Big Woods Park
Managed by Batavia Park District
18 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: G LeTourneau · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Batavia
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park in Batavia
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Big Woods Park (0.9 mi), Hawk's Bluff Park (0.8 mi), Batavia Riverwalk (0.6 mi). 8.0 miles of mapped trail cross Batavia, 0.7 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns · #227 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
5%
337 acres · of 11.0 sq mi of land
Trails
8.0 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
307 ac
11 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
15 mi
1.1 mi lanes · 13 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
1
2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Batavia?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Batavia have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Batavia is ahead of 78% of U.S. towns, #227 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Batavia’s overall grade.
Conserved land5% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%BTrails0.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (8 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land11 acres of park per 1,000 residents (307 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · IL 88% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 78%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 71%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ 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 Big Woods Park, with 0.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
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 ↗
Prairie Path Park
Managed by Batavia Park District
14 acres0.3 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 29 parks & preserves
Big Woods Park18 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
DirectionsPrairie Path Park14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
DirectionsPrairie and Lathem Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
DirectionsBraeburn Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsBraeburn Marsh Forest Preserve57 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsShanahan Grove Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
Wind Energy Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
Saratoga Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Batavia Park District
Fabyan Forest Preserve24 acres · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsClark Island Recreation Area16 acres
DirectionsGlenwood Park Forest Preserve13 acres · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsEngstrom Park12 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsMemorial Park10 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsPeter Frieders Park8 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
DirectionsCarriage Crest Park3 acres · Geneva Park District
Michael Arbizzani Park3 acres · Geneva Park District
Peck Farm Park2 acres · Geneva Park District
Woodland Hills Park2 acres · Batavia Park District
Deerpath Park2 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsWalnut Park1 acres · Batavia Park District
Highlands Park1 acres · Geneva Park District
Washington Park1 acres · Batavia Park District
DirectionsVan Buren Park1 acres · Batavia Park District
Who protects it
337 conserved acres
5% of Batavia’s land. Who manages Batavia’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency203 ac
Town or city116 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits27 ac
State natural resources1 ac
Local Park · 188 acLocal Conservation Area · 85 acUnknown · 44 acConservation Easement · 28 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 28 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braeburn Marsh Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 54 | Open |
| Hawks' Bluff Park Local Park | Town or city | 32 | Open |
| Clark Island Recreat5Ion Area Local Park | Regional agency | 22 | Open |
| Batavia Riverwalk Unknown | Town or city | 17 | Open |
| Illinois Prairie Path - Batavia Branch Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 17 | Open |
| Big Woods Park Local Park | Regional agency | 16 | Open |
| Prairie Path Park Local Park | Town or city | 14 | Open |
| Harold Hall Quarry Beach Local Park | Regional agency | 12 | Open |
| Engstrom Family Park Local Park | Regional agency | 12 | Open |
| Prairie And Lathem Park Local Park | Regional agency | 12 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
41 places to go in Batavia
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Batavia
Hawk's Bluff playgroundIn Hawk's Bluff Park
DirectionsWoodland Hills ParkIn Woodland Hills Park
Directions37 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Batavia
2 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Batavia
1 fishing spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Community gardens in Batavia
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 named trail and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.1 miUnpaved · 1.3 mi
Batavia Riverwalk0.5 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
15 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
13 mi
off-road bike paths
0.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
21Baseball
20Tennis
6Basketball
3Skate park
3Pickleball
2Football
2Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →9 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Batavia InstituteBuilding · listed 1976
About itCampana FactoryBuilding · listed 1979
About itChicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad DepotBuilding · listed 1979
About itWhite, Louise, SchoolBuilding · listed 1980
About itFirst Methodist Church of BataviaBuilding · listed 1982
About itUnited Methodist Church of BataviaBuilding · listed 1983
About itJudge Isaac Wilson HouseBuilding · listed 1985
About itGridley, Mrs., A. W., HouseBuilding · listed 1993
About itHoly Cross ChurchBuilding · listed 1999
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Batavia: 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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 31 | 35 | 47 | 60 | 71 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 48 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.8 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Batavia →
Next door
Batavia and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Aurora36 miGeneva Township28 miWest Chicago24 miGeneva19 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 | 5% | 0.7 | 11 | 99%+ | A− |
| Geneva | 14% | 1.9 | 48 | 99%+ | A+ |
| North Aurora | 5% | 0.4 | 16 | 99% | A− |
| Aurora | 10% | 0.8 | 17 | 99% | A |
| Batavia Township | 7% | 0.9 | 18 | 98% | A |
| Geneva Township | 14% | 1.7 | 59 | 99%+ | A+ |
| West Chicago | 10% | 1.5 | 26 | 95% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Batavia
Where can I hike in Batavia?
The longest trail networks: Big Woods Park, 0.9 miles; Hawk's Bluff Park, 0.8 miles; Batavia Riverwalk, 0.6 miles; Prairie Path Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Batavia is conserved land?
5% 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’s trails?
Big Woods Park and Hawk's Bluff Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Batavia?
15 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.1 of painted or protected lanes, 13 of off-road paths and 0.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Batavia?
26,436 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Batavia or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 343 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Batavia have?
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #227 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 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 →