I was a chaperone for a 4th grade field trip here, and I must say, I was very impressed by the staff's patience with the kids. The team building games were excellent, and the kids enjoyed exploring the "playground". These trails are absolutely gorgeous, and I plan on returning with my own child! My only concern is that the fish tank is far too small for the amount, and the types of fish. I would expect more from a nature center that is promoting more knowledge about wildlife and nature. These fish were very clearly distressed and the biggest one was nipping at the smaller ones, tearing holes in its fins. Hopefully this is addressed soon. read more

Heller Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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Really a wonderful place, with several trails to follow to see different types of trees and plant life. There's an indoor exhibit of a large fish tank plus a mini-learning center with information about birds and plants. A large showroom exhibits paintings on the walls of very talented local artists. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the building is very clean and there is adequate parking. I personally think that the Fall season is the best time to visit here. Highly recommended. read more

What's not to love? Today our dear friend came up from the city to take a late afternoon walk. Once a year we meet up at Heller so we can walk in the woods and feel like we're all on vacation together for a few hours. Even though Heller felt sad today, because it's a bit unkempt and overgrown, there are still a few trails open, and we had a fabulous time on a beautiful summer day enjoying a much-needed walk. Don't worry, we wore our masks and practiced proper social distancing. And, we followed all the Nature Center rules. Here's what you need to know if you plan a walking trip to Heller. The parking lot has an empty space between spots. The building is closed, so you won't have access to any of the facilities (plan your bathroom stop accordingly). Plan to leave by 5:30pm (though we were still there after the fact). Heller has done an incredible job with signage and keeping select trails open. Seriously, just follow the signs! Sadly, there is no trail to the pond at this point in time. But, I'm grateful to be able to take advantage of this amazing outdoor sanctuary. read more

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Beautiful place. I have met my homeschool friends there many times and the kids can spend hours playing outside there! The indoor space is nice too. My kids like the fish. the staff is kind and the bathrooms are clean. read more

As Madea would say... WEELLLLL HHHHEEELLLLEEEERRRR! This is defiantly an off the radar gem. Just a block off route 22/half day rd is this hidden treasure offering meandering hiking trails and a visitors center. I have to say I have yet to explore the visitors center other than to use the bathroom but it's quite nice and so are the people working there. They gave the dog a treat and some water. That's unexpected and lovely. The trails only loop within a few miles but it's easy to get someone turned around so taking a picture of the map as a reference couldn't hurt. Hellur also houses a covered picnic area and historic cabins. They do a lot of educational programs for kids although the times I have come on the weekends it's been a quiet retreat to walk around and explore. read more

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What a treasure to have in our community! When you're on the trails at Heller, you can completely forget that you're in a busy suburb, not far from the highway. You really get enveloped by nature in the best way. I feel compelled to add that they're doing a great job with the social distancing during the current COVID pandemic. Hopefully it won't have to stay this way forever, but I appreciate what they've done (making all trails one way, closing trails that can't be made one way) in order to allow us to continue to benefit from the beautiful surroundings. Trails are very well kept up. Staff is knowledgable. Can't wait until the programming resumes! read more

As a tyke, I spent many summer breaks at Heller Nature Center. I was part of their Sunship Earth and Trekkers camp programs, through the Highland Park Park District summer camps, and spent a lot of time on the various trails or learning survival skills off the beaten path. The Heller grounds is very well maintained, there is lots of wildlife abound, and each of the trails have a lot of variety. The Nature Center has many educational tools and wilderness curiosities, along with nice facilities. In the wintertime, we enjoyed cross country skiing along the trails. Nighttime camps on the Heller grounds were also a rare treat, that we enjoyed a lot (despite the best efforts of the raccoons to raid our cooler). Heller Nature Center is a lovely wild retreat from the daily grind, tucked away in the edge of Highland Park. If you want a taste of the wilderness, without straying too far off the beaten path, Heller Nature Center is definitely highly recommended. read more

First of all, use google maps or the map on their website to get here - Mapquest will get you hopelessly lost. I came here with a group to go cross country skiing and we had a blast! First of all, it was only $12 for rental for the whole day or however long you wanted to be out there. We only lasted about 2.5 hours before it was time to go get some grub! We were given maps for three different trails and got to check out two of them. One of them even brought us to the border of Michael Jordan's property. This is a beautiful location with helpful employees and great outdoor activities. read more

Heller Nature Center - Cottage in the middle of one of the trails - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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Love this gem for a quick walk in the woods, and it seems great for kids, as they have a playground, a nature center, bees, birdhouses, and a small cabin to peer into. I have seen deer here too. Its a small park with some woods, some picnic tables by an open area with birds. It's better for a short hike or a couple of loops for a longer walk, although with young kids it would be a perfect hike. They're open sunrise to sunset. I was here later on a Sunday and there were just a couple of other families here, and lots of birds singing as the sun was setting. The paths are well-maintained and there's not any mud, so you can go in sneakers and not worry about puddles. I highly recommend stopping by here, even if you only have 30 minutes to walk. Its a great way to get out in nature without going too far off the beaten path. read more

Heller Nature Center - Main nature center with walking paths - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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We came here rent cross country skiis. The trail was beautiful, well marked, and everyone was very nice. read more

Heller Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Nature Discovery Day at the Heller Nature Center is one annual February event not to be missed. Even in the winter, you can experience so much of what the center has to offer inside and out. Inside, you can walk through a mini forest, touching tree branches, watching bees make honey and learn about birds. For the event, they had live skunks and bats and tables with a variety of vendors showcasing their services. There is a log cabin with educational pieces about nature. There is also a classroom that offers a variety of classes, especially for the little ones. For the event, the little ones did some art work and put some from feed for the birds. We didn't get a chance to walk the nature paths this time, but will definitely make that a must do when we return in the spring. read more

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Even with google maps and GPS, we had trouble finding this place, but eventually we made it there despite the crazy snow-storm. It seems we weren't the only ones who decided that this first snow fall, after the great big snow melt, warranted some xc-skiing. We don't own skis, so we specifically picked Heller because they offer ski rental at a very reasonable price. We were in the early arrivals group so many of the paths weren't yet clear, but we broke our own trails. The rental was super easy, the trails were well marked, and we had a great time. I highly recommend this spot for first-time skiers who need to rent skis. The loops were rather short, so experienced skiers may want to try some of the forest preserves in the area. read more

I've been here twice this summer for after-school activities with some of my students. Heller is a neat little nature center tucked away in a residential neighborhood -- you'd almost miss it. One day, we learned about bees and had the awesome opportunity to put on some beekeeper suits and check out the bees! The other day, our students were led on a somewhat self-guided geocaching tour as they navigated the woods with GPS devices in search of signs and treasure. They really enjoyed themselves. Both activities were led by Marna, the program leader. She was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and yet really good with the kids -- they actually listened to her! The woods themselves are gorgeous, with many trails that lead through different wooded areas and some fields. I also noticed an old log cabin on the grounds and bird habitats. Apparently, you can also go cross-country skiing here. I'd love to give that a try. If I lived nearby, I'd be here a lot more often! read more

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Great spot!!!!!!!!!! I love love love love it! Check it out on a sunny day sometime. read more

Heller Nature Center - Beautiful day cross country skiing! - Parks Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

While I agree this is a beautiful facility, I had two horrible experiences here this weekend. I took my kids to the bonfire here the friday night before father's day. When we arrived, no one was in sight and there were no signs for where the bonfire was or how to get there. Then for their father's day events, I called twice to pre-register. There was no answer either time. I just took my kids to the event. When we showed up they said there was not enough room. River Trails in Northbrook has a much more accommodating staff. read more

Heller is the best! Lots of beautiful trails, I love to take my dog for walks here. Wonderful, friendly staff - lots of great educational and recreational programs happening here. They have their own beehives and make their own honey here, as well as run programs where the participants get to wear a bee suit and learn about the hives up-close! There is a cute little pond on the blue trail, and mostly woods and prairie/savannah throughout the preserve. The center itself has a fun exhibit. The room inside the center is also available for rentals and would be so cute for (smaller) weddings and parties! Definitely check this place out if you are looking to get a dose of nature, and check out their programs too! I did a family canoe program with them at nearby Skokie Lagoons and it was SO fun!! read more

Stopped by this Nature Center a few days back with my wife and daughter. My daughter (20 months), loved it. It was the early evening before they had their summer movie night. Not being able to stay for the move, we decided just to let her explore the bees, fish, bird noises and logs w/the frog. Once there, you'll see what I mean. Did not walk the grounds, but there were some nice trails laid out on the map. Staff was very friendly and nothing makes be more happy than seeing my daughter laugh, giggle and explore...all things possible at this nature center. read more

Great place to bring the little ones, tons of space to explore.

We love this place. It's located smack dab in the middle of Deerfield, Lake Forest, and Highland Park and is surprising how few people know it exists. They offer some very cool outdoor programming for families and the Wander Woods area is great for kids toddler and up. Also a wonderful place for nature hikes and just walking around on a beautiful day. If you haven't been here yet, check it out. read more

We love it here! A great spot for my two boys and me. Unlike other nature centers in the area, the indoor center doesn't have animals, but it is still a nice play area. The outdoor Wander Woods is the spot to be! A water pump, tree house, shovels, and a tee pee make for an excellent time. read more

Wander woods was a huge hit with my three toddlers! We've been on a tour of nature centers in the Chicagoland area, and this is one of the nicest. Staff was very friendly. Thanks for a fun day! read more

I am definitely a person who really loves photography. I don't know exactly what it was that made me like it so much, but I do. Anyway, I try to come here once in a while, it is an amazing place to take photos. It is also an amazing place to sit and relax and not worry about anything. It is one of those spots where I go to relax. It is beautiful really year round. read more

Wonderful place with beautiful trails, however I was troubled by the amount of common Buckthorn riddled throughout the woods and along the trails. Came across a sign that began "We often remove stand of invasive shrubs such as common and glossy buckthorn." It appears that the Heller Nature Center hasn't done this in a while, as many of these invasive shrubs were quite large. read more

One of Highland Parks hidden secrets. If you live in the area then it can be a convenient get away from civilization and people. You can bring a book and a sandwich and find a quiet bench in the forest. read more

This is my go-to sanctuary to calm my senses. There really is an escapist vibe, here.