Don't get left out in the cold this summer
Make camping reservations this winter

Camping reservations for 4th of July weekend and other dates begin Jan. 3

[JAN. 3, 2006]  SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is starting to take 2006 camping season reservations for state campsites, cabins, group campsites and picnic shelters. Reservations can be made through regular mail only beginning Jan. 3 and in person or over the phone beginning Feb. 6.

"Campgrounds at our state sites are very popular destinations for many Illinoisans and visitors to our state," said Joel Brunsvold, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. "The campsite reservation system is a great way for families, hikers, hunters, anglers and other campers to make reservations at the start of the year to ensure there is a campsite waiting for them when they arrive at one of our state parks, fish and wildlife or recreation areas this summer."

Reservations by mail can be made beginning Jan. 3. Visit www.dnr.state.il.us and click on the camping section for a registration form. People making reservations should mail the form to the camping site of their choice (see list of campsites below for addresses), along with the appropriate registration fee.

Beginning Feb. 6, telephone and in-person reservations using Visa or MasterCard can be made for the following sites: Chain O'Lakes, Fox Ridge, Jim Edgar Panther Creek, Pere Marquette, Ramsey Lake, Rock Cut, Shabbona and Sangchris Lake. In-person reservations will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, e-mail reservations are not accepted at any site.

A daily lottery will be conducted for mail-in reservations. Up to six mail-in reservations per envelope, per person will be accepted for campsites or shelters. Camping groups may mail more than six reservations per envelope as long as no more than six are for one individual.

In addition to regular camping fees and utility fees payable upon arrival at the site, regular campsites and group campsites require a $5 reservation fee per site at the time the reservation is made. Shelter reservation fees are $25.

Payment of the first night's camping and utility fees guarantees the reservation will be held until 3 p.m. the following day, after which time the site will be offered to other campers on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a reservation is confirmed, the reservation fee is nonrefundable unless the Department of Natural Resources closes an area because of weather or other reasons.

Campsites can be reserved for a maximum of 14 nights per month, and reservations must be made at least a week before the campsite is needed. Reservations for the Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends require a minimum three-day reservation.

Campsite reservations will be available at the following state sites:

• Apple River Canyon, 8763 E. Canyon Road, Apple River, IL 61001 (youth group only)

• Argyle Lake, 640 Argyle Road, Colchester, IL 62326

• Beaver Dam, 14548 Beaver Dam Lane, Plainview, IL 62685 (cabin and youth group only)

• Big River, R.R. 1, Box 118, Keithsburg, IL 61442

• Chain O'Lakes, 8916 Wilmot Road, Spring Grove, IL 60081

• Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, R.R. 1, Box 4, DeWitt, IL 61735

• Delabar State Park, R.R. 2, Box 27, Oquawka, IL 61469

• Eagle Creek, P.O. Box 16, Findlay, IL 62534

• Eldon Hazlet, 20100 Hazlet Park Road, Carlyle, IL 62231

• Fox Ridge, 18175 State Park Road, Charleston, IL 61920

• Hidden Springs, R.R. 1, Box 200, Strasburg, IL 62465

• Illini, 2660 E. 2350th Road, Marseilles, IL 61341

• Illinois Beach, Lake Front, Zion, IL 60099

• Jim Edgar Panther Creek, 10149 County Highway 11, Chandlerville, IL 62627 (cabin and group camp only)

• Kankakee River State Park, P.O. Box 37, Bourbonnais, IL 60914

• Kickapoo, 10906 Kickapoo Park Road, Oakwood, IL 61858

• Lake Le-Aqua-Na, 8542 North Lake Road, Lena, IL 61048

• Moraine View, R.R. 2, Box 110, LeRoy, IL 61752

• Pere Marquette, P.O. Box 158, Grafton, IL 62037

• Ramsey Lake, P.O. Box 97, Ramsey, IL 62080

• Rock Cut, 7318 Harlem Road, Loves Park, IL 61111

• Sam Dale, R.R. 1, Box 101, Johnsonville, IL 62850

• Sangchris Lake, 9898 Cascade Road, Rochester, IL 62563

• Shabbona Lake, 4201 Shabbona Grove Road, Shabbona, IL 60550

• Starved Rock, P.O. Box 509, Utica, IL 61373

• Trail of Tears, 3240 State Forest Road, Jonesboro, IL 62952 (reservations not accepted until April 17, 2006)

• Walnut Point, 2331 E. County Road 370 N., Oakland, IL 61943

• Weldon Springs, 1159 500 N., R.R. 2, Box 87, Clinton, IL 61727

• Wolf Creek, R.R. 1, Box 99, Windsor, IL 61957

Shelter reservations will be available at the following sites:

• Northwest Illinois -- Apple River Canyon, Argyle Lake State Park, Big River State Forest, Castle Rock State Park, Delabar State Park, Franklin Creek State Natural Area, Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Illini State Park, Jubilee College State Park, Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park, Mississippi Palisades State Park, Morrison-Rockwood State Park, Prophetstown State Park, Rock Cut State Park, Shabbona Lake State Park and White Pines Forest State Park.

• Northeast Illinois -- Buffalo Rock State Park, Chain O'Lakes State Park, Gebhard Woods State Park, Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, Kankakee River State Park, Moraine Hill State Park, Silver Springs State Park and William W. Powers Conservation Area.

• East-central Illinois -- Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Eagle Creek State Park, Fox Ridge State Park, Hidden Springs State Forest, Kickapoo State Park, Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park, Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area, Moraine View State Park, Spitler Woods State Natural Area, Walnut Point State Park, Weldon Springs State Park and Wolf Creek State Park.

• West-central Illinois -- Beaver Dam State Park, Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Eldon Hazlet State Park, Frank Holten State Park, Horseshoe Lake State Park in Madison County, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area, Pere Marquette State Park, Randolph County Conservation Area, Sand Ridge State Forest, Sangchris Lake State Park, Washington County Conservation Area and Weinberg-King State Park.

• Southern Illinois -- Dixon Springs, Ferne Clyffe State Park, Fort Massac State Park, Giant City State Park, Horseshoe Lake Conservation Area in Alexander County, Lake Murphysboro State Park, Ramsey Lake State Park, Red Hills State Park, Sam Dale State Park, Sam Parr State Park, Stephen A. Forbes State Park, Trail of Tears State Forest and Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources also has openings for campground hosts at many state-run campgrounds. Hosts are paid $1 per day and receive free camping for the length of their stay. Hosts are expected to check campers in and out and help answer general questions from campers. For more information on the host program, call Barb Foster at [phone].

[Illinois Department of Natural Resources news release]