Independence Grove offers outdoor recreation and education opportunities centered on a 115-acre lake. Surrounding prairie and woodlands provide a picturesque backdrop for hiking, biking, picnicking and other fun activities.
Activities include:
- Bicycling
- Boating / Canoeing / Kayaking
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Ice Fishing
- Ice Skating
- Picnic Shelter Rental
- Swimming
Cafe (Open daily through Labor Day, September 3.)
Snacks, light entrees, beverages and ice cream are available from a convenient walk-up window on the north side of the Visitors Center.
Hours: 10:30 am to 4 pm, Mon, Wed, Thu; 10:30 am to 9 pm, Tue (open late for concerts); 10:30 am to 6 pm, Fri, Sat, Sun
Marina, Boat & Bike Rentals (Open 6:30 am to one hour before sunset daily through Labor Day, September 3.)
Rent a canoe, kayak, foot and hand-powered paddle boats, fishing boat, comfort bike, surrey bicycle or adaptive trikes. Helmets provided. The concession also offers bait, tackle, and fishing licenses.
Swimming Beach (Open 10 am to 6 pm daily through August 17. )
Dig your toes into 400 feet of sand beach along the lake’s South Bay. An adjacent beach house offers washrooms, showers and lockers. Beach chairs and shade umbrellas available to rent.
Lifeguards are on duty during posted hours. For the safety of visitors and resident wildlife, inflatable items are not permitted. For those with limited mobility, a beach wheelchair that rolls over the sand and into the water with the assistance of a caregiver is available upon request and is free of charge.
Children’s Playground
A sensory-rich play environment with state-of-the-art handicap-adaptable play equipment and wide paved pathways make access comfortable and enjoyable for all visitors. Located adjacent to the Visitors Center.
North Bay Pavilion
Situated on the scenic North Bay, this striking pavilion and adjacent open area are perfect for a corporate picnic, outdoor wedding, family reunion or other lakeside event. The pavilion accommodates up to 500 people and offers a stone fireplace, picnic tables, drinking water, electricity, parking, toilets, trail access, fishing pier, play field and sand volleyball court. For rental and catering arrangements, call Picnics, Inc at 847-966-6555.
Fishing
We’ve transformed a sterile quarry with step sides into a rich aquatic ecosystem with gently graded slopes and underwater islands. Musky, northern pike, black crappie, largemouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch are found here. Game fish are periodically stocked. A mandatory catch-and-release fishing program makes it recreatio