Campgrounds and RV parks near Colfax, IL

Water recreation drives most trips. Dawson Lake at Moraine View SRA is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, walleye, and northern pike, with a two-lane boat launch, dock, and boat rentals at the concession. Motors are limited to 10 HP or idle-speed on the lake, so the water stays calm. Clinton Lake is much larger at 4,900 acres and is a busy boating lake for motorboats of all sizes as well as sailboats, with a 1,000-foot sand beach at Mascoutin open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Land-based activities include hiking on short lakeshore trails, more than 10 miles of bridle paths on the Timberline Ridge Trail at Moraine View, and cross-country skiing or snowmobiling on select trails once snow is deep enough. Both state areas have playgrounds and picnic shelters, and Boondocks Grill and Bait at Clinton Lake serves sandwiches and its regular fish dinner.

Peak camping season at Moraine View SRA and Clinton Lake SRA runs from spring through October, with the beach at Clinton Lake open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Both parks stay open year-round for camping, but showers and potable water at Clinton Lake are available from roughly mid-April through November, weather permitting, and Moraine View shower buildings close by November 1 and reopen around May 1. Summer weekends and holidays fill quickly, especially electric and lakefront sites. Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day weekends carry a holiday fee increase at Clinton Lake for Class AA and Class A sites. Fall brings oak and maple color around Dawson Lake and cooler nights that thin the crowds. Winter camping is possible but limited. The Clinton Lake campground closes for the full week prior to the first firearm deer season for a special hunt in the Mascoutin area, and heavy snow can make roads into Moraine View hard to navigate, so calling the park office before arrival is recommended.

Moraine View SRA's Gander Bay campground offers 137 Class A trailer sites with electric hookups, a sanitary dump station, and water available at several locations in the campground. Timberline Ridge horse camp has 30 Class A equestrian sites with water, electricity, and hitching racks. Alcohol is prohibited in all Moraine View campgrounds, and the road into the park is generally manageable for rigs up to about 35 feet. Clinton Lake SRA is much larger, with 17 Class AA full-hookup sites, 277 Class A electric sites, and additional Class B/S and Class C sites spread across lettered loops A through K. Loops H, I, J, and K are alcohol-free, and loops B and I are walk-in. The towns of Le Roy, Farmer City, and Gibson City provide groceries, fuel, and supplies within a short drive.