Forrest W. Bo Wood Picnic Shelter

Summary

At Forrest W. "Bo" Wood Recreation Area, visitors can enjoy a plethora of outdoor activities, from swimming and fishing to picnicking and exploring the dog park. The area offers a boat ramp for easy access to the water, hunting areas for game species, and a reservable picnic shelter. There are also nearby attractions for wildlife watching, birding and hunting.

Overview

Forrest W. ''Bo'' Wood Recreation Area has a large campground and day use area on the northern 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.

Recreation

Unique to this location is the dog park which features 2 enclosed fenced-in areas for pets to explore as well as training equipment (hurdles, tunnels, ramps) for pets to exercise. Lake Shelbyville offers a multitude of fishing opportunities for catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskie, walleye, white bass and bluegill. The recreation area has a boat ramp for easy access to the water, and for those without a boat, several ponds with farmed fish are 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

There is 1 reservable picnic shelter. This shelter has 6 picnic tables, 1 group grill, overhead lights, and 2 electrical outlets. Across the street is the dog park. Down the road from the dog park are flushable restrooms. There is a small parking lot available for parking near the shelter; more parking is available down the road.

Natural Features

This facility lies on the shoreline with a steep descent down to the water. Oak and hickory forests offer plenty of shade. 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. The town of Sullivan is located 3 miles north and offers several restaurants to grab a bit to eat.