I returned here after visiting about 30 years ago, and was very impressed with the trails. You can…read morespend many days here and still not see all the areas the park offers. We parked at the Oak Opening area and hiked down to Lake Defiance, taking the Lake Defiance Trail. We stopped at the Nature Center to see some displays and chat with the ranger, and then continued our hike. Seeing the moraines, the leftover hills and ridges from the retreating Wisconsin Glacier, 10's of thousands of years ago, was a geologic trip through time. This is a great local state park that does not have an entrance fee! (None of our state parks have entrance fees to the best of my knowledge!) This is a place I can't wait to get back to explore, right in the backyard of the Chicago 'burbs!

Very pleasant to go to. Very close to home if I just want to go somewhere with no noise. Lots of…read moretrails and just driving through it is very nice. Sometimes you can't just drive somewhere super far to sight see but thankfully this State park is here. Also it is free which is very nice.

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.

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.

This Forest Preserve has a large indoor Nature Center, bird watching, caged owls, hawk, hiking…read morevarious tree species and trails! This Forest preserve has it all. The Crabtree Nature Center & Trails is a fun place for the whole family. There are varying trails depending on the distance you want to cover: short & longer up to 3.5 miles approx. Trails are well maintained however it's good to know that they are not paved and are mostly grassy, a bit muddy (if it's wet) and uneven in places. The path offers plenty of shade and nice bench seating areas along the way. It's a very pretty trail and the fall foliage is beautiful!

This nature preserve offers year round activities and is perfect for families who love the…read moreoutdoors. There are trails , a nature center and even a small bird habitat with owls and hawks. Plenty of parking. Free admission. Check their website for exact hours.

Great time out with the family came for a picnic did a little fishing and my three-year-old ran…read morearound had so much fun on the beach

We went for a walk this morning and loved the trail. The water was very clear with just the right…read moreamount of activity,

Veteran Acres Park is gorgeous, with a clean and historic nature center and plenty of hiking…read moretrails, with water features sprinkled in. I really enjoyed looking at the animals inside such as the snakes, and the trails were difficult enough to be challenging, but easy enough to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. I'm taking a star off because they were spraying Roundup all over the park while we were there, and the lake was quite green. Regardless, it was a fun experience to connect with nature and get off of our phones. We saw some caterpillars, chipmunks, and a lot of turtles. I remember coming here as a child, and will continue to visit when I'm in the area for some fresh air. I didn't see any ticks, but keep in mind there can be ticks and mosquitos in the damper months.

We really enjoyed Veteran Acres, saw a lot of wildlife with my boy and his friends, kids were…read moreplaying Army, I was taking lots of photos as usual n exercising while walking with them!!

If you're local it's awesome , if you're an out of towner like me you have to pay to park then pay…read moreto get in which sucks

What an amazing place! How did I not ever know about this? It is free for entrance otherwise it's a…read morefive dollar visitor fee. If you wish to go to the main beach, that's an additional $12 if you are not a resident of Crystal Lake. The grounds are immaculate, very well maintained, and the bathrooms are clean. There are two lakes, multiple pavilions that you can rent ahead of time. Lots of picnic tables for you to sit down. Near the bar and grill while you can't go in the water, you can take your drink and sit on one of the cheers on the beach. You can watch people practice on their WaveRunner. Swing on the swings at the bar and listen to great music. I did not have any food here. I did have an amazing Mojito. The bartender was a young man looking to join the Barrington police force. Polite, kind and also had great customer service skills. The reason why I didn't give it five stars is that there are absolutely no markings anywhere as to what trail you are on, how long of a trail it is, and where there may be porta potties. There aren't any maps or QR codes and it was a bit confusing as I came upon several wise and the trail to decide which way to go as I had limited time there. Given the fact that everything is so nicely taken care of I don't know how they can't have at least some markings on the trails that they have there. One of the workers sent me direction and it literally just took me to a pavilion. They have kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and SUP boards. They also offer lessons for SUP depending on the day. Lots of people fishing. Amazing Place! Please add signage for the trails! The pop and water machine near the beach entrance did not work. Hopefully those are checked daily to repair.

There was a family event here so we decided to come check the place out. Even though my kiddo is…read moreonly two, she liked seeing some of the stuff they had on exhibit and they also had coloring pages and whatnot. We got here near the tail end of the event, so we didn't spend much time inside and went walking along the little trail where they had signs up with information about turkeys spread out through a little loop around the woods. It's a lovely preserve, and I'll bet it's particularly beautiful in the spring and summer. The building is small but sufficient to have some programs and there are bathrooms here. There are a few outbuildings as well; I'm not sure if there are programs there too or not. There's a good deal of parking here. Keep an eye on their calendar to have an excuse to come out, or just spend some time wandering the trails in peace and quiet.

This place is stunning. My neighbor told me about it and I promptly took a drive up here that…read moreafternoon just a few days after "peak" fall colors. It's amazing. I wasn't adequately prepared because it was a spur of the moment decision, so I didn't have a jacket or warm enough clothes, so I didn't stay or walk around too long. (And sadly their giftshop didn't have any sweatshirts -- I would've bought one if they had because it would've solved my problem. So, note to Ryerson: sell sweatshirts in the fall!). I've since come back here for an art exhibit (see my review on the Brushwood Center page for that info). I cannot wait to return again in the spring and definitely multiple times next fall. I want to explore it all.