The Best Forest Preserves
One of the best perks of living in the suburbs is our access to many great forest preserves that offer a range of environments, wildlife and outdoor activities. Whether you are looking for a beautiful place to hike, bike or run, or just looking connect with nature, these forest preserves offer a variety of outdoor experiences for all seasons. Check out our list of favorites below.
NORTH SHORE
Captain Daniel Wright Woods
This peaceful oasis among the bustling suburbs offers 4 miles of scenic trails: a short loop for hikers, bicyclists and skiers that circles a pond, and a 3-mile loop for hikers, bicyclists, skiers and horses. A footbridge spanning the Des Plaines River links Wright Woods to Half Day Forest Preserve. Together they offer some of southern Lake County's most scenic outdoor recreation opportunities. Facilities at the more fragile Wright Woods are best suited for small groups, while those at Half Day are designed for gatherings both large and small.
24830 St. Mary's Road
Mettawa, IL 60045
Chicago Botanic Garden
A 385-acre botanical garden situated on nine islands in the Cook Country Forest Preserves. It features 27 display gardens and five natural habitats including Mary Mix McDonald Woods, Barbara Brown Nature Reserve, Dixon Prairie, the Skokie River Corridor, and the Lakes and Shorelines. They offer seasonal walks, a children’s Nature Play Garden and guided tours.
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, IL 60022
Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area
Ryerson Woods is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This area is one of the best examples of a northern flatwoods forest, a rare northern Illinois landscape. The 552-acre preserve supports some of Illinois' most pristine woodlands and several state threatened and endangered species, and offers 6.5 miles of scenic trails for hiking or cross country skiing that wind through a stately forest to the quiet Des Plaines River. Dogs and horses are not permitted in this preserve.
21950 North Riverwoods Road
Riverwoods, IL 60015
Fort Sheridan
A scenic and stately preserve that offers a variety of opportunities to recreate in nature. Fort Sheridan is one of only a few places in Lake County that offer free public access to Lake Michigan and an awe-inspiring lake overlook perched on a 70-foot-high bluff. Known for its pristine natural areas and excellent birdwatching, Fort Sheridan is home to several rare species not found elsewhere in the region. The preserve's savanna, ravines and lakefront location allow visitors to observe one of North America’s busiest flyways for migratory birds. At least 236 species of birds have been seen here.
1275 Gilgare Lane
Lake Forest, IL 60045
North Branch Trail
The North Branch Trail System offers over 36 miles of paved and unpaved trails along the North Branch of the Chicago River, making it a premier biking route in the northern suburbs. Connecting Chicago to the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, the system includes trail loops through ecological restoration sites with diverse native wildlife.
Access points in Glenview, Morton Grove, Niles, Northbrook, Northfield, Skokie and Winnetka
Skokie Lagoons
The 894-acre Skokie Lagoons are a prime destination for water exploration, featuring public boat access, canoe and kayak rentals, fishing, biking and hiking trails and picnic areas. Within the park, there are seven inter-connected lagoons totaling 190 acres. Water flows southward from the Chicago Botanic Garden through the lagoons to the Skokie River.
Access points in Skokie and Winnetka
NORTHWEST SUBURBS
Buffalo Creek
This expansive 408-acre preserve offers 5.5 miles of gravel trails for walking, biking and cross-country skiing. Trails run through open areas within the preserve, crossing several creeks, skirting the reservoir and traversing restored prairie. Fishing is allowed in the reservoir, which plays a major role in area flood control.
18163 West Checker Road
Long Grove, IL 60047
Busse Woods
The 3,558-acre Ned Brown Preserve—popularly known as Busse Woods—is one of the largest and most diverse locations in the Forest Preserves. The site includes ancient upland forests, one of the largest fishing and boating waters in Cook County, nearly 13 miles of paved trail, an elk pasture and much more—making it one of the best-used natural areas in Illinois.
Access points in Rolling Meadows, Elk Grove Village and Schaumburg
Cuba Marsh
Three miles of trails for hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing take visitors through open areas of gently rolling hills that feature views of the marsh and scattered groves. One of the best things about Cuba Marsh is its diversity, combining marsh and prairie with woodland and savanna. As a result, a wide range of plants and animals make their homes here.
24205 W Cuba Rd
Deer Park,IL 60010
Deer Grove
Deer Grove, the county’s first forest preserve, features nearly 2,000 acres of diverse habitat such as rolling upland forest, wooded ravines, wetlands and prairie. At almost 10 miles in length, the hiking trials make Deer Grove worth a visit. Split into two very individual sites connected by paved and unpaved trails, the east preserve features open wetlands surrounded by old fields and an in-progress savanna and prairie restoration. The west side is wilder, the forest denser and crisscrossed with footpaths along the rolling terrain.
1650 N Quentin Rd
Palatine, IL 60074
Des Plaines River Trails
The unpaved Des Plaines River Trail follows its namesake river through more than a dozen forest preserves, allowing visitors to enjoy casual strolls, full-day adventures and anything in between. Trail uses include hiking, bicycling, equestrian, and even winter cross country skiing and snowmobiling (conditions permitting). Though not all sections of the trail connect directly, there is a section more than 31 miles long running through Lake County starting at Russell Road along the Wisconsin border and running south into Cook County.
Access points in Des Plaines, Glenview, Melrose Park, Mount Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, River Forest, Rosemont, Schiller Park and Wheeling
Raceway Woods
A 122 acre open space tract getting its name from the old race track that once wound around parts of it. The central core of the tract has a fine savanna and mesic woodland with steep banks where pocket seeps trickle down into a clear rippling brook that wanders through several pristine natural areas. The preserve includes a horseback riding area, mountain biking trails, picnic areas and multi-use hiking trails.
17N702 Western Ave
Carpentersville, IL
Veteran Acres Park
Veteran Acres is one of the crown jewels of the Crystal Lake Park District. This park boasts a variety of outdoor athletic fields and recreational areas including picnic shelters, a playground, two lighted tennis courts, a basketball court, baseball fields, sled hills, a splash pad, walking paths, boardwalk and fishing pier.
WESTERN SUBURBS
Blackwell
Hikers, bicyclers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers can enjoy more than 6 miles of turf and limestone trails, including a convenient route to the Illinois Prairie Path. Trails around the McKee Marsh area feature two observation decks, a bird blind, and signs that describe the history and ecological significance of the marsh. Blackwell's gently-rolling, hilly terrain features oak and hickory woodlands, prairies, grasslands, and wetlands that attract a variety of native wildlife.
Access points in Warrenville and Wheaton
McDowell Grove
The West Branch DuPage River flows through the 465-acre McDowell Grove, providing fishing opportunities and attracting waterfowl and shorebirds like egrets and great blue herons. McDowell Grove’s maples put on a spectacular show of colors in the fall. The preserve offers picnic areas, hiking trails, fishing and boating access.
Prairie Path
A network of 61 miles of bicycle trails, mostly in DuPage County. Portions of the trail extend west to Kane County and east to Cook County. Most of the trail is categorized as rail-to-trail, meaning that the bicycle path is built atop a converted former railroad right of way. The Illinois Prairie Path consists of three distinct branches originating from a point near downtown Wheaton.
Access points in Wheaton, Maywood, South Elgin, Geneva, Batavia and Aurora
St. James Farm
The 595-acre St. James Farm contains more than 100 acres of woodlands, prairies and wetlands. St. James Farm provides a variety of restored prairies, woodlands, and wetlands where over 300 species of native plants and animals thrive. In addition to the farm, visitors can enjoy trails that lead hikers, bikers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers through the preserve’s natural areas, and several fishing and picnic areas.
Warrenville Grove
The 127-acre Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve in Warrenville features trails, woodlands, picnic areas and the shoreline of the West Branch DuPage River, providing a respite for visitors since 1923. Warrenville Grove’s rolling topography consists of floodplain and upland woodlands, natural fens and the West Branch DuPage River. Its rich history, beauty and numerous amenities make it a favorite for many.
Waterfall Glen
The 2,503-acre Waterfall Glen is one of the most ecologically impressive parcels of open space in DuPage County, if not northern Illinois. It is also one of the District’s most popular forest preserves, known for its Rocky Glen waterfall, Sawmill Creek bluff overlook, and extensive trails. Waterfall Glen’s prairies, savannas and oak-maple woodlands contain more than 740 native plants species, 300 species of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles and 300 species of invertebrates.
Access points in Lemont and Darien
