Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Randolph County State Recreation Area
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States
- Group sites
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 538 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T weak · Verizon weak (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Chester
- Address
- 4301 South Lake Drive, Chester, IL 62233
- Phone
- (618) 826-2706
- Activities
- Camping, Group Camping, Equestrian Camping
About
Randolph County State Recreation Area is an Illinois DNR state park in the West Central region of Illinois. Camping site types: 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; Organized/adult group camping. 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 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. Organized/adult group (Class O): $4/person/night, $40/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 | 39° | 27° | 4° | 67° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 46° | 29° | -1° | 75° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 60° | 41° | 18° | 78° | 6 of 11 |
| April | 69° | 49° | 30° | 85° | 1 of 11 |
| May | 79° | 62° | 45° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 87° | 68° | 55° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 89° | 72° | 64° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 86° | 71° | 63° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 84° | 65° | 54° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 67° | 49° | 35° | 84° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 56° | 39° | 16° | 77° | 3 of 10 |
| December | 47° | 32° | 10° | 66° | 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
- World Shooting & Recreation Complex · Illinois State Parks · 15 mi
- Johnson Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 18 mi
- Pyramid State Recreation Area · Illinois State Parks · 21 mi
- Pinckneyville City Park/Fairgrounds Camping · City, County & Regional Parks · 24 mi
- Hawn State Park · Missouri State Parks · 25 mi · 61 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.