Easy parking in front of the museum. Light trail but doesn't go in a loop or you can but have to…read morecross the street and then walk on some unpaved brush. Or one can just back track.

This popular spot is usually a little busy for my tastes, but catch it at a quiet time and you can…read moreenjoy a placid hike down easy paths. There's a broad, charming bridge where kids (or adults) can throw sticks into the water on one side and watch them float to the other side. There are multiple dirt trails into the woods off the paved path that's frequently teeming with bicyclists. And there's a gravel path where people often walk dogs. Note that there are multiple entrances to Harms Woods. I like the northern one, but so do a lot of other people, apparently.

I've seen so many deer in these woods. The last time I walked here, I passed by five of them. I…read moreusually see at least one. And once I even spotted a doe with her two fawns out grazing. (Please don't feed the deer, as the signs say, because you could inadvertently give them something that harms their system.) The bicyclists can be a real hazard here, so keep your eyes peeled for them, too, if you're walking or running. There's really only one trail at this forest preserve, with the exception of a few short paths off to the side here and there that lead nowhere. But it's got charming views of forest, river and a patch of prairie at the edge of the preserve near Waukegan. There's ample parking and a shelter with picnic tables by the parking lot. The deer will sometimes graze right alongside the parking lot - they're pretty habituated - so if you're lucky, you may spot one before you even make it into the woods.

Walk here on a weekly basis in the spring, summer & fall months. Miami Woods is a lovely slice of…read morenature. The trees illustrate beauty and quiet. I enjoy my walks.

This is a hidden gem for the city dwellers. Even though "Emily Oaks Nature Center" is surrounded…read moreby the residential area and one can hear the CTA trains passing back and forth, cloud and clear, it can still be considered as a mini "escape." In other words, it is a place to experience what mother nature has to offer, for both adults and kids. I would say the trail paths are kid-friendly and not too long for the little ones to explore. However, I think it is better to visit when daylight is available. Bike routes are separate from the walking path, so one doesn't have to watch out for bikers passing through. The Lakeview (or pond view) is serene. There are a few benches to sit down and enjoy the scenery. I see they have camp fires and other activities from time to time. I bet these are fun, as weather permits. In the beginning of the trail, a small scaled playground definitely can pull your kiddos away to release their energy. Parking is plenty and convenient. I think "Emily Oaks Nature Center" is going to be a re-visit for our family this summer.

If you can ignore the sounds of the Skokie Swift and passing traffic just outside the northern and…read morewestern boundaries of the nature preserve, Emily Oaks is a darling little slice of woods and lagoon tucked into a residential neighborhood of Skokie. They host camps here during the summer months, so you'll find chalk drawings on some of the paths and signs on some of the trees around that time, but it doesn't really detract from the atmosphere. (This is where my sibling and I learned to canoe and build campfires back in the day.) Chipmunks and geese abound; be sure to also check out the fish in the lagoon. They have shelters with picnic tables scattered throughout the preserve, so this is a peaceful place for a picnic lunch when camp's not in session. Just remember to leave the area as clean as you found it... and don't try starting any campfires without permission.

Beautiful walking trail. The trail is clean, well-paved and safe. Lots of people on it but not too…read morecrowded. Only one downfall for someone recouping from surgery, no places to seat for a break.

Easily my favorite trail. Growing up this used to be train tracks but since 2008 it's a trail…read more Convient to use however a woman was sexual assaulted recently so be careful. Awesome place for the neighborhood

Gallery Park and Lake Glenview are wonderful parts of The Glen. The lake trails cover less than 2…read moremiles, and are an easy, flat hike around Lake Glenview. The park and lake have been landscaped with native plants and offer great colorful additions from Spring through Autumn. The trails are paved but there are also single track trails of crushed gravel that follow the lake shore more closely. There are also tick warning signs along the lakeside trails which are nice reminders to hikes to check out their shoes and clothes after a hike to make sure you are not bringing home any hitchhikers! The scenery here is peaceful and relaxing. The lake is large and very pretty and it's easy to forget you are in suburban Chicago. The park offers tennis courts, work-out stations, and a small amphitheater. This is a great natural area to hike and enjoy our beautiful native plants!!

Gallery Park started out as a collection of flat aprons and runways in the Glenview Naval Air…read moreStation. The Naval station closed in '93, and the hundred and fifty acres that now comprise Gallery Park became available, and were incorporated as this park. Tip: There are several different trails here, all of which loop around Lake Glenview. The lake also has several piers, some small islands, and a bridge My two favorite trails here are the Lake Trail (one and a half miles long) and the Park Trail (one point eight miles long). I used to also very much enjoy the Lakeside Trail, but I ran into far too many ticks the last time I went there, so I've been avoiding it. Over and above the hiking trails, the park also has several soccer fields, tennis courts, and even some catch-and-release fishing spots. Last (but not least) there's a fitness zone with equipment for cardio steps, chest presses, an crunches, etc. But wait, there's more! You'll also find a children's garden, bike racks, water fountains, and picnic tables. All in all this is a pretty cool place to relax and get some nature on :-)

Love this forest preserve! Last time I was there I saw three baby deer. Awwwww…read more Good walking trail though it doesn't connect in an easy way...you'll need to stop and turn back in the same path you just walked. It's a lovely path though! There are nice spots for feeding the ducks, cute areas for picnics and an overabundance of parking!

Lots of people out enjoying the weather walking, running, biking, roller blading and picnicking…read more Almost 11,000 steps and 4.8 miles (so far)

A serendipitous find as I was searching for a place en route to the Chicago southwest suburbs…read moreduring the 2017 solar eclipse, there was intermittent cloud cover here and there and I just ended up here. It's a really nice preserve, probably a little more populated during the eclipse than usual. It's peaceful and pretty, a nice patch of nature for short hikes or just meditating. The garbage cans were filled which probably didn't help the problem of flying biting insects, I'll bet late August it is just inevitable to encounter mosquitoes in a Midwestern forest preserve. This seems like a good place for bird watching though the birds of prey did seem somewhat perturbed by the eclipse.

Seems like a nice quiet lake. Watched 2 hawks soar around the skies. One even had another bird…read morethat kept landing on it while it was soaring. Bet that was a fun ride. I've seen this lake get real weedy but to my surprise it was completely clear today.

This is a peaceful area close to the Morton Grove Metra Station. I've come here during lunch and…read moreI've seen deer here sometimes, but mostly it's just people in their cars. It's beautiful in the fall with the colorful leaves, but I've never ventured out into the woods. Stop here for a little forest bathing, there's plenty of room, and its so green.

Came here for a birthday party for my friends' son last summer. It's a great area, and they had…read morereserved a pavilion so we had a lot of space. The pavilions also seem to be spaced out enough that you're not right on top of another group. My one complaint was parking: there was a verrrrrry large group a few pavilions down, and because there was so many people their parking spilled into the space for our pavilion, so we had to park a ways down. I get that it's all open parking, so not really anyone's fault, but it was pretty hard to find parking. The pavilions are good size, and had plenty of table space and seating (plus room for some games). There was also plenty of 'lawn space' around for people that wanted to be out in the sun. Porta potties were the only bathrooms I saw, and depending on which pavilion you were at it could be bit of a hike to them. Overall, not a bad place to have a larger gathering.

I wasn't familiar with Wildwood Nature Center until the last few months but it is a cool spot. I'm…read moredoing an afternoon class at the park district with my daughter, as a way to introduce her to nature and some different animals. During class the kids play indoors at the various stations they have set up for about half an hour, then have a story, and then we wander through the forest preserve to see what we see. This first time we saw geese which she was interested in, and then we wandered through some of the rest of the park. When we went to the building with the animals and my baby got to see a whole bunch wildlife. There were turtles, a bunny, a couple ferrets, some gerbils, a prairie dog... and she even got to touch a snake, which I hope she enjoyed because she's never getting one.

So many animals for the kids to look at and a craft table. The staff is friendly and am def coming…read moreback again to celebrate the kids bdays

What a gorgeous option for outdoor space, walking trails, and picnicking!…read more After a large lunch nearby, we decided to stop by the Catherine Chevalier Woods for a quick walk since it appeared to have walking trails. With a bit of hesitancy since there was not a lot of information online, we stopped by and were immensely pleased. First of all, there was a plethora of parking spaces, making this a very accessible location! Second, we were immediately inundated with wild life, from lounging and munching white-tail deer to chipping chipmunks to singing birds, we no longer felt like we were in the midst of the city! Third, there were many spaces for picnicking and gatherings of people! What a great place to come for an outdoor gathering! Finally, we discovered miles of maintained and gorgeous walking trails. People were sparsely populated on the trails providing a beautiful and remote hiking experience! If you are in the area and are in the need of a good walk in remote outdoor space, head over to Catherine Chevalier's Woods!

Really awesome place. Deer within feet of the paths. Great spacious areas for picnics or parties…read more There were numerous large parties going on while I visited. The paths are great for biking although I recommend you have an off-road or hybrid bicycle.