Prettiest trails around. Nice area to escape for an hour or two. Area for kids to observe farm animals. All around a good time.

Awsome place, its just, today we didnt see any animals.

Cool place. The center was closed. But we got to watch a hawk eat a chick. So that was cool.

A slice of heaven! Kudos to the Parks administration and the park police....

The fall colors were wonderous! Didnt walk the trails much though too many people at the time. Too much noise from the people.

Great area but wear bug repellent!

Easy walking paths, gorgeous grounds. I especially appreciate that there are so many options for shorter or longer walking paths. Great place to visit with kids.

Very serene woods. Great hike alongside Des Plaines River.

Absolutely beautiful. Chose this forest preserve on the fly since the one near us was still closed. What a pleasant surprise! Theres plenty of parking and a great welcome center. The lady working there was super nice and showed us some ideas where to go on the trails. The trails themselves have plenty of little paths to meander. Try taking the path that follows the river as youll come across a few cabins to explore and also some cool boardwalks along the river. Just remember to bring some hiking shoes or boots because it can be pretty muddy!

Great place to walk around. Lots of trails. Fun for the whole family. Not too difficult for the kids. Signs to read. Nice trails through the woods, shaded and views down by the river. after reading other peoples reviews. I have to add. Great area, But definitely dont forget the bug spray.

This place was great. Nice and shady for most of the walk on a warm summer day. Lots of parking and things to see. Would go back.

Nice and easy walk in the woods. We only saw a couple of people on a 2 mile hike. It was very quiet and peaceful. Bug spray and protective clothing are needed during this wet summer!

Pictures dont do it justice. Come visit this place with family and friends. The best is right now when its not too hot yet for the season. Enjoy and plan a trip out here.

Love walk during the summer time !

A safe and well preserved conversation area that provides exciting events for kids. This area is also a conservation area for local birds. Fortunately this isnt as crowded as other forest preserves, so you will centainly enjoy nature. Checkout Lake County Forest Preserves website for latest events before you plan a visit to the center. Finally, the staff are cool and knowledgeable, so it is best to talk to them.

Absolutely gorgeous forest preserve. It’s basically empty all the time. Extremely peaceful. Love coming here

Such a peaceful place to walk and relax. Very quiet and the paths are clean and easily accessible. We went into the nature center and Ali was so knowledgeable and helpful, she was so nice.

Beautiful woods, hiking trails, education center.

Love the walking trails...great variety of trails that allow you to go different distances

A great place to hike. No dogs allowed though. Bikes either. Trails arent paved. Shortest route without any repetition is about 40 minutes. Theres a Little Free Library here with nature books for kids. My daughter just LOVES getting a book about a new animal each time we go here. Bring your old nature books to share with other kids.

Great place to find sheep all day long.

We visited when the park was mostly closed (farm&information center)

It was an amazing experience, we went there for maple syrup hike and walk down the trail. Then we went to brushwood center. The Director greeted and treated us so well. Catherine Game and Aqsa were awesome. Great place....

Beautiful trails, woods, and farm house. Great way to spend an afternoon.

Quiet walking trails with deer and other animals wandering across the woods. The trails along the water are gorgeous and the old farm buildings interesting. Well worth the time to visit.

Nice trails, although ckosed at our time there are plenty activities for kids too, especially at Brushwood Center.

Good trails in a Deciduous rain forest

Thank goodness for this hidden gem close to home! Great place to get outdoors and escape the hustle and bustle of suburbia.

Beautiful place for a nature walk/hike.

Gorgeous. Easy trails, mainly wooded

Nice natural area with maintained dirt trails

Lovely walks in all seasons--with woods, field and stream.

Peaceful & Calm.. Very knowledgeable people. Great place to take a field trip for younger kids as well. They have a hawk and an owl that you can watch being fed, way cool. Dont think about it, just go there. My reviews are for the best of the best. Like & Share.

Good for a quick or long hike no BS. Only negative is the Ryerson cabin being allowed to rot away...

Very pristeen!

Great hike, nice wetlands, lots of bugs and wildlife.

Absolutely beautiful

Nice place for small walks or s stroll and see various birds during the season. Watch your trail for some wet spots during the rain/snow. Its a refreshing place.

Very beautiful and peaceful of a trail

HAfter all of our rain, there were many wet areas on the trails but the surroundings where probably the nicest we have hiked in a long while including a great welcome center. Saw only one other person during the 2 hours spent on the trail.

Awesome place for a good trail walk, just wear suitable shoes since there are lots of slush more so post rain

Pretty nature preserve with a nice community space. I attended an art exhibition. Would have loved to try out the trails, but the rain was a bit cold!

Very pretty view Im pleased with the forest preserves

Very nice and quiet area. Mosquitoes were a bit of an issue, so be sure to bring bug spray.

Peaceful trail walks with no bikrs allowed

One of the best kept secrets around.

Nice for walking.

Great program on how maple syrup is made. Geared for all ages. Reservations required.

My family loves this place as it preserves native plants and offers lovely short hikes, two nature centers, and a working farm with livestock. Cross-country skiing is also good when theres fresh snow. No dogs allowed.

This well-maintained preserve has forested and riverside trails, nature programs for all ages. One building houses a library and art exhibits, and a beautiful, eco-friendly building has nature exhibits, activities, ultra-clean bathrooms and more facilities. A working farm still has chickens, goats, sheep and some rescued hawks & owls.

Crowded

It was an amazing experience, we went there for maple syrup hike and walk down the trail. Then we went to brushwood center. The Director greeted and treated us so well. Catherine Game and Aqsa were awesome.

Was a little muddy but I nice walk with the family and also checked out the leaves that were changing colors.

An amazing Forest with history. Great experience of Forest/River ecosystem.

Great place for a walk through the woods and along the Des Plaines River. Easy trail with some great history. Definitely will be back again in the spring. Love the habitat restoration work they are doing here.

We took our son here for a Boy Scouts event. A bit confusing at first but when you figure it out not to bad. The staff was super helpful and friendly.

Good forest by the river. Could use a few more monkeys (imho).

Great place to hike...fyi no pets allowed

Excellent walking trails to get back to nature. Very quiet compared to most other nature areas around Chicago. Not pets, food or drink (other than water) allowed.

Very modern compared to when I used to bring my children 30 years ago

Very scenic views! Nice paths and quiet for the most part aside from an occasional jogger. Went here for a college bio class and learned lots about the native species here

We went for a hike. We walked into the reception to get a map -- the lady at the desk was like she had never walked any of the trails and so couldnt give us any recommendations smh. So we followed one of the trails on the maps, came across a historic cottage, sat by the river and had lunch. On our way out we saw some of the animals in their barns. We were probably two out of the four people out that day - it was kind of rainy. It was a very peaceful hike.

Beautiful forest preserve site. Great for hiking and birding.

One of the biggest and most interesting forest preserves in Lake county. Welcome Center open on Sundays. Educational activities, educational pathes, big parking lot. Farming exhibitions (chickens, lambs, goats).

A gem of the northern suburbs. Absolutely beautiful forest preserve with wonderful facilities. The house is so cool. Going to Ryerson feels like going on a vacation.

Wonderful to visit for a hike, look for birds, and enjoy nature. Welcome Center has trai maps.Brushwood, Ryersons home is open at specific hours - well worth a visit.

No dogs allowed. In a forest preserve?

Nice place for walking in the forest or cross country skiing (in case of snow). It has small animal farm.

A lovely walk in every season.

Our docent tour guide was amazing! You must experience this place with a tour guide. Its lovely.

Historical venue offers great experience.

An outdoor paradise year around in a metropolitan area. Winter is a wonderland. Especially during or after fresh snowfall.

Great hike along the river. Nice when dry.

One of the best hikes near the City

Quaint and serene natural beauty. Wonderful place for outdoor walks, nature tours, and quiet contemplation.

Loved this place. Great place to see wildlife

Nice place

Maple syrup class was very informative and a good time!

One of my favorite places to take a walk. Miles of different trails and a variety of scenery too.

Great location on the dprt to hook up with trails going north and south.

A gorgeous place for long walks

Easy trails through woods and along Des Planes River. Visitor Center.

Great trails. Learning center for children and farm.

Lovely forest preserve along the Des Plaines.

Beautiful walk and not very many people to disrupt the peace.

Nice for a walk in the woods and to explore the nature center and farm.

Wonderful nature center, trails and small farm.

My favorite forest preserve in Lake County.

Love it!!

Peaceful place to walk.

Great area for a quiet run or dog walk.

The most peaceful place in Chicagoland,no highway noise.

Great natural hikes

Quiet preserve but filled with mosquitos.

Muddy but beautiful and a great walk

Its serene

Dropped off donations

Good fall colors, a great walk

Always a great time and super pretty trails with water .

Great place for a walk!!