Sterne's is a great place to take a stroll. For me, it's just an extension of Veteran Acres...I do…read morea big figure 8 through both sets of trails with my pooch. I enjoy walking here through all seasons. I love that there are a lot of random trails you can take or just stick to the main one. I always seem to spot a few white tail deer or hawks.

Bluff Spring Fen is probably one of the most unique natural areas in the Chicago region. Bluff…read moreSpring Fen is a spring whose water is a year-round 50 some degrees so the spring never freezes. It also supports unique plant and animal communities that need the alkaline-rich soil and water to survive. To get to the entrance you have to enter and park in the Bluff City Cemetery and drive to the rear section for parking and access to the preserve. The cemetery closes at different times during the year so pay attention to the signs! (For cemetery buffs, Bluff City is spectacular - rolling hills of mature oak among the headstones and memorials...) Bluff Spring Fen is located on gravel hills that were left behind when the Wisconsin Glacier retreated around 20,000 years ago. Gravel is a soil type, and I've climbed a large hill full of purple cone flowers and realized I was standing on a bed of gravel!! That's pretty cool in my nerdy book!! This preserve is also adjacent to a gravel mine and I'm told the preserve almost became a gravel mine until it was saved and turned into a preserve. There is also a group of FPCC volunteers who have been working here for many years. There are many single track hiking trails here. I don't believe bikes are allowed and this is a good thing - the trails are narrow and go through tall grasses and flowers - not an ideal biking area. Come and see Bluff Spring Fen in person and enjoy this very unique natural Cook County area.

Beautiful, hidden away nature preserve!read more

The Fox River is gorgeous. We didn't go on a boat but it's a gorgeous site to see, with plenty on…read moreboats zipping through and even some fishermen. A hidden gem in the Crystal Lake area for sure.

Easy use. Big easy ramp. Easy pay online for boat launch. Plenty of parking for truck with boat…read moretrailer.

Took a bike ride on this trail through charming east Dundee . Was so impressed with both the trail…read moreand town. Really great little bars and restaurants, very friendly people, and love how much East Dundee has evolved over the past 6 years. It has changed so much and seems to be new great things popping up left and right . This is a great trail and place to stop

A long trail goes along the Fox River where you can take on lots of natural beauty. Fox River Trail…read moreis one of the biggest ways to get some walking and exercise. It goes from Oswego all the way up to Algonquin, so that's a long way to go between the end points. Curve around buildings and rivers along it. There's enough room for bicycles, joggers, and whoever. Get on the trail from many areas. It goes a long way following the Fox River. This is a long ass trail. It makes it a way to get around without driving. Kind of hard to get to from where it starts and where it ends. It's too long for most people to walk along it. The part in East Dundee is especially scenic. It goes through the restaurant district. This goes by the old depot that's now used as a place for some people to hang or sleep. Has a long way to go for joggers and exercisers. It has enough room for bicycles and other faster transportation methods. There's plenty of parking spots along the way and you can find many places to eat as it goes through a few towns.

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!

Fun place to hike with little hills and can go on or off the paved trail to keep it interesting…read more Would walk here regularly with my dog if it were closer to me!

I took some time off the beaten path - and that's to say, the paved path - on my most recent visit,…read moreand goodness is this place expansive. If I were more of a mountain bike enthusiast, this would be an oasis. Even just walking and hiking around, the many twisting, undulating trails proved interesting and exciting (though I was constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting to get run down; people on bikes get entitled, y'know...). Knowing the history of the racecourse, it is astonishing - and maybe a testament to the work of the forest preserve - how little this place resembles what it once was. Aside from pavement, which you might as well just assume was a paved path, and the big fuel silo, this place once again belongs to nature.