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    Lost Valley Visitor Center

    4.7 (10 reviews)

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    Annette B.

    This is a massive park with some big hills. Heads up--the trails are LONG! They do have an app if you want a trail map at your fingertips. This place had a lot of fellow hikers when I visited. Good place for a long walk with lots of wildlife.

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    5 months ago

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great public museum. Wonderful, relevant displays, set in a marvelous restored natural area.

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    4 years ago

    Amazing place. Visitor center is beautiful and informative, terrain is gorgeous, birds are numerous. Would love to come back in the summer.

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    10 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Lost Valley Visitor Center

    Review Highlights - Lost Valley Visitor Center

    Nippersink Creek is very tranquil and isn't very wide or deep so I recommend going in the Spring when water levels are higher.

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    Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve Varga Archaeological Site - Walking up to the lookout area near the parking lot. There is seating along this area.

    Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve Varga Archaeological Site

    3.5(2 reviews)
    5.2 mi

    Review Six-Hundy! Since I'm happiest outdoors & we enjoy exploring various parks & nature preserves…read moreI'm glad the timing worked out to make one of those a milestone review for me. Nestled up in McHenry County on Elizabeth Lake this nature preserve has 2 miles of trails with views of the surrounding 345 acres. I took a photo of the map but their website also has a nice one posted there as well. I wish the trails went all the way around the lake but due to the makeup of the ground/marshy area, preservation efforts, etc. the trails are all on one side of the preserve. It's a lovely setting with a large variety of wildflowers, prairie grasses, plants & trees to take in and the songbirds were in full effect on our visit. There are no restroom facilities here so plan accordingly. The trails are a mowed path with a few footbridges so if it has rained recently the paths could be wet/muddy, especially in the shady areas. We had to turn back twice due to areas that were too wet/muddy to get through in the footwear we had on but would have been doable with hiking footwear. We still enjoyed most of the trail with me in my sandals. There is seating near the parking lot at the overlook/entrance area but no other benches along the trails...but with just 2 miles of trails not really necessary for most.

    Wonderful trail to walk your dog, wonderful addition to Twin Lakes considering there are no…read moresidewalks on Lake Shore Dr. I just wish they would connect it with the trail system at the south end of Lake Elizabeth to have a longer trail. Beware of ticks in the warmer months. The grasses usually prevent it from getting too muddy. The trail is pretty well maintained and the map is available at the beginning of the trail so you can choose your loop.

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    Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve Varga Archaeological Site - Lookout area near the parking lot.

    Lookout area near the parking lot.

    Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve Varga Archaeological Site - Map of the nature preserve & 2 miles of trails.

    Map of the nature preserve & 2 miles of trails.

    Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve Varga Archaeological Site - Very interesting info about the Floating Calcareous Mat at this nature preserve.

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    Very interesting info about the Floating Calcareous Mat at this nature preserve.

    Rock Cut State Park - Canoeing and paddle boating on lake

    Rock Cut State Park

    3.9(74 reviews)
    33.3 mi

    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

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    Rock Cut State Park - Wild turkey!

    Wild turkey!

    Rock Cut State Park - Camping with real bathrooms and showers available? My kind of camping... lol

    Camping with real bathrooms and showers available? My kind of camping... lol

    Rock Cut State Park - Yellow warbler

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    Yellow warbler

    Lost Valley Visitor Center - parks - Updated June 2026

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