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Christopher Reservoir

North City · Christopher, Illinois — Franklin County.

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24Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 48793192).

Getting there

Flying here

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Christopher Reservoir, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Christopher Reservoir.

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Staying here

Look for hotels in and around North City, IL.

Search hotels near North City, IL on Klook

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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Things to do near Christopher Reservoir

Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around North City, IL on Klook.

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Boat rentals near Christopher Reservoir

Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.

Boat rentals in Illinois on GetMyBoat

Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.

Location & fast facts

Where Christopher Reservoir is in Illinois

The red circle marks Christopher Reservoir.

Fast facts

About Christopher Reservoir

  • County: Franklin
  • Cities & towns on the shore: North City, Christopher
  • Mapped as: Reservoir (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 20 mi from Carbondale and 128 mi from Springfield, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Illinois: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Illinois

Official IDNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Fishing. Largemouth bass, Bluegill and Channel catfish
  • Camping. 37 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

    Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

    Official fishing data (Illinois DNR)

    25Acres (state figure)

    Fish species in the IDNR fishing outlook, with the IDNR rating from its fish surveys: Bluegill (good), Channel catfish (good), Largemouth bass (improving).

    Stocked by the state: Channel catfish, Largemouth bass (2024, 2026)

    Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries, ifishillinois.org page for Christopher Old City Lake (Franklin County): fishing outlook, recent stocking history and lake description. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

    Fishing gear for Christopher Reservoir

    Gear picks based on the fish listed for Christopher Reservoir above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

    Lake map

    Christopher Reservoir shoreline

    0.1 mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 48793192), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Campgrounds near Christopher Reservoir

    We found 37 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Christopher Reservoir, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

    14 more within 15 miles

    All campgrounds & RV parks in Illinois

    Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

    Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (37.9854, -89.0716). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Christopher Reservoir. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Christopher Reservoir

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Christopher Reservoir

      How big is Christopher Reservoir?

      Christopher Reservoir covers about 24 acres in North City and Christopher, Illinois (Franklin County).

      What fish are in Christopher Reservoir?

      IDNR Division of Fisheries lake page lists Largemouth bass, Bluegill and Channel catfish.

      Are there campgrounds near Christopher Reservoir?

      Yes. We list 37 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.

      What towns are on Christopher Reservoir?

      Christopher Reservoir touches North City and Christopher in Franklin County, Illinois.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Christopher Reservoir? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Illinois lakes & ponds · All waters in North City