Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 682 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T weak · Verizon weak (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Ramsey
- Address
- Ramsey Lake Road - Intersection of 2900 N Rd & 700E Rd, Ramsey, IL 62080
- Phone
- (618) 423-2215
- Activities
- Camping, Group Camping, Equestrian Camping
About
Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area is an Illinois DNR state park in the South region of Illinois. Camping site types: Class A (showers, electricity, vehicular access); Class B/E (electricity, vehicular access, no showers); Class C (vehicular access without showers, or walk-in with shower access); Class D (tent/primitive walk-in or backpack sites, no vehicular access); Equestrian camping. 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 B/E: $18/night - electricity and vehicular access, no showers. Class C: $8/night - vehicular access without showers, or walk-in sites with shower access. Class D: $6/night - tent camping or primitive sites (walk-in or backpack), no vehicular access. Youth group (Class Y): $2/person/night, $20/day minimum. Equestrian camping available (specific class/rate varies by site). 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
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 23° | -4° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 42° | 26° | -4° | 71° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 56° | 37° | 14° | 79° | 8 of 11 |
| April | 66° | 46° | 28° | 83° | 2 of 11 |
| May | 78° | 59° | 43° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 86° | 67° | 51° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 86° | 71° | 62° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 83° | 69° | 59° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 82° | 64° | 52° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 65° | 48° | 33° | 83° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 53° | 37° | 13° | 73° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 44° | 29° | -2° | 65° | 9 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
- Vandalia Lake Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 14 mi
- Sherwood Forest Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 18 mi · 131 sites
- Lake Taylorville Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 24 mi
- Hidden Springs State Forest · Illinois State Parks · 26 mi
- Lithia Springs · Army Corps of Engineers · 27 mi · 109 sites
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.