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Forrest W. Bo Wood

Lake Shelbyville — lakeside, fishing

Location: SHELBYVILLE, IL, IL

Price: From $18 per night

Price range: $18–$48 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (749 reviews)

Season: May through October

’’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.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/forrest-w-bo-wood to be notified when sites open up.

Large campground on Lake Shelbyville's northern shore with 135 sites offering fishing, boating, and water activities. Google reviews average 4.7/5 stars, with campers praising it as a great overall destination for the lake.

Wildlife alert: Carolina Wren, Northern Shoveler, Eastern Kingbird, Tree Swallow, Common Box Turtle, and Broad-headed Skink documented in the area.

Insider tips for Forrest W. Bo Wood: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand Two dump stations available at guard gate area for convenient RV servicing Avoid site 44 if rain is forecasted

Skip Forrest W. Bo Wood if: You need water or sewer hookups — only electric hookups available on select sites. You prefer year-round camping — operations limited to May through October. You want guaranteed lake views from tent sites — vegetation may obstruct views.

Best time to visit Forrest W. Bo Wood: May through October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Wilborn Creek (Group Camp) (SHELBYVILLE, IL), Lone Point (SHELBYVILLE, IL), Coon Creek (Il) (SHELBYVILLE, IL), Opossum Creek (SHELBYVILLE, IL).

Cell Phone Coverage at Forrest W. Bo Wood

Cell signal at Forrest W. Bo Wood (SHELBYVILLE, IL): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
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CamperWatch›IL›Forrest W. Bo Wood
Forrest W. Bo Wood — photo 1
Forrest W. Bo Wood — photo 2
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Lake Shelbyville — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Forrest W. Bo Wood

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SHELBYVILLE, IL, IL★ 4.6 (749 reviews)From $18/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

’’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.

Best for:AnglersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV150 ft
Hookups141 electric sites
ADA sites2 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump StationBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsElectric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need water or sewer hookups — only electric hookups available on select sites✕ You prefer year-round camping — operations limited to May through October✕ You want guaranteed lake views from tent sites — vegetation may obstruct views

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand

Two dump stations available at guard gate area for convenient RV servicing

Avoid site 44 if rain is forecasted

Best: May through October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Carolina Wren, Northern Shoveler, Eastern Kingbird, Tree Swallow, Common Box Turtle, and Broad-headed Skink documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
217-774-3951· Lake Shelbyville
stephen.w.summers@mvs02.usace.army.mil
Getting there →

From Sullivan, Illinois, take State Route 32 south for two miles to the Forrest W. ''Bo'' Wood sign, then turn right and drive a half-mile to the campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Lake Shelbyville fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Lake Shelbyville before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Forrest W. Bo Wood cost per night?+
Forrest W. Bo Wood costs $18–$48 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Forrest W. Bo Wood open?+
Forrest W. Bo Wood is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Forrest W. Bo Wood have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Forrest W. Bo Wood?+
Forrest W. Bo Wood can accommodate RVs up to 150 feet.
How do I make reservations at Forrest W. Bo Wood?+
Forrest W. Bo Wood is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Forrest W. Bo Wood?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Forrest W. Bo Wood is rated strong. Best carrier: T-Mobile. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Forrest W. Bo Wood open, and what are check-in times?+
Forrest W. Bo Wood is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Rules & Regulations
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$18 /night★ 4.6 (749)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Forrest W. Bo Wood cost per night?+
What season is Forrest W. Bo Wood open?+
Does Forrest W. Bo Wood have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Wilborn Creek (Group Camp)

SHELBYVILLE, IL

From $240/night

Lone Point

SHELBYVILLE, IL

From $16/night

Coon Creek (Il)

SHELBYVILLE, IL

From $18/night

Opossum Creek

SHELBYVILLE, IL

From $16/night

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$18–48 /nightNo booking fees
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