Illinois State Parks · Illinois
Stephen A Forbes State Recreation Area
Illinois State Parks · Illinois, United States · in Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 597 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Kinmundy
- Address
- 6924 Omega Road, Kinmundy, IL 62854
- Phone
- (618) 547-3381
- Activities
- Camping, Group Camping, Equestrian Camping
About
Stephen A Forbes 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 B/S (showers, vehicular access, no electric); Class C (vehicular access without showers, or walk-in with shower 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 B/S: $10/night - showers and vehicular access, no electric. 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. 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 | 37° | 25° | -7° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 44° | 28° | 0° | 73° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 58° | 39° | 16° | 80° | 8 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 48° | 30° | 84° | 2 of 11 |
| May | 78° | 61° | 44° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 87° | 68° | 53° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 87° | 72° | 64° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 85° | 70° | 61° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 84° | 66° | 53° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 66° | 49° | 34° | 83° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 54° | 38° | 15° | 75° | 4 of 10 |
| December | 45° | 31° | 3° | 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
- Charley Brown Memorial Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 16 mi · 85 sites
- Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area · Illinois State Parks · 16 mi
- Vandalia Lake Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 24 mi
- Boulder Campground · Army Corps of Engineers · 25 mi · 82 sites
- Lotus Group Area · Army Corps of Engineers · 27 mi · 1 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.