City, County & Regional Parks · Illinois
Harry L. Swartz Campground (Middle Fork River Forest Preserve)
City, County & Regional Parks · Illinois, United States
- Group sites
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Elevation
- 715 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2 · certified dark-sky place
- Nearest town
- Oakwood
- Phone
- 217-586-3360
About
Champaign County Forest Preserve District campground at Middle Fork River Forest Preserve. All sites electric; each is a quiet, shaded retreat under oak, hickory, and hackberry trees. 11 "Dark Sky Friendly" campsites with unobstructed sky views for stargazing, plus the electric Burr Oak Group Site (call for reservations). Fish, hike, swim, watch wildlife, and sit around the campfire. Shower building on-site. Coordinates are for Middle Fork River Forest Preserve rather than the campground entrance.
Fees
Holiday campsite: $40/night. Friday-Saturday: $30/night. Sunday-Thursday: $25/night. Burr Oak Group Site: $85/night. Primitive (non-electric): $20/night.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 20° | -10° | 63° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 39° | 23° | -8° | 66° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 52° | 34° | 11° | 77° | 9 of 11 |
| April | 64° | 43° | 24° | 81° | 5 of 11 |
| May | 75° | 57° | 39° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 82° | 63° | 49° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 85° | 67° | 59° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 83° | 67° | 55° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 81° | 62° | 50° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 64° | 46° | 28° | 82° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 51° | 34° | 10° | 72° | 7 of 10 |
| December | 41° | 26° | -7° | 64° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Harry L. Swartz Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 0 mi · 65 sites
- Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area · Illinois State Parks · 17 mi
- Kickapoo State Recreation Area · Illinois State Parks · 20 mi
- South Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 22 mi · 9 sites
- East Camp · City, County & Regional Parks · 29 mi · 3 sites
All public campgrounds in Illinois · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-09-04. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.