Gun Creek Campground

This was our first stop on a cross country adventure. We stayed a week a changed campsites more than once. Lake spots are the best but be careful of steep inclines. The best section for us was in the Bluejay. Flat, private and on the water.

Sites are spread apart and mostly wooded. All back-in sites with a side space for your toad/truck. Mostly flat but we did have a challenge getting level . Quiet but less than a mile from the Interstate. Public golf course adjacent as part of the recreation area.

They have a great dump site that has better access I have seen. Bathhouses are clean and well kept. Boat ramp available and good fishing in Rend Lake.

When you reserve on reservations.gov check the facilities for your site. Some are electric only, some water & electric , some FHU.

My cost reflects Senior discount 50% with America the Beautiful
Pass.

We have always enjoyed the Army corps of engineers camps, and rates include our federal senior pass discount. (50% off). We stayed here twice, once on the west side of Rend Lake, and once at Gun Creek. Both large private sites, and we found some with full hookups. (They also have a variety of hookups). Beautiful trees and lakes, with privacy too! Don’t like the reserve system though…we called and were treated to many recordings plus big hold times. ReserveAmerica is a loser. But we showed up in afternoon and the host working at the entrance station registered us. (They are not available from 3 til 4 PM)

I was here on a rainy week so I didn't do much at the campground. I did visit Brewery 51 and St Nicholas Brewery just west of the campground. The last day I was at camp was a beautiful day and if I could have stayed I would have hit the bike trails that go around the lake. Bike maps were available where I checked in. The showers were clean and hot with full pressure.

I had no trouble with internet access using a Verizon hotspot.

Stopped over on a Wednesday night and the place was only half full. It’s a really clean park with plenty of shade. Lots of wildlife and the lightning bugs at dusk were pretty cool. Would be happy to spend more time if we weren’t just passing through. Only knock is mild highway noise in the middle of the day.

beautiful site and good ATT coverage

We just did an overnight in space 59. It was electric only and 30 amp. The site was not very level but we made it work. We had plenty of room for our 38' motorhome and toad. The lake is very pretty and made for a relaxing evening.

We had to get a couple nights at the last minute so we had to stay in two different spots. Be warned that
maybe 25% of the spaces are really slopped and our 37 foot Pusher would not level in either of the spaces. That's with the air dumped in the front air bags and the back wheels lifted off the pad. Be sure and block your front tires if you try this. The grounds of this and all the other parks around the lake are really clean, well manicured and you couldn't ask for much more. There are too many sites to list that are very sloped but 84, 29.and site 1 are all pretty steep. A short trailer or a 5th wheel would not have a problem I don't think. There is also a state park very nearby that has electric and had many more vacant sites if you can't get one at one of the COOP's campgrounds. I'd go back again but be sure and look at the details on Recreation.GOV as many of the sites list the slope when you check. Look at site details-Driveway details- then scroll down to "need to Know" this is where they list the slop. Site 29 says -3.5 degrees but is more than that

This COE needs work campers who actually WORK. As seasoned COE work campers ourselves, it’s unfathomable that we would arrive at our site with a filthy pad, a full of ashes fire pit and a huge dead fish lying on top of the grill at site 36 just behind our camper which smelled!
We had to park 3 feet over in the grass on the drivers side just to let our steps down to get in and out of the 5th wheel because the drop off from the asphalt was 10” into the dirt.
I called a park Ranger who did send another Ranger over to see the issue and his comment was “I’ve only been here since February, and this site needs gravel!”
All concrete picnic tables could use a good pressure washing as they are covered with years of food and debris.
This is the 4th COE we’ve been to in 5 days and every one of our sites were poorly cared for.
We increasingly get the feeling that COEs don’t care about the campers, maybe it’s a government thing. But because we are full time campers/work campers ourselves find the state of these campgrounds upsetting.

Lovely well maintained COE park, registered online and got a discount using Senior Pass. Site #37 is Full hook up, most W/E only with dump station nearby. Narrow paved drives, some unlevel. Comfort stations older but very clean. Yes we'd stay again.