Picnic Shelters
Plan your picnic or family reunion now. Schedule your summer event in the beautiful, relaxing, natural setting of a forest preserve. Now is the time to reserve a shelterhouse for your annual picnic, for your family, company or club. Twenty-five shelterhouse facilities are available in 17 different preserves. Playground equipment is available at: Atwood Homestead, Blackhawk Springs, Hononegah, Pecatonica River, Roland Olson, Seward Bluffs, and Sugar River Forest Preserves. A shelterhouse reservation requires a fee and covers the entire day, from 7:00 AM until sunset.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE
Picnic Shelters can be reserved online by clicking above or at the Forest Preserve District office at 5500 Northrock Drive, Rockford, IL 61103. We start taking reservations the first Monday in February online and at the Forest Preserve District office starting at 8:00am for the 2019 season.
Fees for 2018-2019
Shelterhouses
| Resident | Non-Resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily reservation small shelter (up to 150 people) | $50 | $75 |
| Daily reservation large shelter (up to 299 people) | $75 | $100 |
| Daily reservation large shelter with electric (up to 299 people) | $85 | $115 |
| Daily reservation large shelter (300 to 500 people) | $400 | $500 |
Note: 300 and over, Forest Preserve District will provide
one extra set of port-o-lets along with one garbage dumpster.
Ground Use Permits
| Resident | Non-Resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Rides & Amusements (maximum 5) | $35 | $35 |
| Building use permits per day - Headquarters, Pecatonica Study Center | $50 | $50 |
| Other ground use permits (designated areas, tents, etc.) | $25 | $40 |
| Special Use Permits (commercial videography, weddings) | $25 and up | $25 and up |
| Annual Commercial Photography Permit | $100 | $125 |
| Daily Commercial Photography Permit | $25 | $35 |
Preserves With Shelterhouse
| Preserve | Shelterhouse | Max People | Tables | Seating | Electric | Vehicle Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atwood Homestead | Old Settlers | 300 | 24 | 144 | No | Yes |
| River Oaks | 300 | 21 | 126 | No | Yes | |
| Blackhawk Springs | Indian Springs | 300 | 25 | 150 | Yes | No |
| Espenscheid Memorial | Shady Oaks | 80 | 8 | 48 | No | No |
| Four Lakes | Lake View | 80 | 4-12ft. | 48 | No | No |
| Hononegah | Bird Grove | 70 | 7 | 42 | No | No |
| Indian Rest | 200 | 21 | 126 | Yes | No | |
| Towering Pines | 300 | 21 | 126 | Yes | No | |
| Kieselburg | Black Willow Springs | 200 | 24 | 144 | No | No |
| Red Cedar Ridge | 200 | 21 | 126 | No | No | |
| Kilbuck Bluffs | Edgewood | 100 | 10 | 60 | No | No |
| Fort Chartres | ||||||
| Kishwaukee River | Fort Vincennes | 80 | 8 | 48 | No | Yes |
| Sleepy Hollow | 150 | 22 | 132 | No | No | |
| Laona Heights | Ironwood | 50 | 4 | 24 | No | No |
| Macktown | Highland | 200 | 21 | 126 | Yes | Yes |
| Pecatonica River | Highview | 300 | 25 | 150 | Yes | No |
| Pecatonica Wetlands | Arrowhead | 500 | 16-12ft. | 192 | Yes | No |
| Roland Olson | Stuga | 500 | 24 | 144 | Yes | Yes |
| Severson Dells | Prairie Knoll | 200 | 25 | 150 | No | No |
| Seward Bluffs | Grove Creek | 50 | 5 | 30 | No | No |
| Oak Ridge | 80 | 8 | 48 | No | Yes | |
| Sugar River | River View | 80 | 8 | 48 | No | No |
| Sand Bluff | 132 | 16 | 96 | No | Yes | |
| Trask Bridge | Coffee Tree | 80 | 8 | 48 | No | No |
Playgrounds only at Atwood Homestead, Blackhawk Springs, Hononegah, Pecatonica River, Roland Olson, and Seward Bluffs Forest Preserves.