A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Thomson Causeway

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Mississippi River - Pools 11-22, Carroll County, Illinois. 603 feet. 1.6 miles from Thomson.

Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi River - Pools 11-22
Elevation
603 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
126 121 standard electric, 5 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
80 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Thomson Causeway provides the unique experience of island camping on the great Mississippi River and it's well worth a try!

The western edge of the recreation area offers visitors an unobstructed view of the widest spot on the Upper Mississippi River Basin, 3.5 miles from shore-to-shore. Here, campers can enjoy memorable views of the river and the valley, and partake in plenty of great water activities.

Recreation

Popular activities include fishing, hiking, hunting, biking and boating. Common fish species include the channel catfish, bluegill, walleye, large mouth bass, and northern pike. The Central Trail section of the famous Mississippi River Trail passes beside the campground, offering visitors miles of walking and biking trails along the river bank.

Facilities

Of the 125 reservable campsites, 120 have electric hookups and 5 campsites do not have electric hookups and are for tents only. Campsites in the Hickory, Potters South, and Potters North camping loops have water available at each individual campsite. Thomson Causeway provides the comforts of modern camping, including drinking water, an accessible flush toilet, electrical hookups, shower house and boat ramp, while still providing visitors with an authentic outdoor experience. This park also offers 2 reservable picnic shelters for day use.

Natural Features

The campground is built mainly on an island in the backwaters of the Mississippi River. Slow moving water on the eastern edge of the main recreation area creates a rich environment in which wildlife and fish abound.

Nearby Attractions

Head northbound along the river to see the Ayers Sand Prairie State Nature Preserve or the Mississippi Palisades State Park.

Visit the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center and Fulton's Dutch Windmill. Or watch a minor league baseball game at the Clinton Lumberkings stadium.

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

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • hunting

The land around Thomson Causeway

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

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

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.

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