Dick Young Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Kane County
169 acres2 mi of trail
Nelson Lake TrailSavanna TrailEast Meadowlark Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: G LeTourneau · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Batavia Township
7% of Batavia Township’s land is conserved, and 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park
17 miles of mapped trail cross Batavia Township, 0.9 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Dick Young Forest Preserve (2 mi), Red Oak Nature Center (1.5 mi), Big Woods Park (0.9 mi). 7% of Batavia Township’s land is conserved, about 864 acres.
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns · #119 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
864 acres · of 18.3 sq mi of land
Trails
17 mi
0.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
657 ac
18 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
24 mi
1.6 mi lanes · 22 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
6
2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Batavia Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Batavia Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Batavia Township is ahead of 86% of U.S. towns, #119 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 Batavia Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (17 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land18 acres of park per 1,000 residents (657 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13BParks close to home98% 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 86%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 85%
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 Dick Young Forest Preserve, with 2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Red Oak Nature Center
Managed by Fox Valley Park District
37 acres1.5 mi of trail
Bubo TrailBig Turtle TrailDolomite Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Big Woods Park
Managed by Batavia Park District
17 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Hawk's Bluff Park
Managed by Batavia Park District
24 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Batavia Riverwalk
Managed by Batavia Park District
13 acres0.6 mi of trail
Batavia Riverwalk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Fearn Park
Managed by Fox Valley Park District
26 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Fearn Parking lot
Prairie Path Park
Managed by Batavia Park District
16 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Prairie and Lathem Park
Managed by Batavia Park District
12 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 37 parks & preserves
Dick Young Forest Preserve169 acres · 2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsRed Oak Nature Center37 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Fox Valley Park District
DirectionsBig Woods Park17 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
DirectionsHawk's Bluff Park24 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
DirectionsBatavia Riverwalk13 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
DirectionsFearn Park26 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Fox Valley Park District
DirectionsPrairie Path Park16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
DirectionsPrairie and Lathem Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
DirectionsGlenwood Park Forest Preserve44 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsLippold Park35 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Fox Valley Park District
DirectionsBraeburn Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsMill Creek Forest Preserve44 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
Braeburn Marsh Forest Preserve8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsShanahan Grove Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
Wind Energy Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
Saratoga Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
Clark Island Recreation Area15 acres
DirectionsEngstrom Park11 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsMemorial Park10 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsBennett Park9 acres · Batavia Park District
Willow Lake Park9 acres · Fox Valley Park District
Peter Frieders Park8 acres · Batavia Park District
Schneider Park8 acres · Fox Valley Park District
DirectionsPine Creek Park7 acres · Fox Valley Park District
Moose Lake Park7 acres · Fox Valley Park District
Wingfoot Park6 acres · Fox Valley Park District
Hartfield Park6 acres · Batavia Park District
Millview Park6 acres · Batavia Park District
Laurelwood Park6 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsH. Michael Wild Park4 acres · Batavia Park District
Harold Hall Quarry Beach4 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsFabyan Forest Preserve3 acres · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsJones Meadow Park2 acres · Batavia Park District
Woodland Hills Park2 acres · Batavia Park District
Ginger Woods Park1 acres · Fox Valley Park District
Walnut Park1 acres · Batavia Park District
Washington Park1 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsWho protects it
864 conserved acres
7% of Batavia Township’s land. Who manages Batavia Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency562 ac
Town or city226 ac
Private owners73 ac
State conservation73 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits31 ac
Local Park · 323 acState Conservation Area · 238 acLocal Conservation Area · 149 acConservation Easement · 127 acUnknown · 81 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 55 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 58 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson Lake Marsh State Conservation Area | Regional agency | 126 | Closed |
| Nelson Lake Marsh Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Private owners | 69 | Closed |
| Les Arends County Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 68 | Open |
| Moosheart Ravine State Conservation Area | Town or city | 44 | Open |
| Mill Creek Forest Preserve 3 Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 42 | Unknown |
| Glenwood Park Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 39 | Open |
| Lippold Park Local Park | Regional agency | 34 | Open |
| Hawks' Bluff Park Local Park | Town or city | 31 | Open |
| Fidler Farm Park Local Park | Town or city | 30 | Open |
| Illinois Prairie Path - Batavia Branch Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 29 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
59 places to go in Batavia Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Batavia Township
Hawk's Bluff playgroundIn Hawk's Bluff Park
DirectionsNature NookIn Red Oak Nature Center
DirectionsWoodland Hills ParkIn Woodland Hills Park
Directions52 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Batavia Township
2 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Batavia Township
1 fishing spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Batavia Township
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Batavia Township
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
8 named trails and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.1 miUnpaved · 6.9 mi
Nelson Lake Trail1.3 mi
Savanna Trail0.5 mi
Batavia Riverwalk0.5 mi
Bubo Trail0.3 mi
River Front Trail0.2 mi
Big Turtle Trail0.2 mi
Dolomite Trail0.2 mi
East Meadowlark Trail0.2 mi
Biking & sports
24 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
22 mi
off-road bike paths
0.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
29Baseball
26Tennis
14Basketball
4Football
4Pickleball
3Soccer
3Skate park
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Batavia Township
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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 35 | 47 | 60 | 71 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 48 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.8 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Batavia Township →
Next door
Batavia Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Blackberry Township32 miGeneva Township28 miAurora Township27 miBatavia Township17 miBatavia8.0 miNorth Aurora2.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batavia Township | 7% | 0.9 | 18 | 98% | A |
| Geneva Township | 14% | 1.7 | 59 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Aurora Township | 7% | 0.8 | 14 | 97% | A− |
| Blackberry Township | 13% | 0.9 | 91 | 88% | A |
| Batavia | 5% | 0.7 | 11 | 99%+ | A− |
| North Aurora | 5% | 0.4 | 16 | 99% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Batavia Township
Where can I hike in Batavia Township?
The longest trail networks: Dick Young Forest Preserve, 2 miles; Red Oak Nature Center, 1.5 miles; Big Woods Park, 0.9 miles; Hawk's Bluff Park, 0.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Batavia Township is conserved land?
7% 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 Batavia Township’s trails?
Dick Young Forest Preserve and Red Oak Nature Center don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Batavia Township?
24 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.6 of painted or protected lanes, 22 of off-road paths and 0.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Batavia Township?
27,805 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Batavia Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 706 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Batavia Township have?
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #119 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 Batavia 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 →