![]() Fishing and boating are allowed on the lake, and trails are well-marked and easily walkable for kids of all ages. The lake itself leads into a forested hiking trail and then a prairie landscape with paths extending into neighboring Danada Forest Preserve to the east. Herrick Lake Forest Preserveįamilies looking for a short stroller jaunt around the lake or groups looking to embark on an 8-mile excursion may like Herrick Lake, one of just two glacier-formed lakes in DuPage County Forest Preserves. A nature playground and nature center complement the hiking experience, and families can enjoy guided hikes in the spring and fall with park district staff or on their mobile phone. Sporty families can also enjoy the park’s 18-net disc golf course. At one boat launch, kids can wade a short way into the water. The DuPage River runs through both parks and lends itself to canoeing and kayaking. The park’s 5.5 miles of trail connect it to DuPage River Park to the south and east. This is one of few locations we know of where kids can get their feet wet in the DuPage River during their hike. Not all areas are stroller friendly, but a short out-and-back hike could introduce kids to the forest and prairies of the park. Park in the Bluff Road parking lot to access the namesake Rocky Glen Waterfall via the Rocky Glen Trail. Smaller kids might enjoy an orienteering course for beginners through advanced compass-handlers. This 2,300-acre nature preserve is home to a nearly 10-mile trail loop best traversed by bigger kids and adults. In the summer, movies and concerts are presented weekly within the park. Many kids’ favorite is the tank park, where they can check more than a dozen real army tanks. Intrepid kids may enjoy climbing on the tanks. When you're done hiking, there's an extensive playground near the main parking lot for kids to enjoy, or you can visit the First Division Museum for a dose of military history. Along paved or gravel trails, families can explore the rose garden, keyhole garden, and gold pond garden. History and nature converge at Cantigny Park in Wheaton. The historic Graue Mill and Museum, a man-made waterfall, and the Fullersburg Woods Nature Center, home to real woolly mammoth bones found in DuPage County, are fun stops along the way. Along the path, families may see geese, toads, beavers, foxes, herons, or egrets. More than three miles of scenic trail erupt in color with flowers in spring and autumn leaves in the fall. Programming includes themed Woodland Family Hikes led by Arboretum staff, summer evening concerts, cultural festivals, and dog admission days throughout the year. The fully paved mile-long Meadow Lake trail is perfect for walking with a double stroller, while more intrepid adventurers can explore collections of trees and plants from all over the world. The park offers walking and hiking options for kids of many ages and abilities. The breakout hit Troll Hunt was followed up by Human+Nature, and now the Of the Earth large scale nature-based sculptures have taken their five places in the Arborteum. This DuPage County tree-lovers haven has hosted three amazing sculpture exhibits in our kids' lifetime. Photo by Maureen Wilkey Places to Hike with Kids West of Chicago 2. Cantigny Park has paved or gravel trails that are easy on strollers. This entry was posted in Been There, Weather and tagged forest preserves, Suburban Chicago by admin. Rather, it turned out to be a year of vistas, for which I always try to be glad. Last year was a year of forest preserves. Had an autumnal moment or two along the trails. ![]() It also offers fishing and an orienteering course, model airplane field and youth group campground.” “Waterfall Glen offers gently rolling to hilly terrain with 11 miles of trails popular with hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. ![]() It is also one of the District’s most popular forest preserves, known for its Rocky Glen waterfall, Sawmill Creek bluff overlook, and extensive trails. “The 2,503-acre Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien is one of the most ecologically impressive parcels of open space in the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, if not northern Illinois. Nice description of the place on the Forest Preserve of DuPage County’s web site: We made our way to Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve, south of where I used to live, but only by a few miles, and walked a while. But there have been a handful of warmish hours, such as on Saturday in the afternoon. Been a distinctly winterish November this year, except that trees seem to have held their leaves a little longer than in recent years.
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