It was a breath of fresh air the afternoon I decided to conduct a hike on the Salt Creek Trail…read moreSystem, starting at Brookfield Woods trailhead. What interested me about Brookfield Woods compared to the other trailheads nearby is that it is the mile marker starting point for the Salt Creek Trail System. As an outdoor fitness enthusiast who has been running for years, I would categorize the difficulty level as easy because the terrain is flat! I encountered mostly walkers, a few joggers, and many recreational bike riders along this path. While on it I felt that peaceful sense of being in nature as I heard birds chirping, the wind blowing, and the sound of the flowing salt creek which was off to my left while going out. I even got glimpses of chipmunk and squirrel running across my path; some even startling me at times when close by which also kept me in the moment during my hike. On my turnaround, I encountered a Canadian goose which I am absolutely terrified of! I am even known to alter my run routes just to avoid them out of fear of being attacked! It hissed at me as I went around it; it is like it instantly got its little goose panties in a bunch. I swear my heart rate increased as I eased by it because the last thing I wanted to experience was getting my ass kicked by a Canadian goose. That is a losing situation that I am unsure how I will bounce back from, but bye bye goose! I spent a little over forty-minutes during my hike on the path but could have easily gone longer if I were running instead. There are a variety of activities you can conduct on the Salt Creek Trail System path which extends 7.1 miles out; some of those activities I can certainly see are hiking, running, walking, biking, or even in-line skating. Other than my encounter with the Canadian goose, I had a pleasant experience on the Salt Creek Trail System as indicated in this review and would return. As a runner, I can see myself returning just to explore more of the Salt Creek Trail System. ~An adventure a day keeps the doctor away. ~ Thomas G

We entered at Brezina Woods, in LaGrange. If you are looking for a COVID-era place for a quiet…read morefamily walk, this is NOT the place. We only saw a few other people wearing masks. And it was so crowded, we left after only a mile. It was hard to maintain social distance on the paved path while avoiding the many bikers, roller bladers, and walkers. We found a few quiet side trials that each led 200-300 feet into the woods, but due to recent rains, those paths were very muddy, then flooded. We did find some moss. And some pretty trees and plants. So we hung out in the woods, then got out and went home. Pros: Free. Free parking. Clean trials. Plenty of parking. Paved trials. Not too many mosquitoes. Con: this trail goes through residential areas. We were literally passing inches from backyards of homes, yards filled with people. Fair enough. It is their home!! But it felt weird to just walk past their backyard while everyone is outside doing family stuff.

Burr Ridge has some parks, including this small one in a residential area. It supposedly is open to…read morethe public but it feels exclusive to the houses around it. Lake Carriage Way Park is in a subdivision. Good quiet atmosphere in spite of not much to do. The main thing is a big pond. Coming here is a little confusing. It's on a residential street of the same name so it's pretty easy to find it. The trouble about it though is what to do when you're here and trying to get into this. It's like, where do you park? There's no parking spaces. It's that which makes it seem like it's only for the residents around here. There's only a street. Apparently you can park on it. The park itself is small but nice. It has a big pond that takes up the majority of space that's easy to walk around. There's also a playground so kid can have fun. Have fun for a few minutes at most then go somewhere else. It doesn't have bathrooms or any amenities like that so it's not intended as somewhere you go for long. The only parking option is on the street, but look out for Karen residents who think they own this.

Lake Carriage Way Park is a tiny Pleasant Dale (Burr Ridge) Park District park located in the…read moreCarriage Way subdivision, near 55 and County Line. Though it is in the subdivision it is of course open to the public and is frequented by those looking to fish or just relax. There is no actual parking lot but you can park on the side streets of the subdivision, which is very quiet and never crowded. The main feature of the park is the large central lake with fountains. Throughout the summer there are many birds present (mainly ducks and geese) and there are various benches set up all along the pond for viewing. Many come to fish in the pond, so it is stocked. There is a large gazebo with the best view of the park. To the right of the gazebo is a small playground where children from the subdivision often play. There is a paved trail all along the pond, which meanders back into the woods at the northern most portion of the pond. This trail continues back into the subdivision a little way. Though it offers few amenities, it is a wonderful place to walk if you are in the area. It is very tiny and you can walk the duration of the pond in about 5 minutes. The park is dog and child friendly. Unless you're looking to fish, I'm not sure that it is someplace that you'd drive to specifically to spend time at, but if you're looking for a quiet location to go on a lunch break and work in the area, it is a great place to check out!

First time visiting the first Forest Preserve in DuPage County. Nice picnic area and two parking…read morelots. Trails are paved and most flat for easygoing walk or bike ride in the woods.

York Woods is a nice little escape from all the busy streets that surround it…read more It's in a little hidden area just west of York Road. In fact, right across the road you'll find an entrance to the I88 toll road. Once you enter the parking lot, there is a large grassy area with several picnic tables. To the right, you'll see the underpass for the bike path. If you're looking for a short walk, you can just walk around the open grassy area. The path circles around it. It's a nice little picnic area if you want to stop for a quick lunch break or just sit and relax. On the left side of the circle path, there is a large covered pavilion with picnic tables. On my recent trip, I saw about a dozen deer! The restrooms are next to the pavilion. They are fancy port-a-potties that do not flush and kept quite clean. Near the entrance to the wooded part of Salt Creek trail, there is a stand that has information about when York Woods was first acquired. Here's a quick blurb from it incase you can't read the sign in my photo. "York Woods, DuPage County's first forest preserve. The 1917 purchase marked the start of efforts to protect land for the "pleasure and recreation" of county residents. And the county bought it to build a road." This is a really nice park. Although, I prefer some of the other parks along the Salt Creek Trail simply because they are actually on the creek.

Even though I've lived in the area forever, I've never been here before…read more I've been back here about six times since. I rode the Salt Creek trail from Villa Park to Wood Dale. It is a really nice trail with a few ponds, bridges, etc. I saw quite a few deer traveling this trail. The trail is fairly long and goes way beyond what I traveled. I plan on doing the whole trail in the future.

If you're looking for a peaceful place to practice your yoga this place is the perfect one!read more

Brezina Woods is located in west suburban Cook County…read more There are so many ways to enjoy this beautiful piece of nature. There are paved paths that are accessible. They are great for biking, rollerblading, pushing a baby stroller or wheelchair, walking your dog, or simply taking a stroll. If you prefer a more rugged trail, there is a smaller foot path that runs along the creek. The rugged trail is not accessible and is best for walking. It can get muddy and sometimes small parts of the path can be a tad challenging to walk past. I mostly enjoy walking the rugged path with my dog. She absolutely loves walking along the creek and even wades in the water for little breaks. It's really nice to see that other patrons who enjoy these trails are mostly respectful and courteous. Keep in mind that these trails are shared by walkers, runners, bikers, babies in strollers, people in wheelchairs, and also dogs. Always stay to the right. Bikers will either ring a bike bell or call out "on your left" before passing you on the left side. This system is basic trail etiquette and it works well. Brezina Woods has free parking and limited port a potties. Hours: year-round: sunset to sunrise There are three picnic groves that you can reserve on fpdcc.com Grove #1 Capacity: 150 people Grove #2 (with shelter) Capacity: 350 people Grove #3 (with shelter) Accessible Capacity: 200 people Note: Please respect other patrons by not blaring your music loudly or talking loudly on your phone while walking near people on the trails. Dogs must be leashed and owners must always clean up after their pets. And please be a respectful human being and clean up your liter. My dog recently tried eating a McDonald's cheeseburger because someone left their bag of left overs disbursed near the creek. Most people do a great job of cleaning up after themselves, but unfortunately there are those who don't. I'm sharing lots of pics. (Most of them got posted separate from this review.) I hope it gives you an idea of what to expect when you visit the trails. Bonus: Along the trail, there is a little outdoor station to get water for you and your pup. You can also air up your bike tires! It's a cute little set up on the outside of a local resident's backyard fence. I just love this! Such a kind thing to do.

Very nice and peaceful park with plenty of benches to sit and relax. There's a trail around the…read morepond and a playground. I've also seen people do some fishing and have actually caught fish. Watch out for the geese and their turds!

Patriot's Park is a picturesque recreational area on 55th Street. It is a place to relax and gaze…read moreat the tranquil pond and possibly take a stroll around the trail. For those planning a visit, there is a medium-sized parking lot near the small playground area. It is a lovely place to visit. However, those hoping to play sports will be disappointed. There are no basketball courts, baseball fields, tennis courts, or other sporty amusements.

Eldridge Park is well kept little park along Salt Creek. There are paved paths that are great for…read morewalking, jogging or biking. There are plenty of benches throughout the park. When I've walked along the paths, I've seen people fishing in the pond during the warmer months. The playground looks like a nice one. They have a basketball court next to it. I've heard there are tennis courts, but I think they must be on the East side of the park. I'll need to explore that side a bit more. There's a cute little bridge that allows you to easily cross over Salt Creek. I didn't see any photos of the canoe launch, so I'll share a couple here. Unfortunately, we had a lot of rain the day before, so the ramp to the boat launch was pretty flooded. There are also doggy bag stations on the path near the parking lot.

Great park in the middle of Elmhurst. They have hiking/biking trails, 2 children's playgrounds,…read morenice pond full of ducks and geese. Benches to sit on scattered around the park. Nice and peaceful to just walk around and enjoy the pretty scenery . The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there is a lack of adequate bathrooms. I walked the whole park both side and only saw 1 porta potty on the commonwealth side where the p,at ground is. They could use a few more. Also they could put out a few more picnic table near the pond, and both playgrounds.

This is a lovely park located just north of the Burlington train tracks. It is home to the annual…read moreHinsdale Fine Arts Festival. There are very old trees that provide shade and plenty of park benches to sit and enjoy nature. The children love to play at the water fountain, I'm sure, over the years, some have fallen in. There is a path that crisscrosses the park and the art festival is set up along that path. The location of some of the booths, under the trees and facing a certain direction, provide a wonderful cross breeze so you are not sweltering inside the booth. However, some booths are located in the sun without the benefit of the breeze and limit the amount of time you can enjoy that particular display. Just a great location to pass some time with nature. Dogs welcome.