Camping in Illinois: Best Months, Booking and Fire Rules
Across Illinois's 3 NOAA reference stations, camping weather is mild from April to June and from August to October, with average highs of 65 to 85 F and lows of 44 to 66 F. Nights at or below freezing show up from October to April, most often in January, when they average 25.7 a month. State park sites are booked through ExploreMoreIL.
Check this weekend’s weather at your campsite
Live from the National Weather Service
The best months for camping in Illinois
By NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, camping weather in Illinois is mild April to June and August to October. Pick the station nearest your campground below; high ground runs colder than any station.
- Jan37° / 22°Freezing nights
- Feb42° / 25°Freezing nights
- Mar53° / 34°Freezing nights
- Apr65° / 44°Freezing nights
- May75° / 54°Mild
- Jun83° / 63°Mild
- Jul87° / 67°Hot
- Aug85° / 66°Mild
- Sep79° / 58°Mild
- Oct67° / 46°Freezing nights
- Nov53° / 35°Freezing nights
- Dec42° / 26°Freezing nights
Each month shows the average high and low across the state’s reference stations, in F. Mild means an average high of 60 to 85 F with lows of 40 F or more. Freezing nights means the stations average one or more nights a month at or below 32 F.
Cairoelevation 313 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43 F | 26 F | 22.4 |
| February | 48 F | 30 F | 17.5 |
| March | 59 F | 38 F | 9.5 |
| April (mild) | 70 F | 48 F | 1.2 |
| May (mild) | 78 F | 58 F | 0 |
| June | 86 F | 66 F | 0 |
| July | 89 F | 70 F | 0 |
| August | 88 F | 68 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 82 F | 60 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 71 F | 48 F | 1.2 |
| November | 58 F | 37 F | 9.5 |
| December | 47 F | 30 F | 20.1 |
Chicagoelevation 658 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32 F | 19 F | 28.1 |
| February | 36 F | 22 F | 24.4 |
| March | 47 F | 31 F | 19.9 |
| April | 59 F | 40 F | 6 |
| May (mild) | 71 F | 51 F | 0.2 |
| June (mild) | 80 F | 61 F | 0 |
| July (mild) | 85 F | 66 F | 0 |
| August (mild) | 83 F | 65 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 76 F | 57 F | 0.1 |
| October (mild) | 63 F | 45 F | 2.7 |
| November | 48 F | 34 F | 14.5 |
| December | 37 F | 24 F | 25.4 |
Springfieldelevation 594 ft
| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36 F | 20 F | 26.5 |
| February | 41 F | 24 F | 22.5 |
| March | 53 F | 33 F | 15.8 |
| April (mild) | 66 F | 43 F | 4.1 |
| May (mild) | 76 F | 54 F | 0.2 |
| June (mild) | 84 F | 63 F | 0 |
| July | 87 F | 66 F | 0 |
| August (mild) | 85 F | 64 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 80 F | 56 F | 0.1 |
| October (mild) | 67 F | 45 F | 3.8 |
| November | 53 F | 34 F | 14.2 |
| December | 41 F | 25 F | 23.7 |
How to book a state park campsite in Illinois
Illinois Department of Natural Resources takes reservations through ExploreMoreIL.
First come, first served sites
Most campgrounds have first-come, first-served sites; please contact the park for availability of these sites.Illinois Department of Natural Resources, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
When the campgrounds are open
Generally, throughout the state, camping is available year round weather permittingIllinois Department of Natural Resources, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Cancellations
The $5.00 reservation fee will NOT be refunded. The camping fees will be refunded if cancelled on the website 3 days in advance of your arrival.Illinois Department of Natural Resources, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Quoted from Illinois Department of Natural Resources pages read October 18, 2026. Windows and fees change, so confirm on the booking site.
Camping outside a campground in Illinois
Primitive camping outside of developed campgrounds is free and allowed any time of year for up to 14 consecutive days.USFS, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Campfires when you camp in Illinois
Campfires in state parks and forests
in any area except in camp stoves provided by the Department or in charcoal or other types of metal grills furnished by the visitor at a specific designated campfire site; orIllinois Department of Natural Resources, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Campfires on national forest and BLM land
Keep campfires contained in the fire rings provided at each campsite.USFS, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Where fire restrictions are posted
The USFS initiates restrictions or temporary public land closures to reduce the risk of wildfires and protect the public.USFS, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Current restrictions: USDA Forest Service, Shawnee National Forest.
Illinois camping questions
Camping in other states
Where this page’s facts come from
- State park, forestry and federal land pages (read October 18, 2026). Booking windows, reservation systems, campfire rules, fire restriction sources and rules for camping outside a campground, each quoted word for word with a link to the page it came from.
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020 (read October 18, 2026). Average monthly high, low and nights at or below 32 F at 150 reference stations, the same stations the heat season and heating season pages use.
- National Weather Service alerts (live, read in your browser when the page loads). Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, Fire Warnings, Freeze Warnings and High Wind Warnings, read live from api.weather.gov.
- National Weather Service 7 day forecast (live, read in your browser when the page loads). The weekend forecast for the ZIP code a visitor enters, read live from api.weather.gov.
Climate figures are NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals at 3 reference stations in Illinois. Rules are quoted from agency pages and can change.