Turkey Bayou Campground in IL -- Campground & RV Camping
Turkey Bayou Campground in IL
CampgroundUSFS/Friends of Turkey Bayou
7.2 mi from Murphysboro
9.6 mi off US 51 (straight line)
FreeOpen year-roundStay limit: 14 days
VerizonNONE
AT&TNONE
T-MobileNONE
StarlinkFAIR
Road Access
Easy
- Road difficulty 1 of 5: an easy drive in.
- Recorded as maintained for passenger cars, paved, pitching to 0%.
Setting
Fairly secluded
Free camping in Oakwood Bottoms near Big Muddy River in Shawnee National Forest. Adjacent to 20-acre Turkey Bayou Lake; electric-motor watercraft only. 14-day maximum stay. No restrooms, no potable water. Picnic tables provided. Maintained by Friends of Turkey Bayou. Site frequently floods during heavy rain. Fishing, waterfowl and deer hunting, nature watching, bird watching available.
- Well separated here, with the nearest through road 0.9 miles off.
- Sits on broad, near-level ground.
- Turkey Bayou lies 0.1 mi off.
- Estimated night sky: Bortle 2, true dark-sky territory.
Climate averages
October normals 48–71°F, 3.6″ precipitation. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.
NSWE
Starlink Radar
Open sky · Terrain & buildings · Tree canopy
Estimated horizon in eight compass directions, using 10 m USGS elevation. Sky clearance 49 of 100.
Tree cover81%30m sat. est.