Army Corps of Engineers · Illinois
Forrest W. Bo Wood
Army Corps of Engineers · Illinois, United States
- Sites
- 141
- Hookups
- 135 electric, 65 with water
- Season
- April 16 to October 24
- Max RV length
- 150 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Laundry
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 666 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · Verizon weak · AT&T good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Lake Shelbyville
- Nearest town
- SHELBYVILLE
- Address
- 1989 St. Highway 16, SHELBYVILLE, IL, 62565
- Phone
- 217-774-3951
- Activities
- Birding, Boating, Camping, Day Use Area, Fishing, Kayaking, Paddling, Photography, Picnicking, Visitor Center, Water Access, Water Activities
140 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
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.
Visit the Lake Shelbyville, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Facebook page for News Releases, Event Information, & Emergency Updates. https://www.facebook.com/LakeShelbyvilleUSACE
Visit it our USACE Lake Shelbyville Website for more information on Lake Shelbyville. https://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Lake-Shelbyville/
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
Forrest W. Bo Wood Campground is 100% reservable. It 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, dog park, fish cleaning station, 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, raccoons, & opossums.
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 21° | -3° | 64° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 42° | 24° | -8° | 68° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 54° | 35° | 12° | 78° | 9 of 11 |
| April | 65° | 45° | 26° | 82° | 4 of 11 |
| May | 77° | 58° | 42° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 84° | 66° | 49° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 85° | 69° | 60° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 83° | 68° | 57° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 81° | 63° | 51° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 66° | 47° | 30° | 83° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 53° | 35° | 12° | 73° | 6 of 10 |
| December | 42° | 28° | -9° | 65° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Sullivan Marina and Campground · Army Corps of Engineers · 1 mi
- Wilborn Creek (Group Camp) · Army Corps of Engineers · 5 mi · 1 sites
- Wolf Creek State Park · Illinois State Parks · 6 mi
- Eagle Creek State Recreation Area · Illinois State Parks · 6 mi
- Lone Point · Army Corps of Engineers · 9 mi · 80 sites
All public campgrounds in Illinois · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-05-15. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.