Campgrounds and RV parks near Bement, IL

Water recreation drives most trips. Clinton Lake supports boating, fishing, and swimming, with 9,300 acres of recreation area surrounding the lake. Lake Shelbyville, reached through Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort, adds larger open-water boating and lakeside dining. On land, Weldon Springs State Recreational Area has four hiking trails ranging from 7/8 of a mile to a 2 mile hike, plus the 3.1-mile Old Farm Trail from the campground to the north end of the park, a small lake for fishing and non-motorized paddling, and an interpretive center in a building originally built in 1865, later moved to Weldon Springs, restored and equipped as a visitor center. Clinton Lake State Recreation Area maintains shoreline hiking and equestrian trails that double as cross-country ski trails in the winter. Bement itself is home to the Bryant Cottage State Historic Site, a short stop for families breaking up a driving day.

Peak season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Illinois state park campgrounds fill quickly on holiday weekends, and full-hookup sites at Clinton Lake are among the first to sell out. Booking six to eight weeks ahead is realistic for summer Fridays and Saturdays. At Clinton Lake, showers and potable water are available from mid-April to November, weather depending, and at Weldon Springs the shower buildings are closed by November 1 and reopen May 1. Spring brings reliable fishing and wildflower bloom, but primitive backpack campsites along Salt Creek can be flooded in spring, so calling ahead for conditions is standard practice. Fall offers cooler nights, strong color through the oak-hickory woods around Clinton Lake, and lighter campground traffic after Labor Day. Winter camping is possible at both parks, which stay open year-round, though Clinton Lake closes the full week prior to the first firearm deer season, with no entry allowed in the Mascoutin area during that special hunt. Private lakeside operations generally run a seasonal calendar from spring through late fall.

State park campsites in this area are Class A pads with electric hookups; full hookups are limited, and dump stations handle waste on the way out. Clinton Lake has 17 Class AA, 277 Class A, 9 Class B/S and 5 Class C campsites, with loops H, I, J, and K alcohol-free. Weldon Springs has 75 campsites with electricity, vehicular access, a sanitary dumping station, shower building, cooking grills, picnic tables, pit toilets, playground equipment and water hydrants, with 30 or 50 amp service. Expect wooded, well-spaced settings at Weldon Springs and more variable spacing at Clinton Lake. Mosquitoes and biting insects are noticeable in late spring and summer, and raccoons are active around food storage. Cell coverage is generally reliable but can vary in tree-shaded loops. Sullivan Marina and Campgrounds Resort offers lakeside RV sites with direct access to Lake Shelbyville.