Lake County Forest Preserves

Various Locations, IL
View Website

The Lake County Forest Preserves offer endless opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation, nature exploration and relaxation. Most Forest Preserves are located just minutes from your home and boast award-winning facilities, miles of trails and acres of wide-open spaces for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

The Lake County Forest Preserves’ winter sports hotline provides current winter sports conditions 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 847-968-3235. A recorded message conveys current trail and ice conditions for sledding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing or ice skating at Lake County Forest Preserve locations. Condition reports, maps and other winter sports information are also available on the Lake County Forest Preserves’ website - just click on View Website above.

Sledding
Sled hills are located at Lakewood Forest Preserve (Wauconda) and Old School Forest Preserve (Libertyville). The Lakewood hill is part of a dedicated Winter Sports Area at that site, and is lighted, allowing for winter fun until 9 p.m., daily. The Old School hill is open until one hour after sunset, when conditions allow sledding. Snowboards, metal runners or toboggans are not permitted.

Cross-country Skiing
Cross-country skiers can enjoy more than 124 miles of trails at forest preserves throughout Lake County. Groomed trails are available at Lakewood’s Winter Sports Area and at Old School, when conditions allow. Grooming is typically done two days after a large snow fall. A 4-inch snow base is required for cross-country skiing at the Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods.

Ice Skating
Lace up your skates and head to the lake at Independence Grove in Libertyville or the man-made rinks at Lakewood’s Winter Sports Area and Old School. The shallow rinks typically freeze earlier in the season than the lake at Independence Grove where a 4-inch ice layer is required for ice skating. Hockey is not permitted.

Winter Hikes
All the preserves are open daily from 6:30 a.m. to sunset for hiking in a lovely winter setting, listening to the sounds of woodpeckers and chickadees as they forage for a meal and watching squirrels scamper in the snow.

Locations
The Winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve is located on Fairfield Road, just south of Route 176, in Wauconda. The entrance to Old School Forest Preserve is located on Saint Mary’s Road, just south of Route 176, in Libertyville. The entrance to Independence Grove is located on Buckley Road, just east of Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21), in Libertyville. The entrance to Ryerson Woods is located on Riverwoods Road, north of Deerfield Road and south of Route 22, in Riverwoods. The main entrance to Van Patten Woods is located on Route 173, east of Route 41, in Wadsworth.

Click on View Website above to find activities for every season of the year to enjoy with your children.

Categories
Animals:	Dog Park
Scouts and Schools:	Scouting
Outdoor Kids Activities:	Biking, Camping, Cross Country Skiing, Hiking, Horse Back Riding, Ice Skating, Picnic Areas, Playgrounds & Parks, Rivers and Lakes, Sledding, Sleigh / Wagon Rides
Seasonal Kids Activities:	SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, WINTER
Other Details
Average Price:	Free
Pricing Notes:	Many activities are free (some to Lake County residents only) and open to the public.