Beautiful walking trail. The trail is clean, well-paved and safe. Lots of people on it but not too…read morecrowded. Only one downfall for someone recouping from surgery, no places to seat for a break.

Easily my favorite trail. Growing up this used to be train tracks but since 2008 it's a trail…read more Convient to use however a woman was sexual assaulted recently so be careful. Awesome place for the neighborhood

Spring Valley has a Nature Center and also features the Heritage Farm. It's really a neat place for…read morea walk as you walk through a wooded area for about 5-7 minutes and then you see the farm houses with animal barns along with a few trails to follow. Spring Valley is a refuge of about 135 acres comprised of fields, forests, marshes, brooks and streams. Some trails are wood beamed while others are rocks and grass. It's a really enjoyable place to spend a few hours by yourself, with friends and family. Parking and entrances to the park are available on both sides 1) off Schaumburg Road 2) off Plum Grove Road.

I have been going here since the 80's and it is even better than ever now. I love taking my…read moredaughter for a hike to the farm after enjoying the nature center building. It is awesome how so many aspects of Spring Valley have remained the same while wonderful upgrades and additions have been made, too! Definitely a place that we will continue to visit throughout the year!

Want a free workout that will kick your butt? Head over to the Swallow Cliff stairs. There are…read morepeople of all fitness levels that make the trek here. Stay to the right and keep your own pace. The forest preserve has done a nice job maintaining the area. There are tables to have a picnic, clean bathrooms, and seasonal café. There is a decent amount of parking too. It does get packed if weather is nice. People like to use rocks to track their loop numbers. Signs say no dogs allowed on the stairs.

The stairs start out widely spaced and then desend as a normal staircase . There is and opening in…read morethe middle where you can rest or turn around. It maybe a bit strenuous for old geezers like me , but I played off the rest stop like I didn't to use my phone . Some long shaded benches greet you on top or choose from four pavilion benches ( see picture )

Beautiful park I ran a half marathon here and it was an…read moreintense trail but an awesome trail!

Busse Woods is amazing in so many ways. It's my summer's day getaway in my own backyard. My only…read morecomplaint is that they need to do a better job with the number and quality of the rest room facilities. All the preserves in the greater Chicago area are a treasure. Consider joining a volunteer restoration group in your area. The county websites will explain. It is fun, educational and you'll meet wonderfully friendly and knowledgeable folk. No experience needed. It's usually once a week for a few hours on the weekend. Come when your time and mood allows.

Parts of the trail is very nice. Through the woods. However, part is actually on a busy street…read morewhich is strange. Some hills and some flat areas. Good for hiking.

It's sunny, let's go. Paul Douglas Forest Preserve,…read moreparking off Central. One small parking lot and a large, looping paved trail around the forest. Go walk, run, or roll. Home to birds and animals, millipedes abound. People are quite few, the land is kind of boring, but hey, it's nature. The highway nearby is easily heard inside, that's kind of a shame. I wish there were more unpaved paths and tree cover. Fall is still lovely. Thanks for a nice walk. Who knows if we will be back. And now my poem ends.

This is a 2200 acre park in the Chicago area. It is massive. Great trails to hike or bike on with…read morebridges over the busy Higgins Road going through the middle of the park. They have an elk pasture on one side which was neat to see and great for kids. I was in town for work for 2 weeks. My wife and I stopped by here after I got off of work but in November it gets dark way too soon. We could only visit for a short time before it got dark. I would love to come back here and hike or bike for miles and miles through this lovely park.

I've fished Ned Brown Busse Woods Forest Preserve more times than I can count now. It's not the…read moregreatest place to catch a fish consistently, but the scenery is stunningly beautiful. I've rented a boat with a trolling motor here, and the help is friendly and helpful. They sell live bait, as well. I'm more familiar with the Forest Preserve now, but in general would love to see more signage/maps and a "You Are Here" on a map or two. I recall first trying to find the fishing wall and walking forever with tackle, not knowing if we were on the right track. This place is great for biking, but I wouldn't mind seeing some shorter official paths built, for walking and hiking. My son and I improvised a path here once, to make our hike shorter. Check out the Elk, hike, bike, fish, have a stone soul picnic- it's a great oasis!

State park is $7 per car for Indiana residents and $20 for all other. Great nature views. Dunes…read moreare fun to climb and run/walk down. Beaches are beautiful and water is cold early in the season. The day I went there was a high wave advisory so they didn't let people in the water. Best views of the lake are from observation tower located west of the pavilion. Waves are loud if the wind is blowing from the north. You can see the City of Chicago skyline from anywhere on the beach when it is clear weather conditions. No pets on the beach and it does tend to get crowded when the weather is nice. Walking/hiking paths are available and some go the the highest points in the park where the views are breathtaking.

Indiana Dunes State Park was the first stop on my road trip across America, and unfortunately, it…read morewas a pretty disappointing experience. I came here really excited and ready to hike, but visiting in the summertime meant dealing with an unbelievable number of mosquitoes. I expected bugs, but I have never seen anything like this! My friend and I were completely covered in mosquito repellent, and it honestly felt like we were walking through a fog of mosquitoes. We were literally trying to run down the trail to get away from them. There was hardly anyone else around, which we quickly understood because the conditions were so difficult. We kept going for about 20 minutes hoping the bugs would eventually clear up, but they never did, so unfortunately, we had to turn around. The beach itself was nice, but I didn't come here for the beach I came to hike and experience the trails. I was really disappointed that we couldn't actually enjoy the hike because of the mosquitoes. Maybe it would be a completely different experience at another time of year, but based on our summer visit, I can only give it

Loved that there was next to a bicycle trail, you could see people passing by…read more We saw two deers, ducks and lots of birds and squirrels.

I like the trail along the river here where I have spotted many land and shore birds. It's quiet…read moreand shady so it's a good spot on a hot day. That being said, it can be muddy so be prepared. Also wear bug repellent and watch out for fallen limbs across the trail. At least those keep the bikers off the path.

So beautiful! Feel like it's been AI, it's paradise. Great experience, what a sanctuary.read more

A wonderful and peaceful place to be if you want to get away from the bustle but not drive too far…read moreout of town. A must if you love great scenery and wide open spaces. Has about 5 miles of trails and recently they have added on off leash area for dogs, with plenty of room to run and play. The park itself is not as big as other forest preserves, but still big enough to be secluded and peaceful. The winding trails take you through heavily wooded areas and prarie areas... I come hear a lot to explore with my dog and go on walks with my fiance. Its nice!