Easy parking in front of the museum. Light trail but doesn't go in a loop or you can but have to…read morecross the street and then walk on some unpaved brush. Or one can just back track.

This popular spot is usually a little busy for my tastes, but catch it at a quiet time and you can…read moreenjoy a placid hike down easy paths. There's a broad, charming bridge where kids (or adults) can throw sticks into the water on one side and watch them float to the other side. There are multiple dirt trails into the woods off the paved path that's frequently teeming with bicyclists. And there's a gravel path where people often walk dogs. Note that there are multiple entrances to Harms Woods. I like the northern one, but so do a lot of other people, apparently.

We absolutely love this place. A small forest preserve along the shores of Lake Michigan. Good for…read morehiking,biking and even cross country skiing. The beach is rocky which makes for great rock collecting and bird watching. There is a small parking lot which fills up quickly especially on the weekend. Ft. Sheridan is rich in history dating back to the Great Chicago Fire. Definitely a hidden gem in Illinois.

This is a lovely spot to feel cool breezes off the lake on a hot summer day. We enjoyed walking…read morethe beach, bird watching and all the native wildflowers.

There was a family event here so we decided to come check the place out. Even though my kiddo is…read moreonly two, she liked seeing some of the stuff they had on exhibit and they also had coloring pages and whatnot. We got here near the tail end of the event, so we didn't spend much time inside and went walking along the little trail where they had signs up with information about turkeys spread out through a little loop around the woods. It's a lovely preserve, and I'll bet it's particularly beautiful in the spring and summer. The building is small but sufficient to have some programs and there are bathrooms here. There are a few outbuildings as well; I'm not sure if there are programs there too or not. There's a good deal of parking here. Keep an eye on their calendar to have an excuse to come out, or just spend some time wandering the trails in peace and quiet.

This place is stunning. My neighbor told me about it and I promptly took a drive up here that…read moreafternoon just a few days after "peak" fall colors. It's amazing. I wasn't adequately prepared because it was a spur of the moment decision, so I didn't have a jacket or warm enough clothes, so I didn't stay or walk around too long. (And sadly their giftshop didn't have any sweatshirts -- I would've bought one if they had because it would've solved my problem. So, note to Ryerson: sell sweatshirts in the fall!). I've since come back here for an art exhibit (see my review on the Brushwood Center page for that info). I cannot wait to return again in the spring and definitely multiple times next fall. I want to explore it all.

As I read through other reviews, there is a lot more to this park than just a trail around a lake…read more We did a fundraiser that included a walk around the lake. The park is very good and the walk is nice. The whole loop is only about 1 1/2 miles so it's an easy walk. The other reviews talk about accommodations for a party, indoor sports like basketball, a gym, and more. We didn't check any of that out since we didn't know they were there. Speaking of the path and the lake, it's lovely and a nice place to go on a warm day.

Gallery Park started out as a collection of flat aprons and runways in the Glenview Naval Air…read moreStation. The Naval station closed in '93, and the hundred and fifty acres that now comprise Gallery Park became available, and were incorporated as this park. Tip: There are several different trails here, all of which loop around Lake Glenview. The lake also has several piers, some small islands, and a bridge My two favorite trails here are the Lake Trail (one and a half miles long) and the Park Trail (one point eight miles long). I used to also very much enjoy the Lakeside Trail, but I ran into far too many ticks the last time I went there, so I've been avoiding it. Over and above the hiking trails, the park also has several soccer fields, tennis courts, and even some catch-and-release fishing spots. Last (but not least) there's a fitness zone with equipment for cardio steps, chest presses, an crunches, etc. But wait, there's more! You'll also find a children's garden, bike racks, water fountains, and picnic tables. All in all this is a pretty cool place to relax and get some nature on :-)

On my way to the nursery nearby, I noticed this little hole-in-the-wall, blink-and-you'll-miss-it…read morepark and nature preserve in Wilmette. When I say you'll miss it, I'm not kidding--I thought it was a random, very small parking lot (maybe an extension of the business next door) but then saw a small gate to the park. Keay is a 4.6 acre nature preserve. (It is not part of the Cook County Forest Preserve system.) There are various trails that loop through the park and it's about a half mile, very easy walk. They have trail guides at the entrance, and according to that they suggest it would be about 30 minutes to walk through. I probably did take about that long, but that is because I stopped to look at some birds, and at a lot of the memorial plaques, and read the trail guide at some of the markers along the way. And I also took the advice of the trail guide and sat down for a few minutes to just listen to the sounds around me--mostly birdsong, and simply appreciate my surroundings. But if I hadn't been going through slowly I think it would be 10 minutes or so. I have absolutely no sense of measurement or distance, but was I'm surprised to learn that it's about a half mile walk. I'd think it was much less. I would call this nature preserve pretty accessible, though that's not really my place to say since I would not need accommodations. However, it's a flat trail and there is a bridge over the pond. There are numerous benches throughout the preserve if you need a break or would like to pause and enjoy the atmosphere. It's really surprising how much you feel like you're out in the middle of nowhere--I didn't hear a lot of traffic and but for the service roads a quiet peaceful way to spend part of your day. There is a port-a-potty on site if needed, and a drinking fountain as well.

Lovely and peaceful park with clean even trails and a lake with a waterfall. Lots of bushes and…read moretrees, with plenty of squirrels, rabbits and even big turtles.

Can you believe it's December and it's so beautiful? A lovely day to walk the paths at Openlands…read moreand/or walk down by the lake. People, dogs, families walking, jogging, strolling and taking in the view.

Managed by Lake County Forest Preserves since August 2023, this 72-acre area (formerly part of Fort…read moreSheridan) has a unique blend of ravines, bluffs, and a lakefront in Highland Park, 25 miles north of Chicago. This is close to Fort Sheridan and the cemetery. I love the paved trails, which are Ada accessible with minimal disturbance to nature. The art installations offer additional meditation subjects with a mix of science, poetry, and wonder. The qr code links did not work. My first introduction was a ravine with concrete sidewalks, mighty oak trees, and a complex root system slowing the erosion of the sides. Art installations do pique the imagination of visitors. Wood sidewalks and bridges lead to additional ravines, bluffs, and lakefront. I spotted a great horned owl silently sweeping across the canopy of trees. Four white tailed deer were nibbling on their grassy lunches. Red winged black birds were singing sporadically. I passed a tree with the bark rubbed off as evidence a deer came by to rub its antlers. I also saw several round holes on the lower trunks of the tree. It was evidence of a possible woodpecker looking for grubs. I spotted wood ear mushrooms growing on the side of a tree. Thousands of migrating birds visit the preserve each year. Listen to the audio guides for the nature and art installations. https://openlands.org/projects/openlands-lakeshore-preserve/ Main Parking 24256 N Patten Road, Highwood, IL 60040 South Parking 2789 Oak Street, Highland Park, IL 60035

Has a quick wooden area (portage trail) loop walk with shade. A one-eyed red tailed hawk, another…read morehawk, an owl and a coyote are viewed in a cage enclosure. The visitor center is clean nicely maintained and has more live critters, reptiles and amphibians on glass enclosures. I imagine kids would enjoy seeing the animals. Medium parking and best of all, it's free. Donations accepted.

I recently took a hike in this area and passed by this Nature Center several times during the hike…read moreand decided to stop in. I was pleasantly surprised at how many different things there were to do here, but indoors and outdoors. Outdoors I was able to see a variety of animals including a coyote, owl, hawk, eagle, kestrel, and fox. Though they were caged, I got to see them fairly up close and hear the different sounds that they make. Indoors, there were various interactive exhibits as well as live turtles and various educational displays. Overall this is definitely worth a visit if you're hiking in the area and want to see a nicely maintained and educational display that helps to explain some of the wildlife nearby.

Another somewhat-hidden gem of a nature preserve in the area, Berkeley Prairie Forest Preserve…read morefeatures some of the nicest prairie grasslands in the neighborhood (rivaling Prairie Wolf). This is a great spot for bird watching and finding local beneficial insects. There's a slightly-raised grass path that goes around the prairie, which is usually in pretty good shape as long as you wait a few hours after a rainfall. The path cuts through some oak forest and parallels some wetland along the north branch of the Chicago River. It can be a little tricky getting to the trail. There's a fairly-obvious entrance on Ridge Road, but there's only enough room there for one vehicle. I'm not entirely sure if you're even allowed to park there, as it seems like it is the vehicle entrance for park maintenance (I've never stopped to read the signage there). There's actually a "commando" entrance to the north just past Ryders Ln. on the non-contiguous bit of Berkeley Rd. - you'll see a dirt pull off and a small unofficial path that leads to the Berkeley Prairie trail. The street is narrow here, so this pull off is about the only place you can safely park - there's probably enough room for three cars. If these spots are taken, but you really want to walk the trails, there's plenty of parking at Olson Park further north on Ridge that is about an 8 ~ 10 minute walk away.