Illium is my favorite campground. In the valley right next to the river it benefits from the cooler air generated by the water though this can help make it a little colder at night than the others. The fire rings are nice. If you set up next to one share it with your neighbors, and if you don't get one you should feel free to share your neighbors after a friendly introduction.
You will be allowed to drive to your site to unload when you arrive then will park along the road outside the campground. You will be able to access your car all the time but please don't slam the door after 10 or 11 pm, the sound will reverberate through the camp ground. Unless the policy has changed this year you may access and drive your car where ever you like though not into town. (not sure why anybody would want to get into their car after arriving at this amazing campground anyway) There is a shuttle that runs (beginning Wednesday) non stop every 1/2 hour to an hour depending on it getting caught in traffic.
The shuttle is a school bus with short leg room so be prepared for a crowded ride at peak times (standing room only) but at non peak times you may be the only one on the bus.
This is an unimproved camp ground with portable plastic johns (cleaned daily beginning Thursday), imported water, no electricity (except for your batteries, and a few friendly solar pop ups who frequently et you tap in and charge from their outlets, sometimes folks have portable gas powered generators as well). I avoid camping next to the johns as the crashing doors can be obnoxious not to mention the perfume on hot days. Drinking water can be drawn from a portable tank, ice vendors show up in the morning and late afternoon, there are no onsite concessions so plan on brining your own food or eating in town, groceries, beer and wine can be brought in from stores in town, the sites do not have picnic tables so bring your own camping tables. Some folks travel light and just toss sleeping bags on the ground, others set up lodges, bring the kitchen sink, and scrap lumber and build a homestead.
Some years it drops below freezing at night though is usually not windy due to the close valley walls. Some years it barely drops into the 40's. I think in '11 it didn't get colder than 50 so you never know what's going to happen with the cold. When you get there note where the sun is. It rises over the back valley wall and in some locations will not shine on you till 11am and in others it arrives as early as 9am. The sun warms you up 10 degrees instantly at first on the outside of your tent and about 15 to 20 degrees on the inside. If that sounds attractive or not place your tent in an appropriate location to sun or shade. Plenty of tree to hang hammocks but in placing any obstacles (tents, hammocks, coolers, tarps, wagons) please pay attention to not bock existing pathways.
There is ample space for all campers, a friendly staff of volunteer site stewards, both open space for sun and stars and treed space for shade and privacy depending on your druthers. I have not been very successful getting cell connections there but didn't try too hard.
Some years the forest service and or the sheriff imposes fire restrictions due to a dry weather year. Here in Flagstaff (about 6 hours south of Illium) those are in place. I'm not sure how much snow they got up there in San Juans this year so they may step in and say "you know, due to the dryness and current weather conditions fires are not allowed". Please follow those directions so our forests don't burn down. DO NOT TOSS YOUR CIGARETTES ANYWHERE!
The site is out of town and unless you are a crazy gnarly mountain biker don't plan to ride into town for the fest. On the other hand the site is located along a beautiful forest service road and proximate to a really cool mtn bike trail my 9 year olds and I had a great time riding those trails.
Listening to:
Martin Sexton - Live at the Iron Horse
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