Illinois State Parks · Illinois

Hamilton County State Fish & Wildlife Area

Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States · in Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area

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Group sites
Yes
Drinking water
Yes
Showers
Yes
Pets
Yes
Elevation
472 ft
Dark sky
Bortle class 3
Cell coverage
T-Mobile weak · Verizon weak · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
Nearest town
McLeansboro
Address
10279 Sunrise Point Road, McLeansboro, IL 62859
Phone
(618) 773-4340
Activities
Camping, Group Camping

About

Hamilton County State Fish & Wildlife Area is an Illinois DNR state park in the South region of Illinois. Camping site types: Class A (showers, electricity, vehicular access); Class C (vehicular access without showers, or walk-in with shower access). Also offers: Youth group camping. Rent-A-Camp equipment rental (a furnished large or extra-large tent, $8 or $12/stay plus the site's camping and utility fees) is offered at this park per IDNR's own Camp Classifications table. Pets ARE allowed (leashed, with water, never left unattended or in a parked vehicle) - IDNR's general statewide practice, confirmed via Starved Rock State Park's own IDNR FAQ. Reservable online through Illinois DNR's own Explore More Illinois system (camp.exploremoreil.com, redirects to the live recreation.exploremoreil.com/IllinoisWeb/ booking platform). Advance booking requires at least 3 days' notice; most sites are reservable May 1-October 31 (some year-round - confirm per park).

Fees

Class A: $20/night ($30 holiday weekends) - showers, electricity, vehicular access. Class C: $8/night - vehicular access without showers, or walk-in sites with shower access. Youth group (Class Y): $2/person/night, $20/day minimum. Reservation fee $5/reservation (non-refundable) plus first night's camping fee; camping fees refunded if cancelled online 3+ days before arrival. Discounts (about half the listed camping fee, full utility fee still applies) for Illinois residents 62+ or disabled with a Class 2/2A card; Illinois disabled veterans and POWs camp free aside from the utility fee; no entrance fee to any Illinois state park (dnr.illinois.gov).

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January39°26°3°68°10 of 11
February45°29°2°72°11 of 11
March59°40°18°79°6 of 11
April68°50°30°85°2 of 11
May80°62°44°90°0 of 11
June86°69°53°96°0 of 11
July88°72°63°96°0 of 11
August86°71°62°94°0 of 11
September84°66°51°95°0 of 11
October66°50°36°83°0 of 10
November54°39°9°75°4 of 10
December46°32°7°67°8 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

All public campgrounds in Illinois · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.