My favorite park in the city!!! I always look forward to my first Winnemac Park day in the Spring when it's finally warm enough. There are plenty of spots across the entire park to set up a blanket and read, and lots of paths to take for a nice walk. We held a large group of people here for a lovely picnic back in June. There are often sporting events going on, particularly baseball/softball, on the numerous fields. I'm looking forward to trying out the renovated tennis courts this summer (so I've heard!!!). My only complaint is that they have not reopened the public restrooms. There are port-o-potties during the Summer season; however, they aren't always clean or easily accessible. It is a bummer since there aren't many storefronts super close by that allow public restroom use. read more

Winnemac Park - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This park is so beautiful. I love the big weeping willows, open fields, and paved walkways. There's also a gorgeous natural area that weaves through the park overflowing with native plants and florals. The park has playgrounds, baseball fields, tennis courts, and even a football field/stadium! We love to wander through with our dog and baby, or sit for an afternoon picnic. read more

Winnemac Park - Loving spending time in the park :) - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Community park located in Ravenswood that's known for its many athletic fields. It also is next to two schools with a lot of history. Winnemac Park is certainly a place to come to play sports or just to go walking. Has quite a few things including baseball. There's also a football and soccer stadium. Both owned by the Park District and Chicago Public Schools, so it makes for an interesting combination. It's got some educational opportunities. There's a scenic prairie garden and nature trail. It's something that was added as part of an expansion. Of course the park is here for the schools. Got its beginnings in 1910, when it was converted from a former truck farm. In 1929 Amundsen High School opened on the northeast corner, and in 1937 Chappell Elementary opened to the west. Has a lot of after school programs and activities. These include basketball, soccer, and summer day camp among the many options. Family friendly and pretty clean. It's located along the street of the same name in Ravenswood. This is a few blocks north of the Damen Brown Line CTA station if wanting to use public transportation. read more

Winnemac Park - Natural Area - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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For over a decade, I have been regularly biking through this park. It is known for being a safe and clean area, bustling with children and local residents. The park operates in partnership with a nearby high school. Kudos to Chicago for maintaining such a fantastic space! read more

After being cooped up for weeks, my daughter was finally cool letting us go for a walk so we heard out. I'm sorry to say that even though I've lived in my home nearly 14 years, I've never gone to Winnemac Park (though I've watched the fireworks from my roof deck!). I knew it was relatively large but it's bigger than I expected. There are a couple of ball fields, one at the corner of Damen & Ainslie and one further west; there's a playground in the southwestern corner of the park; and the stadium for Chappell/Amundsen. There's a natural area ribboning through the park filled with native plants, including Bee Balm, Joe Pye Weed, Wild Bergamot, and others. And there's a youth garden on the western side of the park near Jordt Stadium with some plant beds containing fruits and vegetables. There is not a dog park area here, though there's some contentiousness in the neighborhood between those who want one and those who don't. I'm glad we have this beautiful, multi-use park just a few blocks away that will make it easy for me to enjoy it with my little girl whilst we continue to live here. read more

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Great beautiful park! There's definitely a lot of dog walkers here so not so great for people who don't like dogs. Most people are very responsible and will only have dogs off leash in isolated field areas. I have a dog and walk here often, and there's a very small handful of not so great dog owners aka dogs running up and saying hello without permission or asking first. The dogs are still friendly but I prefer people to ask first because my dog is older and grumpy. There is also a weird lady on a bike who patrols the park for dogs off leash. Just ignore her. read more

Huge park in Lincoln Square area. Kids playground is big and well maintained and always packed with kids (in a good way). Park has a prairie restoration area, which is on the smallish side, but a cool little place for kids to explore. There is a cinder running track inside the stadium, which is nice to have in the neighborhood. (Note: Because it is inside the sport stadium, it has goofy hours (i.e., not open on the weekends).) The only knock on this park is that there are a lot of local dog owners that let their dogs run off leash through the fields (which is technically not allowed in the park, but it seems most folks are willing to tolerate it). 99% of the dogs I have encountered have been well behaved and indifferent to my presence, but I have come across a couple dogs that have come up to me with a lot of energy. Turns out they just wanted to play and there was no issue, but it can be a little uncomfortable (especially with a child) having a dog you don't know approach you in an energetic way. Don't let that stop you from coming to the park, as it is big enough that most of the time you can watch out for and steer clear of the dogs that are cruising around. read more

Winnemac Park - Running track hours - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pretty spacious park. Like that they closed off the playground during the pandemic as they should. Pretty nice trail for you to jog/walk on. They have a tennis courts and baseball fields. It seems to cater to various crowds. With the numerous dogs around the neighborhood I'm surprised that they don't have a designated dog area for dog owners yet. Maybe in the future? read more

Winnemac Park - Safety sign on pathway - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The northside's Winnemac Park is a HUGE 4 square block park bordered by Leavitt, Foster, Damen and Argyle. On its grounds is also Amundsen Highschool. The park district 'borrows' the pool, weight room and indoor gyms from the CPS after 5pm. TONS of great kids frequent the programs here. Outside is two soccer fields, the stadium with a track, four tennis courts, 8 baseball diamonds and a great playground. Its won awards for its nature reserve(little prairie areas in the park) and its got about 2 miles of pavement for biking and such. read more

There are absolutely no bathrooms....this park sucks. My daughter had to go the bathroom during one of my sons soccer games and we had to walk to a nearby coffee shop and buy something in order for to go the bathroom. I do not recommend visiting this park if you are spending a lot of time there. read more

This park is a great place to stroll or ride a bike. Completely unrestricted access. There are several meadows, few trees, and open routes that can be traveled in various directions. Walk alongside the water. Nature is all around you. Although there are some hills, they are not particularly tall. Aesthetically pleasing scenery for both human eyes and cameras. read more

A true Chicago gem! Winnemac Park has it all: Ball fields Nature area Gated playground We use it year-round. There's sometimes trash strewn around but most folks in the community do a good job pitching in to keep it clean. read more

Lived across the street from this park for the last 5 years and absolutely love. Love it! There's always a ton going on from kids playing baseball, to the camps in the summer to adult night social leagues, movies in the park... lots of things to get involved with. They do an amazing job keeping up with the landscaping and making sure that the park is clean and safe. All in all just a wonderful spot of green in the city. :) read more

Is this really in the city? SCORE. It backs up to a high school, which means after school hours there is a massive parking lot for park users. Great if you need a place to park and ride your bike, walk your dog, run, jog, slow walk, get the kids out of your house, etc etc without braving the death trap otherwise know as "the lakefront path." Trust me, much more relaxing to jaunt a bit west and stay away from that whole mess.... Playing fields, picnic areas, well maintained, great neighborhood...really, couldn't ask for a whole lot more. Oh yeah, and its free...so really, it might be the perfect place this summer :) read more

Winnemac Park - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I call this my nature park. In contrast Welles Park four blocks south is the social park. If you want a nice walk through nature, this is your park. There are several willow trees that are nice to climb too. I also leave little artworks around the park. Wire people handing from strings. See if you can try to find them. Currently there are three spread throughout the park! I posted images of them in the photos section. read more

Winnemac Park - Wire figure on string hanging from willow tree. - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really nice park, only issue is there's a crazy lady on her bike who literally "police" the park. I was minding my own business playing fetch with my dog who wasn't bothering anyone and she called the cops on me. The cops didn't do anything didn't even come talk to me, but she did. Tried saying at first about how she convinced the cops not to give me a ticket since I wasn't bothering her, I watched the whole thing she tried the cops prolly didn't want to harass a guy minding his own business. She then went on rant about how "queer" people run the world and that if you're LGBTQ you're protected by the law. I had to leave at that point came back a couple days later to get harassed by her again, this time some people walking by also stepped in a questioned her motives. My dog gets super focused when he plays fetch doesn't run up to anyone so I think the passerby's were kinda surprised this lady was picking on me and my well behaved boy. I'll keep going to this park not gonna let a Karen win. But if you go just know what headache you may have to deal with. read more

One of our favorite neighborhood parks :) Well-maintained with a playground, baseball diamonds, several pokestops, and events during the summer. Always see people using the park. read more

Winnemac Park is an excellent neighborhood park. The play ground is in good shape, large, and with sections for different age groups. It is packed on a nice day. The natural land parts of the park are great for a picnic, a ball game, or to just sit and read a book. There are weeping willow trees and country-like fences that add a bit of charm to the area. On the fourth of July, they had a great firework display, it was neat to see the locals all out to enjoy the celebration together. I feel lucky to live in walking distance to this north side gem! read more

Winnemac Park - fall colors @ Winnemac Park - Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Relaxing, safe & peaceful. LOVE this park. Summertime is wonderful. I've seen movies, Shakespeare plays, baseball & fireworks that will blow your mind. Though attached to the high school, this park is alive with friendly Ravenswood residents all year round. read more

I've added this park to my walk/jog itinerary a few times but I think I'll actually take advantage of the tennis courts and grassy spots too, when it gets warmer (though I think every man, woman, child, and dog in the area has the same idea). But even in mid-April, when the weather is good but not yet great, I've seen people out flying radio-controlled airplanes and kites, playing softball, sleeping on blankets with their lovebugs, playing with dogs and just being outside after another Chicago winter. It warms the cockles of my little heart - both that people are using this area and that it's there to begin with. It's just nice to know there's a wide open space (cue the Dixie Chicks) in the middle of the best neighborhood in the best city. Ahh, spring. read more

Winnemac Park has just about everything you could want from a park, and it has quickly become one of my favorite places to walk or run in the evenings. Tennis courts, a track, paved paths, plenty of open space, beautiful landscaping, a playground for the kids...this is a beautiful park with plenty of things to do for the whole family. It is always nice to see so many people enjoying this great park. On my evening jogs, I see other folks walking or running, kids playing, people walking their dogs, and people just enjoying being outside with other people. My only qualm is the large number of people who allow their dogs off leash here. Winnemac Park is not a leash free park. All dogs are required to be on leash here, but apparently no one feels that this rule applies to them. I love dogs, and I love meeting my neighbors dogs when they are well behaved and on leash, but I don't love being chased by a stranger's dog when I have no idea if the dog is friendly or not. Keep bringing your dogs to the park so that they can enjoy this awesome area, but please keep them on a leash for the safety of the everyone, including the dog. If you must have your dog off leash, then find a park that allows that. read more

Great park! It's beautiful and huge, plus it's fun to jog around and watch all the people playing softball and baseball. I'm with Elizabeth H. though. My one complaint is that there are simply many dogs off leash. It's fine to keep your dog off leash if he/she is obedient enough not to go running away from you, but not everyone gets this concept. Every time I go jogging there with my fat and sassy daschund (on leash, always) , some huge and enthusiastic off leash dog comes running up to us and crawls all over the the poor little weiner dog. My dog always snaps at the offender to maintain his personal space, and I feel like I have to yell at him and apologize for him. And yet, I'm not sure I blame the little guy. If something four times my size was sprinting at me, while I was tied up, my first instinct might be to think "self-defense" too! It's kind of the dog version of that "OMG WHERE IS MY PEPPER SPRAY?" feeling. But not that minor issue, nor anything else, is gonna keep me out of Winnemac Park, especially now that the weather is getting nicer. read more

If not blessed with my semi comfy bed, I would definitely make a bench in Winnemac Park my new home. It's the best oasis in the city without the crowds. My top 5 features: 1. Grounds- 40 acres of beautifully landscaped trails and prairie gardens. 2. Playground- It's clean! I can take my nephew here without worrying about packing handi-wipes. 3. 3 Baseball fields- Lots of youth and adult leagues. Occasional hotties during softball season. 4. Stadium- Great running track and you can catch a local high school football game. 5. Tennis Courts- Ahhh....single courts. No worries about other balls flying into my game. In addition, there's movies in the park, storytelling, and soccer fields. Hope Amundsen students realize how spoiled they are having the best campus in the city. Most students walk to school or take the CTA, so there's usually space in the parking lot. read more

Winnemac Park is a particularly fine neighborhood park that comes as close as is possible for a green space on that scale, to breaking up the Chicago urban matrix. The park is anchored on Foster and Damen, stretching South and West for a total area of two blocks square. The high school and grade school both fall within these four square blocks. So do the associated athletic facilities, such as the soccer/football/baseball field. The rest of the park area is gently rolling lawns, wildflowers, a toddler playground, and a small wetland, all partitioned by paved, meandering paths bordered lightly with trees and sparsely populated with benches. The overall landscaping is somewhat like an English Garden although without dramatic features, as such. (There is a small wetland exhibit.) The park feels quiet and private despite being right in an urban Chicago residential neighborhood. This is partially attributable to its size. Winnemac is substantially larger than most neighborhood parks. Nearby Chase Park is much smaller. Winnemac is also set along stretches of Damen and Foster that are not busy. Again, comparing that with Chase Park's location between Clark, Ashland and Lawrence, Chase Park will tend to feel more frantic than Winnemac. Finally, the landscape design of Winnemac promotes peace, calm and privacy. The paved paths are used mostly for walking and other low speed recreation. Benches are placed sparingly along the paths, to say the least. Finding a bench means finding a personal spot to read or chat, for the entire evening, if you like. Finally, the park's space itself is slightly rolling with the paths curving through it. Your eye is drawn to follow this topography, and the concrete, flat and rectangular Chicago urban landscape seems to be somewhere else, out of sight and out of mind. The park rarely seems to be full. Perhaps that is due to its size. Anyway, the lack of crowding, or over-crowding, contributes to one's enjoyment of the park. Finally, the park is bordered by a wrought iron fence with periodic openings to allow ingress and egress. The bordering fences filter traffic through the park and provide the green space's interior with an insulated, protected feeling, somewhat as though the park were a large private fenced-in yard. Another result of the park's thoughtful design is the excellent balance between open space and shading trees. There is always a nice balance of shaded and sunny areas of the park, but the shading trees and bushes never look or feel like barriers. Over the past year and a half, I have spent several summer evenings sitting on a bench, smoking my cigar, visiting with a friend, reading, or watching a family play frisbee. On the Fourth of July 2011, the city provided a one hour fireworks display at the park for our neighborhood, as it did for many neighborhoods that year. (We all could see the shells bursting over Warren Park to the north.) However, there have not been any other events, such as festivals or performances at Winnemac. This is not a criticism, simply an observation. The Fourth of July was it for 2011. Nor do groups other than softball leagues seem to use Winnemac for group events. If you want to see an outdoor movie with the Ravenswood Outdoor Film Group, it is held elsewhere. The park has one small feature, which would be its wetland exhibit. On the Southwest corner of the park is a toddler's playground. The playground is enclosed by its own fence and has numerous benches for parents and other caretakers to sit while the kids play. A weeping willow, some wildflowers and some native grasses are also park features. I have seen no negative effects from the high schoolers and grade schoolers. There is no noticeable vandalism and the park is not a gang hangout. Winnemac Park is a very fine, large neighborhood park that is truly enjoyed by our neighborhood, but is open to anybody. If you are in the area, possibly after running numerous trips driving along Lawrence Avenue, stop by Winnemac for a bit to unwind. read more

My puppy, Elliott, barks for this park by name. Actually...not really...but if he could talk I'm certain Winnemac would be his very first wuppy word! Since I moved to Chicago, I have taken Elliott to numerous cement and metal-clad, city-ordained dog parks...seriously depressing, urine-streaked spaces that your dog is supposed to enjoy while you concentrate on fighting your own gag reflex...but Winnemac is a grass-covered natural locale where dogs can really be dogs. There are shifts of dog owners and dog lovers that bring their pups to Winnemac throughout the day. It begins with an early morning shift (about 6-9AM), and then continues with midday visitors, the after work group around 5:00PM, evening visitors that get off work a little later, and finally the late-comers (8-10PM) trying to get that last dog walk in before they turn in for the night. Most everyone knows each other's dog by name (although they may not know the doggy's owner by name), and they all come together to let their instinctually pack-minded friends play together in the way that only dogs can -- which is to say that they sniff each other's butts, show each other their teeth, pee on the same things together, wrestle, steal each other's toys and generally have a great time. Winnemac's highlights include: + a large, outdoor space with 4 baseball diamonds + paved and meandering trails throughout + a few wild-growth areas of seclusion with pathways to explore + a soccer field + tennis courts + two sectioned-off children's play areas (southwest corner and northwest corner) + plus Winnemac is flanked at its East and West sides by both a grade school and high school and so it also features those schools' shared track and field area, water fountains and bathrooms It's a great park for exercising with or without your dog or children, playing sports, picnicking, sunning or relaxing. And, EXCITEMENT! Julius Meinl recently began operating a small stand serving Viennese coffee and some of their select (and delish) bakery items at the park. The stand is set up near the track and field area/bathrooms on the park's West side. Hope to see you there! read more

It's wonderful to have this park nearby. When I first came into the area a few years ago, it wasn't in the best shape. Alot of overgrown foliage and overall sloppy landscaping. Although some would say that is charming and I definitely thought it was, it's still nice to see the attention that has been brought to this park. They pay much more attention to detail now and I've also noticed an increase in people coming through it (when its nice, obviously). Went there the other day and there were only a few people walking their dogs. Which pets in general is an important thing to notice. On the outside of the park it is clearly stated that you MUST curb your dog. Although I've seen people do otherwise I have also seen police come through and ticket people. So if you bring your dog, do your wallet a favor and keep him/her leashed :) We will with our newly acquired Frenchie when the weather improves! read more

One of the saddest parts of my existence is that I no longer live near this fantastic park. You have no idea how much I miss being with in one block of this place. First off, it is a pretty massive spot for where it is located in the city. Second, there is something for almost anyone--tennis, playground, softball, soccer, track, walking paths, FREE parking, prairie conservation, the park district hold yoga classes in the summer there, and places to just sit, read and be quiet. What is not to love? One of my fondest memories of Winnemac is strolling there alone one evening in the summer & seeing a band of musicians playing. It was lovely, they were playing some Irish music, it was soft & soothing. They were all sitting around in a circle, playing & having a great time--it was a treat! If you have not been, I say check it out! read more

There are things I've learned to accept as I've gotten older: a. I will never meet/marry any of the following: George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Ben Affleck, or Gael Garcia Bernad b. No one will ever stand outside my window holding a boombox playing a love song c. It doesn't matter if I eat them with a salad, fried mozzerella sticks are not healthy. d. Related to 'c', I cannot lose the weight I gain eating the mozzerella sticks by sitting on my couch. So, considering 'c' and 'd' above, I'm very glad I've moved within a block of Winnemac Park. The running rack is at Jorndt Field is well-maintained and a great place to run. The park has ample grass/benches for those weird excercises my old trainer taught me because "you can do them anywhere!" The playground has some of the cutest kids in Chicago running and playing, and last week I caught a game between the Yankees and the Red Sox in one of the leagues that play there. So, hopefully I can continue to enjoy 'c', and do enough running that I can forget about 'd'! read more

How lucky am I to have a park like this in my front yard!? Like QueenJean said, Winnemac Park is huge, so everything and everyone is spread out. The play lot in the SW corner where Argyle & Leavitt meet is pretty big, and often not crowded at all, so big kids like me can play too. I love the trails and the restored prairie, and the half-naked men playing soccer don't hurt either! read more

Favorite park in Chicago. Unlike many of our parks it's actually attractive. Prairie grass, willow trees, small hills... I love to plop down in the grass and read on a warm summer day. Also has space for sports including baseball diamonds, soccer/football fields, tennis courts, and a running track. Newly redone playground for the shorties. Lots of dogs. Once I even saw Rod Blagojevich jogging through the park. (Worst form ever.) read more

This is my favorite park in the city... OK, it's because I can walk there in about 3-5 min flat. But it is really a great place to take the dogs for a walk, play a game of tennis, run, or play/watch a game of baseball. The park is fairly large and has a few baseball diamonds, tons of room for soccer, a nice playground (currently being renovated), a few nature preserve walks, tennis courts, and a football stadium with a track (open to the public when games are not being held). There is tons of parking on the side streets surrounding the park and a small lot off Damen. read more

One of the greenest, friendliest, cleanest And neighborhood influenced parks in Chicago - for that matter , the entire Midwest . Love this park read more

I love this park and my dog too! I'm lucky to live a block away. This is where I walk my dog daily, go for a run, and enjoy the nature. There is two tennis courts, a running track, a park, a couple softball fields and nature walks. Great park! read more

I love this park like i love a big fat juicy bone in ham. It's a delicious park, especially with a bit of pineapple. It also smells great when it's cooking all day. Great park. read more

One of the best parks Chicago has to offer. While directing ROMEO AND JULIET in 2009, this park served as one of our outdoor venues, and provided a lovely little space for our play. The park's management was welcoming, friendly, and extremely helpful, and together we worked to bring a great piece of theatre to a really cool park for an excellent community of folks. The park has a natural prairie feel to it, complete with lovely fencing and rolling views. It's kind of amazing that you're still in Chicago when you visit. I especially enjoy a brief night bike ride through the park-- smooth paths and a serene atmosphere help to clear your head, and remind you why you love living in this great city. read more

What is going on with the track here? Is it in the process of being redone, or is it supposed to be covered with a thick layer of sand/ash/silt that's impossible to run on without slipping and kicking dirt everywhere? I would have given the park as a whole three stars, but there are far too many fences and locked gates surrounding various parts of it... I understand the park has open and closed hours during various times of year, but why not unlock all of the entrances when it's open? The first time I went, I aimed for the field/track, but it took an extra 20 minutes just to circle the place and find an entrance. Overall, Winnemac was unsatisfying for my purposes. read more

A nice park, maybe half a walking area and the other half a field with a baseball area the outfield of which has a setup for goals or uprights. There's also another baseball field wit a pretty small outfield. Decent grass, even only shortly after the snow has melted. The field isn't flat, but it's clean and decently grassy. There's a parking lot and a bunch of street parking around. The bathroom situation is annoying--you have to go into the school, but to get in you have to go all the way around the building to the far side from the field, and you can't get out the back, either, so you're basically doing laps around the building, and that's not quick. read more

Wide open spaces, multiple baseball diamonds, running track, and parks. There is plenty of space for every walk of life, adults and kids alike. Our kickball league has played here for the past 8 seasons, the only issue we have is that the tball and grade school baseball teams oftwn cut in to our field time as well as won't leave. But the fields are in great shape and even have storage for our weekly equipment. read more

Winnemac Park, I miss you! (It is winter). Big, well-maintained, grassy areas to lounge/play, a fenced-off dog park, and a fenced-off human baby park. When will spring be here? read more

I love this park, they have fields, tennis courts, a playground, open space to sit and read as well as a little nature trail. Really a beautiful, well maintained park. read more