Campgrounds and RV parks near Mount Vernon, IL

Rend Lake is the main draw. The reservoir is well-known as an outstanding sport fishery for white and black crappie, particularly in the early spring, as well as excellent fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and bluegill. Boat ramps, marinas, and swimming beaches ring the lake, and the Rend Lake Golf Course sits just off the water. On land, a hiking and biking trail runs from the day-use areas through the campgrounds to Rend Lake Resort and connects to the Rend Lake College Bike Trail. Wayne Fitzgerrell hosts a controlled pheasant hunt each fall accommodating up to 120 hunters a day, and deer are often visible in the camping loops throughout the day. In Mount Vernon itself, families can visit the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, the Jefferson County Historical Village, and the local aquatic park, all within a short drive of the interstate.

Late spring through early fall is the core RV season around Mount Vernon. June through August offers the warmest conditions for swimming, boating, and lake recreation, and it is also the busiest stretch at Wayne Fitzgerrell, where lakefront loops fill first on weekends. Spring brings the region's strongest fishing window. Crappie fishing peaks in early spring, and wooded trails around the lake see spring wildflowers. Expect wet ground and periodic thunderstorms; April and May are the wettest months of the year, with May averaging the most precipitation. Fall thins the crowds and cools things down, with waterfowl hunters basing out of the area even though no waterfowl hunting takes place inside Wayne Fitzgerrell itself. Archway RV Park and Whittington Woods Campground remain open year-round, while several regional campgrounds and the state-park primitive area may close or reduce services during winter. Winter camping is possible at the private parks, though cold snaps and occasional ice storms are common.

State-run sites at Wayne Fitzgerrell include 243 modern campsites with electrical hookups and sanitary facilities, plus roughly 40 primitive tent sites. Three shower buildings serve the loops, and campers register with the campground host on arrival. Sites are generally spacious and shaded, though bathhouses may be a walk from some loops, and cell coverage can be spotty. Private parks in the area tend to be tighter but more amenity-rich. Archway RV Park offers gravel pads, full hookups, laundry, showers, a dump station, and on-site propane, and Whittington Woods Campground features mature shade trees, a renovated pool, full hookups, and pull-through sites big enough for large rigs. Summer nights bring mosquitoes near the lake. Bring repellent, a shade tarp, and a water filter for extended stays.