Cool spot that I didn't realize was in the area. Looking for a good meeting spot to meet friends…read morefor a walk, found Sagawau. On the day of my visit, we saw this black netting/screen. Curious, we stopped to ask staff. It turns out on Sundays they do bird banding. This was very interesting how they catch birds, take data, and release back into the wild. I recommend! The nature center was well kept and had clean bathrooms. They close the area at 4 pm daily. Check it out for a nice walking and educational opportunity.

Sagawau is waaaaaay out in Lemont, so pretty far from me, and it's also bit confusing to find when…read moreyou get there. But I really enjoyed it so I'd say it's worth it, and now I'll know where I'm going in future! Word to the wise: There's the large parking lot, and what looks like a driveway is not. Park in the lot and use the wide paved path to get to the nature center. The purpose of the first preserve system was to both preserve and conserve, but also to provide natural areas in which people could recreate. They also have a nature center here with exhibits, as well as a variety of programming. I came for a program. A land acknowledgement was provided to connect the land to its history, and the people who once called this land home. I came for a hummingbird program, which took place in the hummingbird garden. The garden had quite a few bees and some wasps, but those insects are actually invasive in this area so you may see traps out for them so they don't take over the hummingbird garden. There are hummingbird feeders around to bring the hummers out. But nectar isn't their only source of food; they'll eat insects and invertebrates. Most importantly, they need pesticide-free habitats to survive. It was interesting to learn that hummingbirds live only in North, Central, and South America. When colonizers came into contact with hummingbirds, they thought they had no feet and that is where their scientific name is derived. Hummingbirds are surprisingly loud! The ruby-throated hummingbird is only ruby throated for the males. Juveniles and females have a white throat. But the color only comes out with the light, as it's iridescent, so the males may look black. Ruby throated is the only native one in Illinois. The juveniles are about the weight of a penny. In migratory season, they try to double their weight in order to sustain their migratory most fly over the Gulf of Mexico, which is a single flight of about 600 miles. They can do that flight in 16-24 hours. Hummingbirds fly with a figure eight pattern, which allows them to be one of the few birds that can fly backwards. It also allows them to hover! Migration is hard, so why do they do it? At least in part, it's because there's less competition. Apparently day length is a trigger to let birds know when to begin migrating, and the plants and flower on which they rely for food usually coincides to their migratory season. The nesting behavior of hummingbirds draws a direct line between environmental stewardship and habitat protection. They line the nest's outside with lichen and plant scale, and line them inside with soft things like dandelion fronds. Air pollution won't affect the hummingbird directly, but it will affect lichen and thus the integrity of their nest and subsequently their success in breeding. They will use spider webbing to bind their nest, which makes spider conservation important too. How fascinating how these things all connect! Whilst visiting Sagawau, I learned that this preserve is a licensed bird banding station--not just for hummingbirds. Banding allows us to gather much of the information that we have about birds in general. The information gleaned from banded birds can tell us about their migratory patterns, lifespan, and so on. I believe they have some events during the year where you can observe this process. In addition to their great programs, they have a nature center with exhibits related to the natural history of Sagawau and the region. One of the things that makes Sagawau so unique is it is a dolomite prairie, of which only about 500 acres exist in the world--over 100 of those acres being here. There are several trails to walk, and they have maps showing these to help guide your way. And this site turns into a cross-country ski location in the winter! In that season, walking is not permitted on the trails because they're used for skiers. They have lessons and equipment rental, but you can also bring your own gear--you just need to call first to make sure it's open for skiing, dependent upon the snowfall. I saw more open acknowledgment of snakes here than at some of the other preserves, which may make me nervous to visit very soon--snakes in just about any capacity (cartoon, real, image, etc.) creep me out more than anything. But, Negin is the employee that led the hummingbird chat, and she was really great. Welcoming, inclusive, knowledgeable, and friendly. I'd love to attend more of her programs.

Located in Homer Glen,this park is huge with over 600 acres. There are crushed limestone…read moretrails,picnic shelters and a huge dog park. We were disappointed tho that the 3.5 mile loop trail did not have any access to the actual marsh to see the various birds and wildlife in the area. There is plenty of parking as well as public restrooms.

We were in the area and wanted to walk a bit and celebrate a beautiful first full day of spring…read more The trails here are an easy walk as long as you pay attention to horse leavings. Many birds to see and hear as well. The trails don't let you go close to the marsh for waterfowl viewing unfortunately. The fenced in dog park is huge.

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 provide a pretty intense workout-the east steps are rough and a little irregular while…read morethe west set is a bit easier-more flat areas for breaks, if you need them. I go up the east side, down on the west. I think it's 125 stairs on the east, and 145 on the west. All ages and fitness levels are here! Lots of parking, clean. Dogs are not allowed on the stairs. There's a snack bar, restrooms, and a fairly large room for meetings, presentations, and activities. There are also several trails if you still have energy after the stairs!

The facilities are nice and clean. The staff is polite and well meaning. The equipment is mostly…read morein good shape. The problem lies that I feel like the staff is too polite and won't call people out for not wiping down the machine after using it. I've been a member for long enough to witness like 80% of users move on to the next machine without wiping down.

What an absolute miss on their new park.. all summer we heard oh it'll open soon... a 500k grant…read morefor that park and they couldn't even have the playground open for the kids. It's just embarrassing do better

One of the nice little public parks in Orland Park. This one is set up right between the Orland…read morePark Cultural Center and the Rock Island tracks that lead to downtown Chicago ... all at about 146th Street. This park - which is one of the many under the purview of OP Parks and Rec has: (1) Baseball / Softball Field, Basketball Court, Bike / Walking Path, Bean Bag Boards, Drinking Fountain, Frisbee Golf, Handicap Swing, Pavilion, Pickleball, Picnic Grills, Playground, and Tennis Courts. Nice park with loads of amenities. The city could devote a few dollars to fixing up the parking lot and the like, but it is still a nice park to take a walk ... and it has a covered pavillion for those wishing to cook out. Try it.

Like this recreation center in Orland Park. When our kids were little they attended classes in some…read moreof the rooms in the building, and one of them took a gymnastics class in the gym. We think most of the use here is for the younger set ... classes and party rooms. They even have an indoor play area for the young toddlers. Now, we usually use the facility for the walking track on the second floor surrounding the gym - free to use and open everyday the building is open. Nice track but a bit short. It takes 16 laps to put in one mile, but in inclement weather this is a good go-to place. Unlike the Sportsplex in Orland, this little gym is not air conditioned, so come on a day when the weather isn't too volatile. Still and all, recommended and a nice benefit of living in Orland Park.

Was looking for an indoor park to take my kid during the winter cold weather. Found this location…read moreonline. So of course I called to confirm information. The indoor park is free and open when the building is open. I came on Sunday afternoon. Not much action going on besides birthday parties in other rooms of the building. The park was clean and not too big or too small. My friend also brought her kid here and we had a blast. There's 2 benches for sitting and a garbage can in the corner. My daughter and I really enjoyed ourselves. I look forward to bringing her back. Very nice facility.

It's basically a baseball field surrounded by trees. The parking lot is gravel and can easily park…read more15-20 cars. If you don't turn at the sign you'll miss it.