The Hollows Conservation Area
Nature preserve
343 acres5.2 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: AlphaBeta135 · CC BY 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Algonquin Township
12% of Algonquin Township’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
52 miles of mapped trail cross Algonquin Township, 1.1 per square mile of land. 12% of Algonquin Township’s land is conserved, about 3,513 acres. 3,508 acres are parks and preserves, 40 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns · #31 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
3,513 acres · of 46.5 sq mi of land
Trails
52 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,508 ac
40 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
65 mi
8.2 mi lanes · 57 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
10
4 beaches · 8 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Algonquin Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Algonquin Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Algonquin Township is ahead of 95% of U.S. towns, #31 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Algonquin Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (52 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land40 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,508 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home99% of residents within a half mile of a park · IL 88% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 95%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 96%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 The Hollows Conservation Area, with 5.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Rotary Park
Managed by Village of Cary, IL
232 acres3.6 mi of trail
Brown TrailRed TrailYellow TrailPeninsula
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Lake In The Hills Fen Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
265 acres3.4 mi of trail
INVISIBLE
Dogs allowed
Directionsto Lake In The Hills Fen Nature PreserveWebsite ↗
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
144 acres3 mi of trail
South Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lot
Fox Bluff
Managed by McHenry County Conservation District
166 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Three Oaks Recreation Area
Managed by City of Crystal Lake
481 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area
Managed by McHenry County Conservation District
245 acres2 mi of trail
West Loop (0.38mi)West Pond Loop (0.22mi)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area - West EntranceWebsite ↗
Hoffman Park
Managed by Cary Park District
271 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 65 parks & preserves
The Hollows Conservation Area343 acres · 5.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRotary Park232 acres · 3.6 mi of trail · Village of Cary, IL
DirectionsLake In The Hills Fen Nature Preserve265 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsIllinois Department of Natural Resources144 acres · 3 mi of trail · Illinois Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsFox Bluff166 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · McHenry County Conservation District
DirectionsThree Oaks Recreation Area481 acres · 2 mi of trail · City of Crystal Lake
DirectionsFel-Pro RRR Conservation Area245 acres · 2 mi of trail · McHenry County Conservation District
DirectionsHoffman Park271 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Cary Park District
DirectionsSands Main Street Prairie94 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Hill Climb Park16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsKaper Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCress Creek7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
McCormick Park2 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsKen Bird Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsCornish Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCary-Grove Park82 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodscreek Park25 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsSam Johns Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
Towne Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCandlewood Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Morningside Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsStoneybrook Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRiver Front Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLions Park100 acres
DirectionsHigh Hill Park29 acres
DirectionsLake Park27 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsFetzner Park21 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsPresidential Park17 acres
DirectionsHill Farm Park14 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Indian Prairie Park13 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsLakeside Legacy Arts Park11 acres · Lakeside Legacy Foundation
Cambria Park10 acres
Feinburg Park9 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Holder Memorial Park8 acres
DirectionsHillside Prairie Park7 acres
Big Sky Park7 acres
DirectionsSurrey Lane Preserve7 acres
Cary Junior High Prairie Nature Preserve6 acres
Gaslight Park6 acres
Greenfields Park6 acres
DirectionsSpoerl Park6 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsSterling Meadows Park6 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Jaycee Park5 acres
DirectionsNew Haven Park5 acres
Seminary Park5 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsCary Oaks Park5 acres
DirectionsSherwood Park5 acres
Wyndwood Park4 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Ryder Park4 acres
DirectionsKnaack Park4 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Ladd Park3 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Cimarron Park3 acres
Hillhurst Park3 acres
Yellowstone Park3 acres
Snapper Field2 acres
Brittany Park2 acres
West Lake Park2 acres
Fox Trails Park2 acres
Tunbridge Park2 acres · Village of Algonquin
Echo Hill Park1 acres
DirectionsFord School Park1 acres
DirectionsLapins Park1 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Horner Park1 acres
Merrill-Pioneer Park1 acres
DirectionsButch Hagele Beach1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,513 conserved acres
12% of Algonquin Township’s land. Who manages Algonquin Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency1,653 ac
Town or city1,567 ac
State conservation628 ac
State natural resources223 ac
Private owners154 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits34 ac
Local Park · 2,251 acConservation Easement · 861 acUnknown · 479 acLocal Conservation Area · 287 acState Conservation Area · 139 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 377 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 150 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollows 1 Local Park | Regional agency | 336 | Open |
| The Fen Local Park | Town or city | 272 | Open |
| Hoffman Park Local Park | Regional agency | 267 | Open |
| Foxford Hills Golf Club Unknown | Town or city | 192 | Open |
| Lake in the Hills Fen State Natural Area Unknown | State natural resources | 140 | Open |
| Fen Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Town or city | 126 | Open |
| Cary Country Club Prairie Natural Heritage Landmark Private Historic or Cultural | Private owners | 120 | Closed |
| Ted Spella Community Park Local Park | Town or city | 119 | Open |
| Crystal Lake Unknown | Town or city | 115 | Open |
| Fox Bluff 2 Local Park | Regional agency | 114 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
136 places to go in Algonquin Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Algonquin Township
Indian Trail BeachFee
DirectionsMain Beach
DirectionsPlus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Algonquin Township
Lions PoolFee
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Algonquin Township
Crystal Castle PlaygroundIn Woodscreek Park
DirectionsFun City Trampoline ParkHours: Mo-Th 12:00-21:00, Fr 12:00-23:00, Sa 10:00-23:00, Su 10:00-21:00 · Fee
DirectionsSplash PadHours: May Mo[-1]-Sep Mo[1] 10:00-19:00 · In Woodscreek Park
DirectionsTimbertownIn Kaper Park
DirectionsWater parkIn Three Oaks Recreation Area
Directions92 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Algonquin Township
2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Algonquin Township
8 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Algonquin Township
14 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Algonquin Township
1 waterfall without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Algonquin Township
Dome Hill Observation Deck
DirectionsPlus 5 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Algonquin Township
6 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Algonquin Township
The Hollows Conservation Area campgroundIn The Hollows Conservation Area
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map.
Trails & water
13 named trails and 10 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.9 miHorses · 1.2 miUnpaved · 22.8 mi
Brown Trail2.5 mi
Lyons Loop0.9 mi
Red Trail0.4 mi
Yellow Trail0.4 mi
West Loop (0.38mi)0.4 mi
Walk Path0.3 mi
South Trail0.2 mi
West Pond Loop (0.22mi)0.2 mi
Peninsula0.2 mi
Main Fen Trail0.2 mi
3 more trails
Timbertown Path
0.2 miLion's Park Walk Path
0.1 miINVISIBLE
0.1 miBiking & sports
65 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
8.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
57 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
72Tennis
57Baseball
30Basketball
14Pickleball
12Soccer
9Beach volleyball
6Football
2Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Algonquin Township: August 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 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 34 | 46 | 58 | 70 | 80 | 83 | 81 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
January is the driest month (1.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Algonquin Township →
Next door
Algonquin Township and its neighbors
Algonquin Township has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Dundee Township55 miAlgonquin Township52 miNunda Township38 miGrafton Township28 miCuba Township11 miOakwood Hills6.6 miPort Barrington1.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algonquin Township | 12% | 1.1 | 40 | 99% | A |
| Nunda Township | 16% | 0.8 | 63 | 73% | A |
| Dundee Township | 21% | 1.6 | 56 | 98% | A+ |
| Cuba Township | 9% | 0.5 | 31 | 72% | A− |
| Oakwood Hills | 8% | 6.1 | 5 | 99%+ | A |
| Port Barrington | 7% | 1.1 | 27 | 99% | A |
| Grafton Township | 8% | 0.8 | 28 | 95% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Algonquin Township
Where can I hike in Algonquin Township?
The longest trail networks: The Hollows Conservation Area, 5.2 miles; Rotary Park, 3.6 miles; Lake In The Hills Fen Nature Preserve, 3.4 miles; Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Algonquin Township is conserved land?
12% of its land, against a typical 4% for an Illinois town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Algonquin Township’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at The Hollows Conservation Area (on leash), Rotary Park (on leash) and Lake In The Hills Fen Nature Preserve. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Algonquin Township?
65 miles of bike routes are on the map: 8.2 of painted or protected lanes and 57 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Algonquin Township?
28,177 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Algonquin Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,652 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Algonquin Township have?
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #31 of 768 in Illinois. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Algonquin 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 →