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Activities at your forest preserves

Picnic Shelter Rental

Lake County Forest Preserves provide excellent settings for family or corporate picnics. All shelters provide picnic tables, toilets, water, parking, and hiking. Some shelters also have sports field.

Permits are required for groups of 25 or more people using preserves for picnics or other purposes. Open area permits may be obtained from a Ranger at most sites, or purchased at the Visitors Center for open area picnics at Independence Grove. Open areas are first-come, first serve and are not reservable.

For events using a caterer, DJ or other live entertainment, tent company, or certain other rental equipment, your vendor must be licensed with the Forest Preserves. Look here for a list of licensed vendors. Vendors, look here for information on obtaining a license. Please note that those vendors licensed with the Forest Preserves cannot be contracted for functions at Independence Grove that are booked through Catering by Michael's. A separate caterer-approved vendor list applies to Independence Grove's North Bay Pavilion and Visitor Center. For all North Bay Pavilion catering inquiries, please call 847-966-6555. For Visitor Center inquiries, call 847-247-1111.

Picnic shelter reservations for the following year start on the third Saturday of October.

In person reservations are taken from 8:00 a.m. until noon at our General Offices at 2000 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville.
Online reservations start at noon.
Phone reservations start on the following Monday.

Picnic Shelter Permit Fees

First 50 people are $60 for Lake County residents, $120 for non-residents; $8 per additional 10 people up to shelter capacity. Minimum charges apply at some shelters.

Save on picnic shelter reservations on weekdays or any day before Memorial Day weekend or after Labor Day: Lake County residents pay just $50 for the first 50 people ($100 for reservations from out-of-county) and $7 per additional 10.

There is a $5 fee to change the date, location or number of people (subject to availability) after your reservation has been finalized. Permits are non-refundable.

Lake County Forest Preserve Picnic Shelter Locations

Fox River Preserve & Marina, Barrington
- Large Pavilion
- Small Shelter
Grant Woods, Fox Lake
- Shelter A
Greenbelt, North Chicago & Waukegan
Half Day, Vernon Hills
Heron Creek, Long Grove
- Shelter A
- Shelter B

Lakewood, Wauconda
- Shelter A
- Shelter B
- Shelter C
- Shelter D
- Shelter E
Nippersink, Round lake
Old School, Libertyville
- Shelter A
- Shelter B
- Shelter C
- Shelter D
- Shelter E
Van Patten Woods, Wadsworth

PLEASE NOTE: The below search function does not include the Independence Grove North Bay Pavilion in Libertyville. For information on availability, pricing, amenities or to make a reservation for that venue, please call Picnics, Inc. at 847-966-6555.

Reserve a Shelter

Use the search form below to check availability for your group's size and event date. You may also indicate a specific preserve if you'd like. Then choose a shelter from the search results to begin the reservation process.

In order to best assist you in finding a shelter that meets your needs, we need some basic information about your event. We ask you to enter the expected number of people so we can show you shelters that are large enough to accommodate your party. We ask for a specific date so we can show you shelters that are still available. You'll be able to modify your search if you're not satisfied with the first set of results.

Picnicking is permitted at most Forest Preserves. Use the form to the left to search for a picnic shelter, or call 847-367-6640 for details about permits, fees, special uses and locations.