Afton Forest Preserve
Nature preserve
308 acres9.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Afton Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Afton Township
The biggest trail networks: Afton Forest Preserve (9.4 mi). 1% of Afton Township’s land is conserved, about 237 acres. 236 acres are parks and preserves, 252 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
1%
237 acres · of 35.1 sq mi of land
Trails
10 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
236 ac
252 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
13%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.9 mi
1.9 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
1
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Afton Forest Preserve, with 9.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
237 conserved acres
1% of Afton Township’s land. Who manages Afton Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency234 ac
Town or city3 ac
Local Conservation Area · 234 acUnknown · 3 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afton Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 234 | Open |
| Unnamed Property Unknown | Town or city | 3 | Open |
Things to do
6 places to go in Afton Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Dog parks in Afton Township
Off-Leash Dog Area (Except Ap 1-July15)In Afton Forest Preserve
DirectionsOff-Leash Dog Area (Except Ap1-July15)In Afton Forest Preserve
DirectionsPicnic areas in Afton Township
4 picnic areas without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
1.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.9 mi
off-road bike paths
When to get out
The best walking months in Afton Township: April and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 34 | 46 | 60 | 71 | 80 | 83 | 81 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Afton Township →
Next door
Afton Township and its neighbors
Afton Township has the second most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Shabbona Township13 miAfton Township10 miDeKalb Township8.9 miPierce Township3.6 miClinton Township1.1 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afton Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Clinton Township | under 1% | under 0.1 | 8 | 76% | C− |
| Pierce Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| DeKalb Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Shabbona Township | 7% | 0.4 | 1,424 | 79% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Afton Township
Where can I hike in Afton Township?
The longest trail networks: Afton Forest Preserve, 9.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Afton Township’s trails?
Afton Forest Preserve doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Afton Township?
1.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.9 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Afton Township?
3,318 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Afton Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 240 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Afton Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →