Chief Shabbona Forest Preserve

Chief Shabbona Forest Preserve, located along the northeastern edge of Shabbona Lake State Park, was once home to Chief Shabbona and his Potawatomi tribe. The preserve features three enclosed shelters with wood stoves, perfect for year-round gatherings. Spanning 88 acres over a mile, the land transitions from an Oak savanna to a Sugar Maple-dominated forest. It’s one of the few places in northern Illinois where the rare Oval Ladies’-tresses Orchid has been spotted. The preserve also hosts uncommon ferns, milkweeds, and some of DeKalb County’s last original Butternut trees. The increasingly rare Red-headed Woodpecker can occasionally be seen here, and the large Pileated Woodpecker has been recently sighted.