Opossum Creek

- Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
- best months
Overview Opossum Creek Recreation Area has a quiet campground that sits on the western shore of Lake Shelbyville in the heart of central Illinois. The lake and surrounding land offer outdoor activities for people of all ages, including fishing, swimming, picnicking and simply relaxing. Visit the Lake Shelbyville, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for News Releases, Event Information, & Emergency Updates. https://www.facebook.com/LakeShelbyvilleUSACEVisit it our USACE Lake Shelbyville Website for more information on Lake Shelbyville. https://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Lake-Shelbyville/Recreation Lake Shelbyville offers a multitude of fishing opportunities for catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskie, walleye, white bass and bluegill. Opossum Creek provides a fishing pond for children age 12 and under with an accessible fishing dock. There are also several other ponds with farmed fish available around the lake. Hunting areas located within a short drive offer numerous game species, including quail, rabbit, pheasant, deer, dove, turkey, waterfowl and woodcock.Facilities Opossum Creek Campground is 100% reservable. Most of the campsites have electricity and accommodate both RVs and tents, though there are several tent-only non-electric sites as well. Flush toilets, showers, a playground and dump station help create a comfortable camping environment.Natural Features Opossum Creek overlooks the lake shore and provides plenty of shade. Oak and hickory are the lake region's dominant tree species. Foliage turns a variety of red, orange, purple and yellow each fall, while prairie flowers dot the landscape in spring and summer. Numerous species of songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors inhabit the lake area, as do mammals such as cottontail rabbit, white-tail deer, gray and fox squirrel, muskrat and mink. Nearby Attractions Wolf Creek State Park, Woods Lake Waterfowl Refuge and Okaw Bluff Wetlands Complex are popular locations for wildlife watching, birding and hunting near Lake Shelbyville.
Coon CreekLake fishing0.7 mi
Lithia SpringsLake fishing1 mi
Lone PointLake fishing1.8 mi- Robinson CreekCanoeing4.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Coon CreekLake fishing · ~1 min drive
- Eagle Creek State ParkRiver fishing · ~8 min drive
- Lithia SpringsLake fishing · ~2 min drive
- Wolf Creek State ParkRiver fishing · ~10 min drive
- Lone PointLake fishing · ~3 min drive
- Forrest W. Bo WoodLake fishing · ~19 min drive
- Timber LakeLake fishing · ~48 min drive
- Sheep LakeLake fishing · ~56 min drive
- Lake KincaidLake fishing · ~57 min drive
- Vandalia Municipal ReservoirLake fishing · ~1h 1m drive
Best time to visit Opossum Creek
Best months: April–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
36° / 19°
8 wet
Feb
41° / 23°
7 wet
Mar
52° / 32°
9 wet
Apr
64° / 43°
11 wet
May
74° / 54°
12 wet
Jun
83° / 63°
10 wet
Jul
86° / 67°
9 wet
Aug
85° / 65°
8 wet
Sep
80° / 57°
8 wet
Oct
67° / 45°
9 wet
Nov
52° / 34°
9 wet
Dec
41° / 25°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Shelbyville Dam, IL, 2.6 mi away at 650 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.