Campsite Sniper
Illinois · Recreation.gov

Dam East - McNair Campground

38.6130° N / 89.3368° W · Data Nov 2 2026, checked hourly
Next open date Nov 2Next open weekend Nov 618 detected openings this week47 monitored sites

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Every site at Dam East - McNair Campground, colored by availability across the tracked window. Tap a site for its calendar.
Dam East - McNair Campground

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Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 18 site openings here in the last 7 days
Set a free alert →
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-233786

When Dam East - McNair Campground reopens

Dam East - McNair Campground's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 7 days
18
Openings · last 30 days
140
Openings · last 90 days
295

Weekday pattern

Detected openings by day of week · 90d
010203040506022565627464444MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUNOPENINGS RECORDED · LAST 90 DAYS · N = 295

No strong weekday pattern is evident in the openings Campsite Sniper has detected: 295 openings spread across the week.

Hour-of-day pattern

First detected by hour · local time · last 90 days
0204060806360000408121620HOUR OF DAY (24H) · CT · LAST 90 DAYS

The largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 00:00 and 19:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 123 of 295 detected openings (41.7%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Central Time, not when the change was made upstream.

Lead-time profile

Days before stay date · percentiles
P25 · 3DMEDIAN · 6 DAYS OUTP75 · 15D0306090120150180DAYS BEFORE STAY DATE

Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 6 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 3–15 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.

Highest-churn sites

Most openings · 90d
SiteOpeningsShare of all openings
37  186.1%
34  113.7%
8  113.7%
16  113.7%
39  103.4%

Site 37 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 18. One free watch covers every site here.

02 · Availability Outlook · Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027 · of 47 monitored sites

Of the 4,324 tracked site-nights (Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027): 2,038 open for online reservation · 366 reserved · 1,920 closed.

Where the open windows are

52.9% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 2,038 of 4,324 remain open; here is where they are.

Load status

Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027
Not open online52.9%
Open site-nights2,038 / 4,324
Reserved (of online inventory)366 / 2,404
Weekday openings1,165
Weekend openings873

Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 1,165 fall on weekdays and 873 on weekends (Fri–Sun).

Open dates by month

Nov 2026 – May 2027
04008001,2001,6002124491,250127NOVDECAPRMAYSOLID = OPEN SITE-NIGHTS · DASHED OUTLINE = TOTAL BOOKABLE

April holds the most room. 1,250 of 1,363 site-nights are still open there.

Holiday windows

Sites open per night · of 47 sites
WindowNightSites openStatus
ThanksgivingTHU Nov 267Open
FRI Nov 277Open
SAT Nov 289Open
ChristmasTHU Dec 2415Open
FRI Dec 2515Open
New YearTHU Dec 3115Open
FRI Jan 10None open
Memorial DayFRI May 280None open
SAT May 290None open
SUN May 300None open
MON May 310None open

Thanksgiving: 6 sites are available for the complete three-night stay. Christmas: 15 sites are available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: no site is currently available for the complete two-night stay. Friday has no online availability; individual Thursday night remains open. Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.

Best-availability sites

Most open site-nights · tracked window
SiteOpen site-nights
39  81
40  81
36  79
45  78
46  76

The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.

Next windows

As of Nov 2, 2026 snapshot
Next open dateMon · Nov 2
Next open weekendFri · Nov 6

The next bookable night is Nov 2; the first open weekend starts Nov 6. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.

Stays and site detail

2,038 open site-nights across 47 sites at Dam East - McNair Campground, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.

Multi-night stays. 120 2-night, 106 3-night, 69 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Nov 2 at site 34.

RV length. Longest recorded site here is 117 ft. 46 sites take 25 ft, 46 sites take 35 ft, 46 sites take 40 ft. 1 site of 47 has no recorded maximum and is not counted.

All 47 sites with current availability
SiteMax RVHookupsOpen site-nightsLongest runDates
3955 ftYes8140 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24 +69 more
4060 ftYes8133 nightsNov 4, Nov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17 +69 more
3660 ftYes7934 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 23 +67 more
4560 ftYes7840 nightsNov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 27 +66 more
4660 ftYes7634 nightsNov 4, Nov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 22 +64 more
4750 ftYes7533 nightsNov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 23 +63 more
4360 ftYes7340 nightsNov 8, Nov 9, Nov 15, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 27, Nov 28, Nov 29, Nov 30 +61 more
4460 ftYes7240 nightsNov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24 +60 more
3860 ftYes7133 nightsNov 2, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1 +59 more
4155 ftYes6933 nightsNov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3 +57 more
3560 ftYes6825 nightsNov 2, Nov 3, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24 +56 more
4260 ftYes6832 nightsNov 9, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 27, Nov 28, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 5, Dec 6, Dec 7 +56 more
3360 ftYes6621 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 22, Nov 23 +54 more
3760 ftYes6519 nightsNov 5, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 28, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3 +53 more
3460 ftYes5726 nightsNov 2, Nov 3, Nov 8, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2 +45 more
175 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
1085 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
1180 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
1280 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
1381 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
1581 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
1875 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
272 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2070 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2170 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2261 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2497 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2565 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
26100 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2757 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2858 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
2960 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
363 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
3073 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
3173 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
465 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
683 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
888 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
975 ftYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
CNot recordedYes3232 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +20 more
1470 ftYes2927 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +17 more
2364 ftYes2929 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027 +17 more
561 ftYes2923 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027, Apr 14, 2027, Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027 +17 more
783 ftYes2923 nightsApr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027, Apr 14, 2027, Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027 +17 more
16117 ftYes2412 nightsApr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027, Apr 14, 2027, Apr 15, 2027 +12 more
1795 ftYes118 nightsApr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 26, 2027, Apr 27, 2027, Apr 28, 2027, Apr 29, 2027, Apr 30, 2027, May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027
1965 ftYes83 nightsApr 4, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027

About Dam East - McNair Campground

Overview

Dam East-McNair Campground is situated on the southern shore of Carlyle Lake, a prime getaway for city-dwellers and families. Located 50 miles east of St. Louis, the area offers the peaceful retreat of a small town combined with the grandeur of Illinois' largest man-made lake.

Recreation

The area provides fun both on the water and on shore. Boat ramps and courtesy docks are located nearby, and the vast lake allows for plenty of water sports. Fishing is a popular pastime, and the lake offers year-round varieties of fish such as bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, white bass, largemouth bass, freshwater drum, carp and walleye. There are multiple playgrounds on-site, as well as a swimming beach. A multi-use biking and walking trail is located a short distance away at the dam.

Facilities

Dam East-McNair Campground has one reservable group picnic shelter that can accommodate up to 80 people, as well as 47 individual campsites (1-32 located within the North and South loops of the campground, 33-47 located within the East Spillway loop below the main dam) that are available to reserve from the current day up to six months in advance. The facility also provides a swimming beach, bathhouses and laundry facilities. McNair has a nature trail and a multi-use trail, and is connected to the Dam East facilities.

Natural Features

Created in 1967, the 26,000-acre lake is recognized as one of the nation's top ten inland sailing lakes and hosts several annual races and regattas.

Carlyle Lake is home to an array of wildlife that can be seen throughout the year. Its waters and shores are a resting spot for migratory waterfowl and other birds. There are six established Watchable Wildlife Sites with viewing towers open to the public around the lake.

Nearby Attractions

The Carlyle Lake Visitor Center, located in the Dam West Recreation Area, has information available and nature exhibits on display, including a 215-gallon aquarium with native fish.

47 monitored sitesRVs up to 117 ft47 with hookups47 shadedPets OKFire pitsMax party 80

Getting there

From I-57, take Old U.S. Highway 50 west for 22 miles to the Dam East Entrance road. Turn north and continue through the four-way intersection to the McNair Group Area.

801 Lake Road, Carlyle, IL 62231618-594-5253
BikingBoatingCampingFishingHikingSwimming SiteWater SportsWildlife Viewing

View on Recreation.gov ↗   Get directions ↗

FAQ

How do I get a reservation at Dam East - McNair Campground?

Reservations for Dam East - McNair Campground are made through Recreation.gov. 2,038 of 4,324 tracked site-nights are currently open (47.1%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 295 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.

Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?

No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.

How current is this availability data?

Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 18:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.

How often do new openings appear at Dam East - McNair Campground?

Campsite Sniper detected 18 site-date openings at Dam East - McNair Campground in the last 7 days, 140 over 30 days and 295 over the last 90.

Can I get a multi-night stay at Dam East - McNair Campground?

106 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Nov 4 at site 40. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.

Which sites at Dam East - McNair Campground fit a 35-foot RV?

46 of the 47 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 117 ft. 46 of those 47 sites have a recorded maximum length and 1 does not; it is not counted as fitting.

Which month has the most availability at Dam East - McNair Campground?

April 2027, with 1,250 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 1,363.

How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Dam East - McNair Campground?

Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 6 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 3-15 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.

When is the next open date at Dam East - McNair Campground?

As of the Nov 2, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Mon, Nov 2 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Nov 6. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.

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