McDonald Woods Forest Preserve located in Lindenhurst is a great place to hike. It's a 2.3 mile…read moregravel path that includes a couple of small lakes. It's a pretty level path with only a couple inclines. It's a heavily wooded area although there isn't much shade along the path. They have bird nest boxes out and a Herron nest box on one of the lakes. It's a fun trail that takes about 45 minutes at a steady pace.

Amanda and her staff are wonderful; they do everything possible to ensure every visit is pleasant…read moreand seamless. I suppose you can tell how highly we recommend this place--we have already booked our return trip for next year!

Greatest place overlooking the water with its own private beach! It has everything from camp fires…read morewith the family to boat rentals for a day on the water. Well kept beach with a massage tent for relaxation! Only 50 minutes from Chicago - this place is a hidden gem!

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 thankful my son recommended training for long runs at Moraine Hills. His mapping of the route…read moreprovided a great roadmap. There is signage, mileage marking and different surfaces (soft and asphalt). for the trails. The varying elevations provide great opportunities to train well. It did not disappoint. Thank you!!

Beautiful trails and scenery. Not too long of a trail but not too short. Lots of wildlife.read more

The Sun Lake Forest Preserve is a wonderful outdoor area that contains a 2.5 mile round trip trail…read more The trail itself is clean and very well maintained, with the edges of the trail always mowed. (In fact, I can't remember a time when the edges had not been mowed.) There are plenty of trash cans along the trail if you need them and, once again, I have never seen these cans neglected. There are also benches that offer a nice view if you wish to take a break or just want to find a nice quiet spot to relax in. Overall, this forest preserve is an excellent place for a little outdoor exercise and some fresh air.

Amazing little area has a great trail around some ponds around a Farmstead, Cafe, and grounds that…read moreare beautifully kept yet also wild. We were looking for a European goldfinch and did not see one. But we saw plenty of other birds!

Joggers, Walkers, Nature Lovers…read more I've been coming to Middlefork for years. Throughout the day, you'll find people jogging, biking and waking on this long trail. I love how peaceful it is. Every season offers different different sights, smells, fauna and flora. It's such a lovely place to go. Then, off the main path, there are paths that go through the savannah. What a lovely walk! Along the paths are signs that tell you the history of the place or plants/birds you may see. Sometimes I'll just stroll with my dog (leashes are required) and read up. To get there, park at the Elawa Farms building. There's a map near the entrance so you can see how far and where the paths go. Happy trails.

Great place, we stopped by for some leg stretching on our way back to NWI (Northwest Indiana) from…read morevisiting my fiance's family in Wisconsin for Easter. This Preserve is really neat, the parts we did explore were very clean and had several garbage cans alongside the crushed gravel paths. There were several ponds suitable for fishing with easy access to the trails too. We parked in the smaller parking lot toward the south which has about a dozen or so spaces and a small field for picnics I presume... Walking toward the North you'll find a larger field and extensive parking area. Close access to both is a fairly large pavilion with a charcoal grill and several picnic tables. Nearby is a quad of Restrooms featuring handicap accessible stalls as well. There are even recycling bins enclosed in a small shelter. Never seen those before at a park, I kinda love it, go green people! Even though we didn't get to see much of it, the part I did get to check out was top notch! I'd definitely go back to check it out again.

Perfect flat winter trail for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing! The trail was visble even though…read moreit was covered with snow. The trail is wide and the brush protects you from wind.

This is such a beautiful, pristine, and peaceful place. I didn't know it existed until a facebook…read morefriend posted photos from his walk, and I thought, I have to go to this place. The parking area I found is small, but directly across the street from the entrance. You walk a paved trail though many acres of wildflowers and some trees, until you come to a staircase that leads down to the lakeside itself. When I was there, midday on a beautiful September day, there were some men exercising on the staircase -- running up and down, dropping to do push ups, and more. I assume they were from the nearby army base. The staircase that goes to the lake has two landings with a bench, so you can sit and enjoy the view, or rest and gasp for breath on your way back up. It leads directly to a paved path at the lake shore. There was a bench facing east, and I sat and just absorbed the peace and quiet, and the soothing sound of the wind-driven waves rolling up the narrow sandy beach. There were some school children nearby eating lunch with their teachers, but no one else was around. The path leads only a short way to the south, but to the north, it branches back into the woods. I confess I did not follow it but, instead, returned to the lake shore and just soaked up the atmosphere. This truly was a magical spot. I look forward to returning another time and exploring a bit more. But even if I don't venture too far from my vantage point, it will still be wonderful. What a wonderful place.

Can you believe it's December and it's so beautiful? A lovely day to walk the paths at Openlands…read moreand/or walk down by the lake. People, dogs, families walking, jogging, strolling and taking in the view.

Love this location. My granddaughter is really enjoying her horseback riding lessons. Relaxing…read moreand beautiful location. Enjoy seeing all the chickens, sheep, goats, horses and donkey. Laura and the staff are very welcoming.

Thank you Laura and Dr. Kelly for inspiring our CCA Summer Campers! Our students and volunteers…read moreloved learning about caring for the horses and had fun feeding the chickens and goats. Great way to end our STEAM Summer Camp learning about veterinary careers!