FORREST W. BO WOOD

Overview

Forrest W. ”Bo” Wood Recreation Area has a large campground 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.

Click here for a virtual tour of the Lake Shelbyville area.

Recreation

Lake Shelbyville offers a multitude of fishing opportunities for catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskie, walleye, white bass and bluegill.

The campground 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

Bo Wood is a large facility with more than 140 campsites that all provide electric hookups. For those without RVs, there are several tent-only sites. The campground has flush toilets, showers, a playground, dump station and a high-water boat ramp.

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.