Went for a nice walk and really enjoyed it. The trail was well-maintained and perfect for a relaxing stroll. There's also a small lake on the property that I believe is open for canoeing, which adds to the peaceful atmosphere. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

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One of my favorite preserves to walk around especially if you prefer a preserve with a nice lake scene. Can get busy during the weekend, but several paved trail paths and places for both biking, walking, fishing, and animal-watching. Trails can be taken in a way where you can range from 1 mile to 10+ miles of walking/biking. Bathroom available in one of the parking lots. read more

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Beautiful picturesque forest preserve for a trail walk, we come for an annual picnic, a reunion of a shrinking group. Very scenic, peaceful, we were in a shady glen with a view of the lake and we had a couple of picnic tables and we brought lawn chairs. Looks like there were some small boats to rent on the other side of the lake, there were a couple of people fishing and we saw a few bicyclists enjoying the paved path. No litter, plenty of parking, they did move the restrooms which are relatively well maintained. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

First time coming here, me and my wife were checking out the area and we wanted a nice place to walk around. This place is perfect for kayaking and family gatherings too. Trail here is well paved and is very scenic. Plenty of people are active on the trails with bikes, running, etc. Plenty of parking spaces too , solid restrooms and even a little concession stand too. Great recommendation read more

Probably one of the best Forest Preserve in the suburbs. I love that you can Taylor your hike to your ability and mood. 1-3-4-6-8-12 miles what's your pleasure today? Usually I do 6-8 which takes me through a variety of landscapes - lake, forest, and prairie. I share the space with lots of people around the lake and the farther I go fewer humans, and sometimes horses and bikers. Best of the west suburbs. read more

This was my 3rd time visiting & walking the trails around the lake. Great walking/running paths. Beautiful nature scenery. Plenty of parking. We had the best sleigh ride ever here in 2009 on a snowy Dec 26. A nice side trip for those who love the outdoors. read more

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Let me see, I've come here to walk, run, bike, canoe, fish, and uh...amuse dates back in high school. ; ) Herrick has expanded quite a bit since my HS days, the property trails coupled with Danada Farms offer close to 15 miles of to explore. Nowadays I mostly bike these trails but I've also brought my son over and rented a canoe for the afternoon. See the irony here..I brought dates here, now I bring a son.. Anyways, I highly recommend the property for the aforementioned reasons. Dates included. Cheers. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

You won't find a better spot to break a sweat than Herrick Lake. With fields of flowers, shady, wooded areas, the lake, or marshes, and plenty of wildlife, my day's stresses are always lifted as soon as I step foot on a trail. Herrick has well marked trails and large maps that give you distance markers, so you can plan as much or as little time as your schedule allows. The trails are nice and wide. Enough to be able to share them with walkers, runners, bicyclists and horses. Yes, horses. I've run these trails in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening, and during every season of the year. Depending on where the sun is shining and what its rays are highlighting, you'll get an ever changing gorgeous view. Some spots are bright and sunny and some spots are cool and shady with a thick ceiling of branches above. While I typically only encounter 6 or 7 people total, there are countless bends in the road. Consider running or walking without headphones. - you'll want to be able to hear bikers ahead or behind you, warning you that they're passing. FYI: 1) The mosquitos can get pretty thick during summer evenings so you might want to spray yourself down with repellant first. 2) The trails are made up of tiny pebbles that kick up into your shoes. If you're walking these trails in low-profile shoes with no-show socks, I promise you they'll fill your shoes. Proper footwear will prevent you from having to continually stop to empty painful rocks. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Peace and quiet on a somber day. No filters. Just midwestern beauty. - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Fantastic trails-variety-clean and relaxing!!!! Perfect escape Highly recommend for the entire family read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

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Picture perfect. I have been driving past this hidden forest for the longest. I never imagined how tranquil and big the lake. Is. I decided I deserve quality time with my dog. I graves my keys and headed to this nice forest. I was so surprised to know that they have canoeing, fishing bike trail and grills installed in the park I was nervous at first because I have never been here and I have neglected my dog a little bit so he started barking at first and as we got the hang of it we were able to walk around the entires park Next time I come here I will come earlier because am an early person and there will be less mosquitoes flying around. I had a lot of fun and people walking the trails are very friendly. I was able to ask if I he trail went around read more

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Lots of trails to walk on or jog. Even seen a scooter with a friendly elderly man along with a women riding a horse. Some on bikes and some walking their dogs. Great to see people out and about enjoying the weather instead of at home living in fear. Some were fishing also. Very clean trails and lots of wooded areas surrounding the trails. Great way to get the kids out to enjoy some fresh air. Seen 3 groups having picnics. We went on a Thursday after on 5/21/20. Parking lot was about 75% full but they have a pretty good size parking areas. read more

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Very well kept trails, great spots for pictures and overall a great place to hike or to ride a bike. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Beautiful Sunset at lake Herrick - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

When I asked my boo what he wanted to on Saturday, I have to admit, I kind of envisioned the day involving some tv, maybe a movie or 10, going out to eat an egregious amount of times, and perhaps a shopping trip where all we do is complain about how much we hate shopping. So, as you can imagine, I was taken a tad by surprise when he immediately answered, "Go to a forest preserve and track for fallen antlers." Me: Mmmkay. So mentally I got to work. I thought of where to go and what would be a reasonable distance to other things that we could do that day after we find our booty of antlers. Herrick Lake seemed perfect. Plus, I'd already vetted this place as a kid on a park district field trip and thought it'd be fun to give it a shot during a winter month. We were kind of thinking the trails would be clearer than they were, so it only took about 8 minutes before our boots and pants were soaked up to knee... but, that was also our fault for going off the trail a tad, which I later found out may or may not be unlawful. Oops! We didn't end up finding any antlers --no surprise there, but it was actually a really fun time. We saw tons of poop, I realized that I'm basically an expert-level tracker, and the frozen lake and surrounding trails are quiet and relaxing. All in all, a nice little Saturday. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Winterscape - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Wonderful place!! You can rent a kayak or small boat. Gorgeous view & very clean! Cant wait to go back! read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Excellent forest preserve! Some of the features are: -nice lake (fishing allowed) -canoe/kayak rentals available -lots of picnic tables that aren't chained down so you can move them around a bit if you prefer shade or sun -several covered shelters available by reservation if you have a larger group/party (I believe there is a fee to reserve the shelters for large groups) -a few different trail options of varying lengths that are all nice & wide (the trails are fine gravel) -connects to another park and a larger separate trail system -a few restroom locations (they aren't much better than port-a-potties but they'll do) -2 parking areas read more

I met up with two of my clients here for a photo-shoot. It was absolutely stunning! If you're looking for an area to shoot photos, go here. There are many places for photos; they have a dock where you can walk out on and multiple bridges. They have an area for canoes as well. The park is big and you can walk around it. While I didn't go there to walk around, I was able to walk down some paths. Very beautiful. It's dog friendly and I noticed a lot of people walking their dogs. I went here in the beginning of winter, so I can only imagine I didn't get to see this place in its full prime. I will definitely be coming back in Fall and Spring! Good to know: 1.) This is surrounded by a big lake - you can rent canoes! 2.) Wear your walking shoes - the place is big. 3.) You can fish, but make sure you have your permit. 4.) There are a lot of benches about - there is even a big area under a roof where you can eat to get out of the sun. 5.) If you're going to take photos like I did, you NEED A PERMIT! For residents you have to pay $45 for 3 hours. For nonresidents you have to pay $65. They also have different annual options. Check out this page: http://www.dupageforest.org/things-to-do/get-outdoors/photography Side note: If I'm being honest, no one checks for the photo permits. I would say if you're doing wedding photography here make sure you have your permit. read more

Great local trail that you can get in a 5 mile walk. Trail is shared by bicycles and horses so stay alert. read more

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Love love love this place! I would come here to walk around the lake while my husband ran the trails while training for a half marathon. Three laps around the lake and you get the majority of your steps in for the day. This park is really pretty and when you want around the lake there is a decent amount of shade on the east and south sides. You can rent canoes, have Family picnics, bike, run and walk. Pet friendly too. A great place to take the kids too! read more

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This review is only for their flushed restroom. It is horrible. Lot of stains in the toilets and the restroom smells really bad when you enter. I go there almost once a month with my walking group because we love the lake and the trail. But the ladies restroom is horrible. Hope they take care of it. read more

Great for running! Came in January yet it was still beautiful. A couple of options of trails to take and obviously the pretty lake :) read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Best place to wander in the western burbs. I love going to Herrick around noon time to unwind and amidst nature. The pier is awesome for photography but be cautious of the windy weather. I saw people dropping stuff in the lake. I still have to get out boating maybe in summer. read more

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The address on Yelp is wrong.. way wrong... corner of Herrick (for those that don't know Herrick becomes Wiesbrook) and rt56 (Butterfield) The main entrance is off of Butterfield, but the entrance on Herrick has become my most favored one. Herrick Lake is a haven. Gorgeous Forest Preserve, with a small lake as the center piece. Fish, Canoe ... catch things but try not to swim.. it's a bit murky. Plenty of parking, recreation areas, they have shelters, bathrooms and loads of picnic areas and tables. When my kids were young we enjoyed all of these things. On occasion... the boys surreptitiously bringing something home that wouldn't live long and was sure to smell bad before being discovered. Now we enjoy all of the paths..I used to run here before my knees decided that running is stupid, so now we enjoy long walks and great bike rides. The preserve actually connects seamlessly to the Danada Preserve, so there are some serious miles of paths to explore. BUT! If that's not enough for you... take the path along Butterfield Rd and cross over to St. James Farm and/or Blackwell Forest Preserve. And the fact the the Illinois Prairie path connects to these too... makes for an extensive amount of trails and a countless variety of outings. Herrick Lake provides more than enough for even the most ardent suburban outdoor enthusiast.... or just a quiet place to eat some lunch. read more

Great place to picnic, walk/bike the trails, rent a canoe, boat or fish! One of my favorite spots to take advantage of all that this Forest Preserve has to offer. Beautiful in the fall with the mature tree's, check out the walking trails around this time. A good place to bring your dog and clean restrooms on site. It's a nice get a way from all the hustle and bustle. In fact I'm leaving right now to get there! read more

Fished at Herrick Lake Last weekend with a friend. Great fishing spots on the second lake over the bridge. Pick nic tables are awesomely located right near the water's edge. There are absolutely no bugs! This is a great place to relax after a hard work week. The washrooms could be closer or perhaps they can add Port-O-Pots! Herrick Lake also rents kayaks,row boats and canoes by the hour. This lake is not really big enough to boat in because the lakes are very small and you could boat around the lakes like 8 times before you have to return the boat to the harbor masters. Highly recommended for the beginning fisher woman/man. read more

Really a nice, clean, safe pleasant escape from the nearby congestion. Had an awesome run on the well marked trails, really pretty and easy to enjoy nature and exercise read more

It gets pretty crowded here but if you arrive at a time when it isn't and it's a lovely day weather wise, perfect location for an easy stroll or to sit in the sun and watch the ducks. read more

I love love love this place. It is visually stunning and has such a variety of things to offer. My company has their yearly picnic here and it is always such a big hit. The paths are easily visible and marked which makes running a multitude of distances here a breeze. The paths are paved with limestone so it makes it easy for hybrid tires to go off the road. You can fish, boat, run, walk, bike, hike, anything! A great place to take the dog for a long walk. With intermittent shady areas and sunny spots on the paths it is a great balance. Also, it is amazing that this place exists and it makes you feel as though you are away from traffic and suburban shopping centers. A great escape place. read more

A little bit of everything. . . That is how I would describe Herrick Lake Forest Preserve. I prefer to either walk/bike the trails or toss a blanket down on the ground, throw on my ipod and relax. Other options include having a picnic, rent a canoe/boat or maybe even fish. It's just a nice suburban escape from the day-to-day chaos of life. read more

Great trails to run or ride.

If you're that lone paranoid biker who bellowed 'ON YOUR LEFT' to an old lady, please tone it down a little. The forest echoes, it's very startling. You may want to consider getting a bell that says "I love my bike" instead. I've been going to this preserve ever since I got my pup 5 yrs ago. I give it a 4 star rating for its proximity, long trails, and the body of water. FYI dog owners - definitely make sure your dogs have flea/tick control bc it's a forest after all. There's also a couple of areas along the trail that gets swampy so I usually try to avoid the preserve after a rainy period. We usually hit the main trail on the south east side before winding back around the lake for an easy ~1.8 miles or so. The trail extends into miles 4.5 or even 5.5 miles with some minor elevation changes so I usually see a couple of joggers/bikers each time. They're not crowded by any means though. During the winter, the trails are mostly used for my mother's least favorite Olympic event, cross country skiing. The website explains all of the amenities better, but I pre-mapped some trails on walkjogrun.net to see mileages. I used to see the park rangers there occasionally, and a couple of times they drove around the trails to ensure dogs were leashed. But nowadays, I haven't seen any. There's quite a bit of horse poop and dog poop on the trails. I just read the rules and regulations posted, and owners are required to pick up after their animals. No one seems to do it though, maybe bc few are aware? My only request to fellow dog owners, if you can anticipate it, please have your dog poo on the side grassy areas instead of directly onto the trail. There's definitely been a few times when I was jogging and not paying attention to where my feet where planting... If you ever see a portly beagle and his owner on the trails, feel free to say hi! He's very friendly :) read more

This is a nice park with good running paths. Check the maps for the length of run or walk you want to talk. There are also picnic tables around the lake and large grassy areas for group enjoyment. You'll see people biking, running, walking their dogs, having picnics, fishing, and sitting/reading books. Overall relatively picturesque and enjoyable. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Decent place for trail riding on horseback. The area is clean, well maintained and has access to water and restrooms. This place would get five stars from me if so many of the trail users didn't act like they owned the place. The cross country skiers in particular are extremely rude and like to make commments about how they are somehow more entitled to be there than anyone else. This is a recreational area meant for all to enjoy, and if the truth must be known, these trails were put in place primarily because of the large equestrian commuunity in the area. I believe you can rent canoes at the lake as well, though the office never seems to be open. read more

quiet and pretty. Good parking. Great views even in winter time. read more

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Nice place, cute lake with fishing, beautiful grounds to walk... I would rate this much higher except for the fact that all the trails are covered in horse-shit. Seriously, how the hell can they (supposedly, never brought my dog there) bust dog owners for not picking up when a horse can leave 3 pounds of road-apples at a time? Some of the trails were impassable because they were so shit strewn. Completely ruined the visit. read more

Beautiful trails next to Arrowhead Golf Course. A nice walk around the lake or a hike through the trees. During the winter they have cross country skiing and snow shoeing. In the warmer weather go to enjoy some canoeing. Although it is a popular place for dog walkers and outdoor enthusiasts it never feels crowded. Highly recommend this spot. Do check for ticks if you are visiting between May and August. read more

Great forest preserve for a walk, run, bike, or scenic sightseeing on the lake. Parking is accessible and you can do a short walk around the lake or a longer walk into the woods. read more

My mother and I took dinner here and walked around the lake afterwards. It's a great place to walk your dog or bike. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of trails so it can become familiar really quickly. read more

This is a great park. I love comming here on lunch, the trail around the lake is about a mile long and is a really nice walk. The only thing is I was 'approached' once by this old guy who asked me a "pretty lady like me" wanted to take a walk with him. It was weird, and I called the police. I'd be careful if you're a lone woman. I'd like to see more of a police presence there, sometimes forest preserves attract weirdos. read more

This is one of my fav parks around. Plenty of parking space, restroom accesible, very clean park, few picnic tables available, kayaks available, to rent I think, and great walking and bike trails. My dog and I love coming here in early morning or late afternoon. read more

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - My dog, Starbucks, loves this particular spot! - Boating Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Nice hiking \biking trails that are well maintained. weekends can be crowded compared to week days.