Best place there is in Rockford to bring a dog. It may not be that big of a park, but for dogs it's…read moreenough. Searls Dog Park is located along Central Avenue and is a part of a larger park. Has a few amenities including water and poop bags. There's a few things to do before visiting. A thing to know about using this park is that it costs money to bring a dog. It's about $30 a year for residents. Those coming from outside the city can get a daily permit. A permit is good for all the dog parks in the city. In addition, dogs need to be vaccinated from rabies. Amenities are a good thing, and there's a few for the dogs. There's a few water fountains, and poop bags can be found. Great place for a dog and their companion. It's got plenty more than just a grassy area to poop in. There's also a few trails.

Great spot to take our little guy! He loves it here. A very spacious main area with lots of trails…read morebehind it. They have water available on site, as well as many tables and a shelter to congregate with any two legged friends we may have here. We didn't realize awesome spots like this existed in Rockford before having a dog. And it's surprisingly affordable! You can either get a year-long membership ( That includes all three parks) for I think $30 or $40, or you can come once and try it out for around $3. This kind of place is just another reason to love Rockford and it's park district!

Certainly it's not anything comparable to the big popular arboretums and botanical gardens those…read moremay think of, but for Rockford it's good. It's not a humongous one, but there's plenty of ground to cover and nature to see. Klehm Arboretum has a respectable collection of flowers, plants, and trees. A lot of family activities. There's often some kind of special event going on for children and family things. A lot of the gardens are specific toward one plant species or a family. It of course has better viewing in the spring and summer, but any time of the year has something to check out. The visitor's center is the first place most people come to. Get a map. You can find out where all the gardens are and which paths to go on. It has a pretty cool pond garden in front you should stop at. There's a Prehistoric Garden featuring a T-Rex. Also children will enjoy the Fountain Garden. This is a way to cool off in summer. Even though the programs say there's an admission charge, you can still usually get in free. It's not like there's anyone at the gate. This is best in the summer, but there's also later year activities like hay mazes and whatever.

New improvement to kids play creek/stream is horrible. The creek used to always be flowing and full…read moreof water. Now you have to press a button wait for water and it pumps out a little not even enough for kids to play in. For the price you pay better off driving to a state park or going anywhere else but here if going with kids.

Me and my wife recently stopped here to go on a little walk in the area. This place is perfect for…read moreall sorts of outdoor activities since there's a beach nearby and plenty of trails though I recommend and not walk through them when it's wet outside because they are very muddy and nothing is paved. Plenty of dogs are running off leash as well which isn't an issue. Please check to make sure you know what time the park closes because they will close on you as well. Highly recommend stopping here

Decided to take a drive from Evanston on a beautiful Spring day (70 degrees in Evanston, but 80…read moredegrees in Rockford - it was balmy!) I had found this place searching online for nearby state parks that weren't TOO far of a drive and still had ample hiking trails. The park was easy to find, had plenty of parking and lots of paved and dirt trails for both hiking and biking. Picnic areas scattered throughout and a nice large lake for fishing/boating/canoeing (there were prices posted in the concessions area for renting a boat with motor for the day as well if you don't have your own to bring with you!) Small selection of snacks and beverages (non-alcoholic) were available for purchase, however they did not have any paper maps (there were boards posted by trail entrances and we did take photos of those). It looks like there is a restaurant next to the concessions area that opens after Memorial Day weekend for the season. We saw and heard many different birds while hiking and it was very peaceful (and not very crowded, as we were here on a Tuesday). My husband particularly enjoyed seeing the turkeys roaming around