IllinoisReservoirClinton County

Carlyle Lake

Fed by the Kaskaskia River, Carlyle Lake holds roughly 26,000 acres of water in Illinois. Its shoreline falls inside Clinton County. USACE St. Louis District manages it. This guide maps 1 named swimming spot around its shoreline.

Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

CountiesClinton County

Coordinates38.6189, -89.3529

Surface area26,000 acres

Max depth35 ft

RiverKaskaskia River

Managed byUSACE St. Louis District

Swimming beaches on Carlyle Lake

1 named swimming spot and shoreline access points, from USGS GNIS, Recreation.gov and the Forest Service. None is staffed by a lifeguard unless the operating agency posts one.

Carlyle Lake

Public access point on the lake shore.

Recreation.gov (RIDB)

Carlyle Lake on the map

Lake center, swimming spots and access points.

Get directions

Weather and water temperature

Air temperature and wind from Open-Meteo. Water temperature only when the lake has a public sensor.

Weather data by Open-Meteo

Carlyle Lake in Illinois

Carlyle Lake sits at 38.6189, -89.3529. It lies at roughly 445 feet of elevation. It reaches roughly 35 feet at its deepest. Water leaves through the Kaskaskia River.

The closest lakes in this guide are Rend Lake (Illinois, 41 mi), Creve Coeur Lake (Missouri, 61 mi) and Crab Orchard Lake (Illinois, 63 mi). In all, 9 lakes in Illinois are covered here.

Water quality is monitored unevenly on inland lakes, so posted notices are the most reliable guide. There is no water temperature sensor here, so only air conditions are shown. Most Illinois day-use areas open for the summer season and close outside it.

Where an agency publishes a figure, we show it with the time it was taken; here there is none. Nobody publishes a continuous level for Carlyle Lake in a form this guide can read, so the page carries access and weather instead.

Around Carlyle Lake this guide maps 1 named swimming spot and 4 public recreation areas. They include Carlyle Lake. Recreation areas nearby include General Dean Recreation Area, Idnr South Shore State Park and Idnr Hazlet State Park. These come from Recreation.gov (RIDB). Parking is the usual limit on busy summer weekends.

Recreation areas on Carlyle Lake

4 public recreation areas mapped around the lake by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Facilities vary by area; check the managing office for opening dates and fees.

General Dean Recreation Area Idnr South Shore State Park Idnr Hazlet State Park Coles Creek Recreation Area

Source: USACE Recreation Areas

Questions about Carlyle Lake

Can you swim in Carlyle Lake?

Yes. This guide maps 1 named swimming spot around the lake, including Carlyle Lake. None is staffed by a lifeguard unless the operating agency posts one.

How big is Carlyle Lake?

About 26,000 acres. Maximum depth is around 35 feet.

What other lakes are near Carlyle Lake?

The closest in this guide is Rend Lake, about 41 miles away in Illinois.