State: Illinois
Address 1: 4201 Shabbona Grove Rd.
City: Shabbona
Zip: 60550
Phone: 815-824-2106
Open: Open all year
Open all Year: Yes
Number of Sites: 150
Electric: 150
Camp URL: http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/parks/r1/shabbona.htm
Full Hook: Yes
Just miles west of Chicago, off U.S. 30, urban sprawl gives way to 1,550 acres of rolling prairie and features a 318.8 acre man-made fishing lake. Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area provides a convenient, natural haven from the hustle and bustle of daily life.A unique mix of grass-covered meadows, upland mesic woods, bottomland woods, and a native, undisturbed fen, make this an ideal location for natural relaxation and outdoor activity. You can see sedges, cattail, marsh marigolds, horsetail, skunk cabbage, turtlehead, iris, blue joint grass and bulrushes. Also enjoy the areas of prairie restoration throughout the park which features prairie grasses such as Big Blue Stem and prairie flowers such as purple cone flower.With facilities for picnicking, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and winter sports, Shabbona Lake is a convenient and comfortable retreat where you can refresh and reinvigorate yourself in a rare, unspoiled environment.In addition, Shabbona Lake contains a 15-acre seasonal nesting area for migratory waterfowl such a s Canvasback, redhead and pintail ducks and Canada Geese.
Picnicking
Visitors can picnic at any of three major day use areas situated along the western shore of the lake. Parking, water and rest rooms are available, as well as horseshoe pits.
Concessions
Facilities are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, bait and tackle sales, and boat rental on a seasonal basis
Hiking
Just over eight miles of scenic hiking and cross-country skiing trails weave through the wooded areas of the park. A trail brochure is available at the office. A specially developed cassette tape can guide you along on the “Touch the Earth” trail. The tape and a special brochure is available at the park office.
Fishing and Boating
Whether fishing from a boat or shore, both are popular and productive at Shabbona Lake, which is stocked with large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass, black and white crappie, black and brown bullhead, channel catfish, walleye, muskie and perch. For fish catch and size limits, contact the park office.Lake access is available from a double-lane launching ramp.
