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Silver Lake

Grafton, Illinois — Calhoun County.

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271Surface acres
3Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 156106610).

Location & fast facts

Where Silver Lake is in Illinois

The red circle marks Silver Lake.

Fast facts

About Silver Lake

  • County: Calhoun
  • Nearest city: Grafton (about 0.8 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 73 mi from Springfield and 109 mi from Carbondale, 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

  • Boating. 3 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Camping. 10 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel and Curly-leaf pondweed recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

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.

Lake map

Silver Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Calhoun Point Ramp (Boat launch)1Pohman Slough (Boat launch)2Pohman Slough (Boat launch)31 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch
  1. 1Calhoun Point Ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Pohman Slough
    Boat launch
  3. 3Pohman Slough
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 156106610), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Silver Lake

We found 10 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Silver Lake, 4 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

4 more within 15 miles
  • Piasa Island · 10.3 mi from the shore · Jersey County
  • Illini · 13.1 mi from the shore · Godfrey
  • Optimist · 13.5 mi from the shore · Godfrey
  • Rotary · 13.6 mi from the shore · Godfrey

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: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Nearest airports

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

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

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.

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 (38.9508, -90.4915). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Silver Lake. 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 Silver Lake

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.

    Boat launches & access sites

    3 public access sites listed, 3 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Calhoun Point Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating38.9642, -90.4866
    Pohman Slough——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating38.9421, -90.5040
    Pohman Slough——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating38.9444, -90.5037

    OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Silver Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Silver Lake

    How big is Silver Lake?

    Silver Lake covers about 271 acres in Grafton, Illinois (Calhoun County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Silver Lake?

    Yes. 3 public trailer launches are listed: Pohman Slough, Pohman Slough and Calhoun Point Ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Silver Lake?

    Yes. We list 10 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 4 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Silver Lake?

    Silver Lake touches Grafton in Calhoun County, Illinois.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Silver Lake? 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 Grafton