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You want lakeside access, wildlife viewing, and clean facilities at a refuge campground during peak fall migration.
Select a month, then check for open campsites
Price
$12 - $28/night
Booking
Check Site
Sites
74 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Select a month, then check for open campsites
Price
$12 - $28/night
Booking
Check Site
Sites
74 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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Learn more about alerts →Crab Orchard Campground
37.7389, -89.1252
You want lakeside access, wildlife viewing, and clean facilities at a refuge campground during peak fall migration.
You need full hookups or prefer a private campground with more amenities.
Context for the broader area surrounding Crab Orchard Campground, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.
<p>Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge's 44,000 acres of land and water contain a wide diversity of flora and fauna. Major habitat types on the refuge include hardwood forest, agricultural land, grazing units, brushland, wetlands, and lakes. <p>The refuge provides significant resting areas for migratory birds utilizing the Mississippi Flyway. Wintering numbers of Canada Geese can peak at 200,000. A total of 700 plant species, 245 bird species, 33 mammal species, 63 fish species, and 44 reptile and amphibian species have been documented on the refuge. <p>The western 24,000 acres of the refuge provide a wide range of recreational opportunities and also includea 4,050-acre wilderness area. The eastern portion, 20,000 acres, is a wildlife sanctuary, and public use is limited. <p>Annual visitation is approximately 1,000,000 visitors. Industrial activities on the refuge range from manufacturing and storage facilities to administrative offices. Many buildings now housing industries were used in the manufacturing of explosives during World War II, and they are still used for military ordnance production today. The concrete igloos built for munition storage are now leased to private industry for storage of many types of products.
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is located five miles west of Marion, Illinois, and five miles south of Herrin, Illinois, on State Route 148. From I-57 in Marion, go west on Illinois Route 13 about three miles to Illinois Route 148. Turn left (south) and go two and one-half miles. The refuge Visitor Information Center is located on the left.
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Best season: fall. Fall brings the best combination of comfortable weather (daytime highs typically in the mid-50s to mid-70s°F, nights in the 40s–50s°F) and peak migration — the Mississippi Flyway funnels countless waterfowl and shorebirds through Crab Orchard, making it a top destination for birding and wildlife photography. Cooler temperatures and clearer skies also make hiking, biking, and lakeside exploration much more pleasant than the humid summer months. Expect moderate crowds on weekends from September–10 Peak months: October, September, November, April
Fall cited as best: pleasant temps and peak migration along the Mississippi Flyway.
Crab Orchard Campground offers 74 campsites. Water and electric hookups are provided on 67 sites, 7 sites are primitive with no water or electric hookups. The campground offers a dump station, hot showers, and flush toilets in order to provide a comfortable camping experience for guests.
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Short heads-ups about the road in, gear quirks, timing, and more. You don't have to have been here to share what you know.
Pulled from per-site mentions in 192 reviews.
Site E‑1 (Loop E) is described as easy to book even last minute for a small camper, with desired hookups and clean bath house/showers nearby plus convenient…
Sites in Loop A (A‑3, A‑4, A‑20, A‑22) and Loop B (B‑9, B‑19) are consistently described as clean, quiet, and well‑kept, with A‑22’s reviewer emphasizing the…
One reviewer mentioned that all of Loop B was closed during their visit, limiting site options at that time.
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