (we also have a booster, which may have contributed to a strong signal). Also, we were amazed by the inexpensive pricing - I believe the prices are going up a little later this season, but at the time we were there (Apr 2023) prices were $25/FHU and $20 W/E. And of course even less for tent camping.

SiteB8

Month of VisitMay

Never Sitting S.

Ranger

Reviewed Nov. 11, 2021

Simple and nice

First come first serve campground. Big rig friendly, great hosts and lots of wildlife. My go to when in the area.

Month of VisitDecember

T H.

Traveler

Reviewed Oct. 26, 2021

crab orchard

very peaceful, cheap! full hookups $25

Sitea1

Month of VisitNovember

Melanie F.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 21, 2021

Amazing!

Years ago this was my families favorite place to camp. After. Many years things just weren’t what they used to be. THINGS HAVE CHANGED! I LOVED IT! It’s perfect again. So clean, great people. It’s not your typical (packed in like sardines) rv park by any means. It’s far from that. It’s peaceful and the views are amazing. 10/10 recommend AGAIN. TENT, rv, pop up it’s great for any kind of camping.

Siteloop A, A31

Month of VisitAugust

(7) View All

Joel H.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 27, 2020

Good times

Lots to see and do. we love to fish and camp on Crab. Great Lake. We camp at Blue Heron Campground in Carterville, right on Crab Orchard Lake. Places to eat and shop close by. Pizza can be delivered to campground. We camp there 6-8 times a year, several days at a time. It is my husbands favorite place to Bass Fish.

(6) View All

Jim L.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 15, 2020

Crab Orchard

Really like this place for camping and hiking, lots of trails really like the area.

Samantha P.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 19, 2020

Great site!

We really loved this site! There was a lot of goose poop but other than that it was great! Cool breeze off the lake!

Chelsea D.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 24, 2020

A little close to Rt 13, but the lakeside sites are so nice!

While you can hear the highway, it's not super noticeable and easy to tune out. This campground has some beautiful sites right next to the lake. There is also a little beach for campers to enjoy. Friendly staff sometimes host little educational presentations for kids. They are currently working on some improvements on the campground, so you may see or hear some construction going on.

Greg M.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 14, 2018

Excellent lakeside sites

Wthat a nice find in southern Illinois just outside of Marion. Very big roomy and grassy sites. Some right on the lake shore. This is a national conservation area so our national park passes are accepted meaning only $10 a night for electric and water. Full hookups $12.50. (Double the fee if you do not have a pass.) Boat ramps available. Very friendly and accomodating management. You will like it. Pets allowed. Internet accessible with my smartphone.

Site23

Month of VisitJuly