North Sandusky Campground
Rend Lake · Illinois · 97 sites
Photos: US Army Corps of Engineers via Recreation.gov
Overview
North Sandusky Campground is a US Army Corps of Engineers campground in Rend Lake, Illinois, with 97 sites in 7 loops. Very shady: nearly every site is under trees. Verizon and AT&T report coverage at every site; T-Mobile at 46 of 97.
89 of 97 sites shaded
2 of 97 sites in full sun
9 of 97 sites with clear sky
Map of the campground
Every site from the Recreation.gov listing. Choose a layer to see it across the campground; tap a site to open it in Roam.
Layers
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Questions
Which sites at North Sandusky Campground are the shadiest?
Nearly all of them. 89 of 97 sites at North Sandusky Campground have good shade from the trees, including from the hot afternoon sun.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at North Sandusky Campground get the most sun?
Only a few. 2 of 97 sites are truly sunny and 5 more get some sun; the rest are shaded.
See the tree canopy in RoamWill Starlink work at North Sandusky Campground?
Only at a few. About 9 of 97 sites have a clear gap in the trees for Starlink and 18 a partial one; most sit under tall trees. Satellite texting on a phone needs less open sky, but still works best from the most open spot you can find. This is our estimate from tree heights — check with the Starlink app's obstruction check when you arrive.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at North Sandusky Campground are the most level?
15 of 97 sites are flat, and 27 more have a gentle slope most RVs can level with blocks; 55 are steeper, better for tents. Sites that take RVs or trailers fit rigs up to 80 ft.
See the slope at each site in RoamDoes North Sandusky Campground have cell service?
Mostly. Verizon and AT&T report coverage at every site; T-Mobile at 46 of 97. That's the coverage each carrier reports to the FCC, not a measured signal, so under trees or below a ridge it can be weaker.
See the coverage map in RoamWhen is the best time to see fall color at North Sandusky Campground?
October. In a typical year the leaves around North Sandusky Campground are at their best in mid to late October, though any one fall can run a week or two early or late. Much of the forest here stays green, so expect color in patches. Roam’s fall foliage map shows how far the color has come this week, free every September through November.
See this week’s fall color in RoamWhat’s the weather like at North Sandusky Campground in October?
In October, expect highs around 69°F and lows around 46°F, with about 3.5 inches of rain over the month. Every month’s averages are in Roam Premium.
Open North Sandusky in RoamCampground facts
- Sites
- 97 in 7 loops
- Kinds
- 97 for RVs or trailers
- Hookups
- 97 with electric
- Longest rig
- 80 ft
- Accessible
- 6 sites
- Elevation
- 416–442 ft
- Every site
- Picnic table · Pets allowed · Campfires allowed · Check-in 5 PM, check-out 4 PM
- Managed by
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- Booking
- Reserve on Recreation.gov
How we know Sources and limits
Shade, sun and Starlink are our estimates from Meta and the World Resources Institute’s canopy-height model (about 2 m pixels, from satellite imagery calibrated with space lidar; CC BY 4.0). From 2 m above each site we trace 72 lines out to 60 m and note the tallest tree in each direction. Shade counts trees overhead, the canopy within 30 m and how much of the afternoon sky is blocked. Sun counts how open the southern sky is. Starlink needs open sky above 35°, with the northern half counted twice because US dishes tilt north, and we keep the best spot within 8 m of the site’s post. The model sees tree heights only, not trunks, buildings or hills, so check with the Starlink app when you arrive.
Slope is the ground at each site’s post over about 4 m, from USGS 3DEP 1 m lidar: level under 2%, gentle to 4% (most rigs level on blocks), sloped to 8% (fine for a tent), steep beyond.
Cell coverage is from the FCC Broadband Data Collection (carrier filings as downloaded May 2026): each site is tested against each carrier’s modelled outdoor 4G/5G coverage. It is what the carriers report, not a measured signal.
Fall color is the typical peak from NASA’s MODIS satellite record of when leaves change (2001–2023), limited to deciduous and mixed forest with USGS land cover (NLCD), calibrated to the USA National Phenology Network’s ground reports of colored leaves (CC BY 4.0). It is an average of many autumns, so the page gives a window, not a date.
Weather is NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the campground. Sites and facts are from Recreation.gov’s open data (July 2026). Map imagery: USGS The National Map. Photos: Recreation.gov.
From the campground’s Recreation.gov listing: “North Sandusky Campground offers 95 reservable campsites equipped with electric hookups, a picnic table, and a firepit. The campground offers a dump station, hot showers, flush toilets, and drinking water to provide a comfortable camping experience for guests. Playgrounds are also conveniently located at the campground entrance and within the White Oak camping loop. The fields, forests and waters of Rend Lake provide a natural haven for wildlife and an outdoor wonderland for you. Woodland areas are made up of hickory, oak, and beautiful maples providing habitat to white-tail deer, turkeys, racoons, and many more native species. The shorelines are an excellent viewing area for waterfowl, shorebirds, and bank fishing our known crappie population.”
Page data as of October 15, 2026. Full source notes are in each layer’s info in the app.