Dam West Picnic Shelters (Shelbyville)

Summary

This beautiful campground on the southwest shore of Lake Shelbyville offers a wide range of activities and facilities, including swimming, walking trails, picnicking, fishing, boating, and public beach and boat ramp. Visitors can explore the local wildlife, General Dacey Trail, and nearby town of Shelbyville. The Lake Shelbyville Dam and Visitor Center are also nearby.

Overview

This day use area sits on the southwest shore of Lake Shelbyville in the heart of central Illinois. This facility has a variety of amenities and offers outdoor activities for people of all ages, including swimming, walking trails, picnicking, fishing, boating, and simply relaxing.

Recreation

The area features a public beach, boat ramp & fish cleaning station, and multiple picnic areas. It also features the General Dacey Trail, a multi-use biking and walking trail which extends through the south end of the lake, spillway, the dam, and into the city park. The shoreline is accessible in some areas for fishing opportunities. Some of the local fish in the lake are catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskie, walleye, white bass, and bluegill.  

Facilities

There are two reservable picnic shelters. The large group picnic shelter has 11 picnic tables, 2 group grills, 4 flushable restrooms attached to the shelter, overhead lights, 14 electrical outlets, water hook-ups, water fountains, and a large paved parking lot. This shelter also has a sidewalk which connects to the public beach. The ramp point picnic shelter has 7 picnic tables, 1 group grill, flushable restrooms attached to the shelter, overhead lights, 8 electrical outlets, and paved parking lot.

Natural Features

The day use area has a perfect, wide-open overlook of the lake. 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

The Lake Shelbyville Dam and the Lake Shelbyville Visitor Center is located south of the day use area. Directly west of the day use area is the city park and the town of Shelbyville which offers small town boutiques as well as eateries to explore.