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A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Opossum Creek

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Lake Shelbyville, Shelby County, Illinois. 656 feet. 2.8 miles from Shelbyville.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Lake Shelbyville
Elevation
656 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
64 47 standard electric, 17 tent only electric
Longest rig
75 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water, Sewer
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Shelby County

Overview

Opossum Creek Recreation Area has a quiet campground that sits on the western shore of Lake Shelbyville in the heart of central Illinois. The lake and surrounding land offer outdoor activities for people of all ages, including fishing, swimming, picnicking and simply relaxing.

Visit the Lake Shelbyville, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for News Releases, Event Information, & Emergency Updates. https://www.facebook.com/LakeShelbyvilleUSACE

Visit it our USACE Lake Shelbyville Website for more information on Lake Shelbyville. https://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Lake-Shelbyville/

Recreation

Lake Shelbyville offers a multitude of fishing opportunities for catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskie, walleye, white bass and bluegill.

Opossum Creek provides a fishing pond for children age 12 and under with an accessible fishing dock. There are also several other ponds with farmed fish available around the lake.

Hunting areas located within a short drive offer numerous game species, including quail, rabbit, pheasant, deer, dove, turkey, waterfowl and woodcock.

Facilities

Opossum Creek Campground is 100% reservable. Most of the campsites have electricity and accommodate both RVs and tents, though there are several tent-only non-electric sites as well. Flush toilets, showers, a playground and dump station help create a comfortable camping environment.

Natural Features

Opossum Creek overlooks the lake shore and provides plenty of shade. Oak and hickory are the lake region's dominant tree species.

Foliage turns a variety of red, orange, purple and yellow each fall, while prairie flowers dot the landscape in spring and summer.

Numerous species of songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors inhabit the lake area, as do mammals such as cottontail rabbit, white-tail deer, gray and fox squirrel, muskrat and mink.

Nearby Attractions

Wolf Creek State Park, Woods Lake Waterfowl Refuge and Okaw Bluff Wetlands Complex are popular locations for wildlife watching, birding and hunting near Lake Shelbyville.

The description, directions and fees are the Army Corps of Engineers’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • visitor center
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Opossum Creek

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated May 15, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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