Keyesport Rec. Area

Carlyle Lake — lakeside, fishing

Location: CARLYLE, IL, IL

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 2 out of 5 (1 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Keyesport Recreation Area is situated on the western shore of Carlyle Lake, a prime getaway for city-dwellers and families. Louis, the area offers the peaceful retreat of small towns combined with the grandeur of Illinois’ largest man-made lake.Keyesport provides one reservable group picnic shelter that can accommodate up to 75 people. Boaters have the convenience of a marina, boat ramp and fish cleaning station.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: AT&T. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Camp Host, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/keyesport-rec-area to be notified when sites open up.

Keyesport Rec. Area sits on the western shore of Illinois' largest man-made lake, 50 miles east of St. Louis, offering water sports, fishing, and a peaceful retreat. Google reviews rate it 4.8/5, with campers praising its friendly atmosphere and lakeside location.

Wildlife alert: White-tailed Deer, Long-eared Owl, Tennessee Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, House Wren, Eastern Massasauga, and Eastern Garter Snake present in the area.

Insider tips for Keyesport Rec. Area: Book early — it's a federal campground with limited availability. Boat ramps and courtesy docks available for water sports and fishing. Only 1 tent site available, so confirm availability before traveling.

Skip Keyesport Rec. Area if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at this site.. You prefer larger campgrounds — only 1 total site..

Best time to visit Keyesport Rec. Area: Year-round — Campground operates year-round according to verified data..

Nearby campgrounds: Boulder Day Use (CARLYLE, IL), Boulder Campground (CARLYLE, IL), Lotus Group Area (CARLYLE, IL), Coles Creek Day Use (CARLYLE, IL).

Cell Phone Coverage at Keyesport Rec. Area

Cell signal at Keyesport Rec. Area (CARLYLE, IL): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: AT&T.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›IL›Keyesport Rec. Area
Keyesport Rec. Area — photo 1
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Carlyle Lake — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Keyesport Rec. Area

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CARLYLE, IL, IL★ 2 (1 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Keyesport Recreation Area is situated on the western shore of Carlyle Lake, a prime getaway for city-dwellers and families. Louis, the area offers the peaceful retreat of small towns combined with the grandeur of Illinois’ largest man-made lake.Keyesport provides one reservable group picnic shelter that can accommodate up to 75 people. Boaters have the convenience of a marina, boat ramp and fish cleaning station.

Best for:AnglersBoatersSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
Hookups1 electric sites
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Camp Host

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — no hookups available at this site.✕ You prefer larger campgrounds — only 1 total site.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

it's a federal campground with limited availability.

Boat ramps and courtesy docks available for water sports and fishing.

Only 1 tent site available, so confirm availability before traveling.

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round according to verified data.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G + 5G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: AT&T.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: White-tailed Deer, Long-eared Owl, Tennessee Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, House Wren, Eastern Massasauga, and Eastern Garter Snake present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
618-594-5253· Carlyle Lake
Getting there →

From I-70, take State Route 127 south for 10 miles. Turn east on Clinton Road, continue east for four miles to the town of Keyesport, then follow signs to the recreation area.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Carlyle Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Carlyle Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Keyesport Rec. Area cost per night?+
Keyesport Rec. Area costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Keyesport Rec. Area open?+
Keyesport Rec. Area is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Keyesport Rec. Area have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Keyesport Rec. Area?+
Keyesport Rec. Area is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Keyesport Rec. Area?+
Keyesport Rec. Area is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Keyesport Rec. Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Keyesport Rec. Area is rated strong. Best carrier: AT&T. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Keyesport Rec. Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Keyesport Rec. Area is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$30 /night★ 2 (1)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Keyesport Rec. Area cost per night?+
What season is Keyesport Rec. Area open?+
Does Keyesport Rec. Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Boulder Day Use

CARLYLE, IL

From $30/night

Boulder Campground

CARLYLE, IL

From $20/night

Lotus Group Area

CARLYLE, IL

From $200/night

Coles Creek Day Use

CARLYLE, IL

From $30/night

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