Kid-Friendly Hiking Trails & Nature Walks
Explore the best kid-friendly hiking trails & nature walks options for kids and families in Chicago
Bloomingdale Trail Park
Elevated bike & walking path. This 2.7-mile elevated former rail track is open to both cyclists & walkers.
Lakefront Trail - Fullerton - 2400 N
Lengthy waterfront pathway with views. This 18-mile-long route features separate lanes for walkers & cyclists, plus views of Lake Michigan.
The 606
Recreational trail on a former rail line. Created on a former rail line, this elevated, 2.7 mile landscaped trail draws runners & bikers.
Lakefront Trail - North Trailhead - Ardmore Ave - 5800 N
Visit this great place for kids and families!
West Ridge Nature Park
Green space with paved trails & a pond. Walking, bird-watching & fishing are popular in this lush, outdoor area with a large pond.
LaBagh Woods
Nature observation, hiking & picnicking. This wooded area is a popular spot for nature observation & offers trails & picnic areas.
Forest Glen Woods
Wooded walking trails & a picnic shelter. Nature & recreation area featuring paths amid woods & wildlife, plus a picnic pavilion.
Miller Meadow
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Thatcher Woods
Nature walks in a floodplain forest. 245 acres of floodplain woodlands with a natural history museum & an unmarked trail system.
Schiller Woods-East
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Schiller Woods
Wooded space with fishing ponds & deer. Fishing for bass & catfish, plus walking trails, picnic areas & roaming deer in protected woodland.
Schiller Woods-South
Riverside park with a multi-use trail. Wooded riverside park with trail access for hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing & dog walking.
Brezina Woods
Forest preserve with various trails. State park features forested areas, a creek & a system of trails for hiking, biking & horse riding.
Catherine Chevalier Woods
Urban natural area for picnics & hiking. This expansive tract features a variety of nature habitats, plus areas for picnicking & hiking.
Salt Creek Woods Nature Preserve
Large preserve with hiking & birding. This iconic 245-acre forested nature preserve features hiking trails & birdwatching.
Bemis Woods South
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Dean Nature Sanctuary - Oak Brook Park District
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York Woods Forest Preserve
Bird watching, picnicking & hiking. County's oldest forest preserve, with 71-acre oak woodlands housing picnic shelters, trails & birds.
Redmond Reservoir
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve
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Lyman Woods & William F. Sherman, Jr. Interpretive Center
Forested wetlands with walking trails. Tranquil mid-city nature retreat featuring oak forest, marshlands & walking paths on 150 acres.
Waterfall Glen Main Parking
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Maple Grove Forest Preserve
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Hidden Lake Forest Preserve
Scenic area with fishing & hiking spots. This tranquil destination features trees & ponds, plus kayaking, fishing, hiking & picnicking.
Greene Valley
1,414-acre space for hiking & camping. Massive park with trails for hiking & cross-country skiing, plus picnic areas & camping facilities.
Danada Forest Preserve
Preserve with a lake & equestrian center. Nature preserve offering a lake with fishing, an equestrian center & trails through varied habitats.
Keepataw Preserve
Visit this great place for kids and families!
St. James Farm Forest Preserve
612-acre preserve for fauna & flora. Hikers, bikers & horseback riders can explore a protected area of woodlands, prairies & wetlands.
Half Day Forest Preserve
Tranquil setting for picnics & birding. Scenic preserve featuring picnic shelters, pond fishing & areas for viewing migratory songbirds.
Warrenville Grove
Fishing & 131 acres of multi-use trails. Woodland park featuring areas for picnicking & fishing, plus a trail network for hiking & biking.
Blackwell Forest Preserve
Woodlands with trails, camping & boating. Scenic area with 9 miles of trails, picnic sites, fishing & boat rentals, camping, tubing & more.
Knoch Knolls Park
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McDowell Grove Forest Preserve
Leafy destination with trails & fishing. This 465-acre wooded area has multi-use trails & recreation such as fishing, boating & picnicking.
West DuPage Woods Forest Preserve
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Springbrook Prairie
Bird habitat, biking & running trails. Expansive natural area including meadow & prairie habitat for birds plus running & biking trails.
Old School Forest Preserve
Nature reserve for outdoor activities. A 543-acre reserve with trails & picnic shelters known for biking, cross country skiing & fishing.
Riverview Farmstead Preserve
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Oakhurst Forest Preserve
55-acre lake & marsh area for wildlife. This large marsh with lake offers wildlife viewing, fishing, picnic areas, a boat launch & trails.
Independence Grove Forest Preserve
Recreation spot with a 115-acre lake. Large park with a 115-acre lake, trails, visitor center with exhibits, amphitheater, marina & cafe.
Fabyan Forest Preserve
Scenic riverfront area for recreation. Riverside nature preserve with a museum & historical windmill offering fishing, boating & biking.
Les Arends Forest Preserve
Riverfront preserve for hiking & fishing. Small, wooded preserve offering fishing in the Fox River, picnic areas & trails for hiking & biking.
Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve
1,220-acre prairie refuge with trails. Wildlife-filled prairie preserve on 1,200 acres with trails, seed library & snowmobiling in winter.
McDonald Woods Forest Preserve
Nature area with scenic trails. Forest preserve with rolling green hills plus trails for cross-country skiing, biking & hiking.
Grant Woods Forest Preserve
County preserve for hiking & more. Natural preserve featuring native plants & wildlife, with multiuse gravel trails & a canoe launch.
Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve
Scenic spot for outdoor recreation. Serene, lakeside park with hiking, cycling, horseback & cross-country ski trails, plus boat launch.
Raven Glen Forest Preserve
Preserve with trails & a fishing lake. Nature preserve offering hiking, biking & horseback riding trails, plus a lake with 2 fishing piers.
Pine Dunes Forest Preserve
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Raven Glen West Forest Preserve
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Jerome Creek Nature Preserve
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