Army Corps of Engineers · Mississippi River - Pools 11-22 · Thomson, IL

Thomson Causeway

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.

Reservable · Recreation.gov133 sites99 ft maxElectric hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: electric hookups in Illinois · reservable in Illinois · big rigs in Illinois · pets allowed in Illinois · group sites in Illinois

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Sunset on campsite #69Thomson Causeway day use area playground.Thomson CausewayThomson Causeway Trick-or-Treat event.
Photos courtesy of Dan VanDenBroeke, USACE · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric121
Tent-only5
group picnic area2
Host/management5
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

128 sites in 5 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
099HPOIElectricBack-in65PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
100HPOIElectricBack-in55PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
101HPOIElectricBack-in60PavedFull50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
102HPOIElectricBack-in60PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
103HPOIElectricBack-in48PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
104HPOIElectricBack-in55PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
105HPOIElectricBack-in30PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
106HPOIElectricBack-in60PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
107HPOIElectricBack-in45PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes
108HPOIElectricBack-in55PavedPartial50/20/30/50 ampYes / –6 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water
Max vehicle length99 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites Stone, Octagon are listed accessible

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.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Thomson Causeway20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 1.40 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.56 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.41 inches of precipitationApril: 3.39 inches of precipitationMay: 4.03 inches of precipitationJune: 4.52 inches of precipitationJuly: 3.40 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.43 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.66 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.58 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.20 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.69 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.4°F averageFebruary: 25.4°F averageMarch: 36.9°F averageApril: 49.6°F averageMay: 61.2°F averageJune: 71.2°F averageJuly: 74.6°F averageAugust: 72.7°F averageSeptember: 65.5°F averageOctober: 53.2°F averageNovember: 39.5°F averageDecember: 27.7°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Fulton L&D #13, 4 miles from the campground at 592 feet, station USC00113290 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 34 inches a year.

Getting there

Take IL State Route 84 to Thomson, Illinois. Turn west onto Main Street, then turn south onto Lewis Avenue.

Nearest townThomson, Illinois
Coordinates41.9517° N, 90.1108° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗7.8 mi
RV sales & serviceCampers Inn RV of Davenport ↗35.3 mi
Outdoor gearFever River Outfitters ↗35.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Thomson Causeway Campground tour and review. Thomson, Illinois.

Worth a stop

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.

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.

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.

Guidebooks for Illinois

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Thomson Causeway?

Sites at Thomson Causeway are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Thomson Causeway?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Thomson Causeway have?

133 sites, including 121 standard sites with power, 5 tent-only sites, and 2 group picnic area.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Thomson Causeway?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Thomson Causeway have hookups?

Yes, electric and water hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Thomson Causeway?

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.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Thomson Causeway?

Yes, pets are allowed at Thomson Causeway. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Thomson Causeway?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Thomson Causeway?

Sites Stone and Octagon are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Thomson Causeway?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Thomson Causeway?

Popular activities include fishing, hiking, hunting, biking and boating. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Thomson Causeway?

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

Source: Getting there