Lotus Group Area

Carlyle Lake — lakeside

Location: CARLYLE, IL, IL

Price: From $200 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (8 reviews)

Season: Year-round

The Lotus Group Area is on the eastern shore of Carlyle Lake, a prime getaway for city-dwellers and families. Louis, the area offers the peaceful retreat of a small town combined with the grandeur of Illinois’ largest man-made lake.Lotus Group Area offers a secluded group campground in Coles Creek Recreation Area. The facility consists of 10 full-service campsites, a playground, and a comfort station.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): moderate signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

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

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

Located on the eastern shore of Illinois' largest man-made lake, Lotus Group Area offers water sports, fishing, and wildlife viewing 50 miles east of St. Louis. The site provides boat launch access and is situated in a peaceful small-town setting.

Wildlife alert: White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Eastern Massasauga, and Eastern Garter Snake verified in the area.

Insider tips for Lotus Group Area: Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability. Boat launch and courtesy docks nearby for water sports and fishing access. Camp Host on-site for assistance.

Skip Lotus Group Area if: You require hookups—no hookups available at sites.. You need multiple site options—only 1 tent site available..

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

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

Cell Phone Coverage at Lotus Group Area

Cell signal at Lotus Group Area (CARLYLE, IL): moderate overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

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.

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Carlyle Lake — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Lotus Group Area

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CARLYLE, IL, IL★ 4.4 (8 reviews)From $200/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Lotus Group Area is on the eastern shore of Carlyle Lake, a prime getaway for city-dwellers and families. Louis, the area offers the peaceful retreat of a small town combined with the grandeur of Illinois’ largest man-made lake.Lotus Group Area offers a secluded group campground in Coles Creek Recreation Area. The facility consists of 10 full-service campsites, a playground, and a comfort station.

Best for:BoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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
Max RV35 ft
Hookups1 electric sites
ADA sites1 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic Tables
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 require hookups—no hookups available at sites.✕ You need multiple site options—only 1 tent site available.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability.

Boat launch and courtesy docks nearby for water sports and fishing access.

Camp Host on-site for assistance.

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 · 0%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Eastern Massasauga, and Eastern Garter Snake verified in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
618-226-3211· Carlyle Lake
Getting there →

From I-57, take Old U.S. Highway 50 west for 19 miles, through Salem, Odin and Sandoval. Turn north on Boulder Road/2400E. After 4 miles turn east on 1700N and continue until the road connects with 2400E. Continue south and turn right just before reaching the Coles Creek entrance road. Proceed north to Lotus Group 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 Lotus Group Area cost per night?+
Lotus Group Area costs $200 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Lotus Group Area open?+
Lotus Group Area is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Lotus Group Area have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Lotus Group Area?+
Lotus Group Area can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.
How do I make reservations at Lotus Group Area?+
Lotus Group 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 Lotus Group Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Lotus Group Area is rated moderate. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Lotus Group Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Lotus Group Area is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$200 /night★ 4.4 (8)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Lotus Group Area cost per night?+
What season is Lotus Group Area open?+
Does Lotus Group Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Coles Creek Campground

CARLYLE, IL

From $20/night

Coles Creek Day Use

CARLYLE, IL

From $30/night

Boulder Campground

CARLYLE, IL

From $20/night

Boulder Day Use

CARLYLE, IL

From $30/night

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