State: Illinois
Address 1: 8542 North Lake Road
City: Lena
Zip: 61048
Phone: 815-369-4282
Open: Open all year
Open all Year: Yes
Camp URL: http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/parks/r1/leaquana.htm
Full Hook: Yes
Whether you visit for an afternoon or stay a few days, you will leave Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area with many happy memories. Located in Stephenson County just west of Route 73 on Lake Road, the park is six miles south of the Illinois-Wisconsin state line and three miles north of Lena.
Highlighted by a 40-acre lake and all the recreational opportunities there, the park also offers multi-use trails, picnic areas, and RV, tent, equestrian and youth group campgrounds.
The Lake
You can swim at the beach, boat or fish in Lake Le-Aqua-Na. A typical Midwestern manmade lake, the water is moderately clear, due to good watershed practices and the use of an axial-flow destratifier that mixes the lake water to keep oxygen levels high at all depths. Lake Le-Aqua-Na is one of only a few lakes in Illinois to use this device.
Trails
Whether you enjoy hiking, horseback riding or cross-country skiing, 8.5 miles of marked trails include something for everyone. Pets are welcome to enjoy the trails with you, but must be kept on their leashes.
Winter Sports
Ice-fishing, sledding and cross-country skiing are popular attractions at Lake Le-Aqua-Na during the winter months, but there are no trails or facilities for snowmobiling. All ice activities should be limited to areas away from the lakes destratifier unit, where open water and thin ice make these activities less safe.
Concessions
Everything from canoes and paddleboats to food is available at a conveniently located concession stand. The concession is open May 1 through Sept. 15.
Boating
Completed in 1956, the lake provides fishing, boating activities and a swimming beach. Whether you bring your own boat or rent one from the concessionaire, you will enjoy the beauty of the 1.4 miles of wooded shoreline the lake offers, even if you do not plan to fish. A launching ramp is located adjacent to the concession stand. Only electric motors are allowed on the lake.
Fishing
Periodic stockings of walleye, northern pike and channel catfish compliment the lakes self-sustaining largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and bullheads.
Picnicking
Whether you are planning a picnic for two, have invited the whole family, or even the whole neighborhood, Lake Le-Aqua-Na has a picnic site to suit your needs. All sites include tables and grills. For those who like to plan ahead, two picnic shelters with electricity may be reserved in advance, beginning Jan. 2 each year.
