Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States · in Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
- Group sites
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 459 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Johnsonville
- Address
- 620 County Road, 1910 North, Johnsonville, IL 62850
- Phone
- (618) 835-2292
- Activities
- Camping, Group Camping
About
Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area is an Illinois DNR state park in the South region of Illinois. Camping site types: Class B/E (electricity, vehicular access, no showers); Class D (tent/primitive walk-in or backpack sites, no vehicular access). 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 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. 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 | 38° | 26° | -5° | 68° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 45° | 28° | 2° | 73° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 58° | 40° | 17° | 80° | 6 of 11 |
| April | 68° | 49° | 31° | 84° | 2 of 11 |
| May | 79° | 62° | 44° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 86° | 69° | 53° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 88° | 72° | 64° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 86° | 71° | 62° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 84° | 66° | 53° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 66° | 49° | 35° | 84° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 55° | 38° | 16° | 75° | 4 of 10 |
| December | 45° | 31° | 4° | 66° | 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
- Charley Brown Memorial Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 10 mi · 85 sites
- Stephen A Forbes State Recreation Area · Illinois State Parks · 16 mi
- Lakeside RV Park at East Fork Lake · City, County & Regional Parks · 31 mi
- Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area · Illinois State Parks · 35 mi
- Hamilton County State Fish & Wildlife Area · Illinois State Parks · 35 mi
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.