Raceway Woods Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Kane County
225 acres9.1 mi of trail
SerpentineSteffan's LoopWood's TrailPrairie Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Dundee Township
21% of Dundee Township’s land is conserved: 4,791 acres
55 miles of mapped trail cross Dundee Township, 1.6 per square mile of land. 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 3,626 acres are parks and preserves, 56 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #8 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
21%
4,791 acres · of 35.0 sq mi of land
Trails
55 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,626 ac
56 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
46 mi
2.2 mi lanes · 44 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
18
9 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Dundee Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Dundee Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Dundee Township is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #8 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Dundee Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land21% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (55 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land56 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,626 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13A−Parks 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 97%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)#8 of 768
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 Raceway Woods Forest Preserve, with 9.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Jelkes Creek Bird Sanctuary
Nature preserve
272 acres5.2 mi of trail
UNCONFIRMED
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Jelkes Creek Bird Sanctuary parkingWebsite ↗
Dixie Briggs Forest Preserve
Nature preserve
151 acres4.8 mi of trail
Blue TrailYellow TrailGreen TrailRed Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Helm Woods Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Kane County
254 acres3.7 mi of trail
Central Loop Trail (0.5mi)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Helm Woods Forest Preserve trailheadWebsite ↗
Schweitzer Woods Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Kane County
156 acres2.8 mi of trail
Black Oak Trail (1.35mi)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Fox River Shores Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Kane County
364 acres1.3 mi of trail
Angelina PlaceWinaki Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Brunner Family Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Kane County
741 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto farm store parkingWebsite ↗
All 51 parks & preserves
Raceway Woods Forest Preserve225 acres · 9.1 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsRandall Oaks Park265 acres · 7.5 mi of trail
DirectionsJelkes Creek Bird Sanctuary272 acres · 5.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDixie Briggs Forest Preserve151 acres · 4.8 mi of trail
DirectionsHelm Woods Forest Preserve254 acres · 3.7 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsSchweitzer Woods Forest Preserve156 acres · 2.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsFox River Shores Forest Preserve364 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsBrunner Family Forest Preserve741 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsSalamander Springs97 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Dundee Township
DirectionsCarpenter Park17 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsLibrary Springs Natural Area56 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsAndres Bike Park4 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
South End Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Dundee Township Park District
DirectionsSilverstone Lake Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPrairie Meadow Park29 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBuffalo Park Forest Preserve27 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSleepy Hollow Ravine Forest Preserve12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
Grafelman Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Tall Grass Prairie Recreation Area66 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Algonquin Lakes School and Park37 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSnuffy's Prairie28 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKemper Park17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHuffman Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLions Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsAldis Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRolling Hills Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Jelkes Creek Forest Preserve39 acres · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsWilloughby Farms Forest Preserve29 acres
Fox River Forested Fen Forest Preserve27 acres · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsHuntley Marsh23 acres
DirectionsSabatino Park18 acres
DirectionsMeadowdale Park16 acres
DirectionsVoyagers Landing Forest Preserve15 acres
DirectionsFairview Park9 acres
Grandview Park8 acres
Besinger Park7 acres
DirectionsHickory Hill Park7 acres · Dundee Township Park District
DirectionsSleepy Hallow Pool/Park6 acres
DirectionsGlen Eagle Park5 acres
Braewood Park4 acres
DirectionsWest Dundee Fire and Police Stations4 acres · Dundee Township Park District
DirectionsBroadsmore Park4 acres
Golfview Park4 acres
White Oaks Park3 acres
Austin Park2 acres
Carrington Park2 acres
Freeman Park2 acres
Binnie Forest Preserve1 acres · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
Walnut Creek Conservation Area1 acres
Morningside Park1 acres
Bartels Park1 acres
Who protects it
4,791 conserved acres
21% of Dundee Township’s land. Who manages Dundee Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency1,644 ac
Town or city1,592 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,339 ac
State conservation604 ac
State natural resources415 ac
Private owners32 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government24 ac
Local Conservation Area · 1,909 acState Conservation Area · 1,385 acConservation Easement · 1,180 acUnknown · 410 acLocal Recreation Area · 359 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 335 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox River Fen State Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 1,202 | Open |
| Brunner Family Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 614 | Open |
| Jelke Creek Bird Sanctuary Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 320 | Open |
| Buffalo Park Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 283 | Open |
| Randall Oaks Golf Club & Randall Oaks Barnyard Zoo Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 223 | Open |
| Schweitzer County Forest Park Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 155 | Open |
| Dixie Fromm Briggs Prairie Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Town or city | 150 | Open |
| Greater Raceway Woods Unknown | Town or city | 133 | Open |
| Fox River Shores Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 108 | Open |
| Bonnie Dundee Golf Club Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 106 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
87 places to go in Dundee Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Dundee Township
Sleepy Hollow PoolIn Sleepy Hallow Pool/Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Dundee Township
Curiousity ShedIn Library Springs Natural Area
DirectionsLiberty Park
DirectionsRainbow Play System
Directions69 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Dundee Township
Canoe LaunchIn Fox River Shores Forest Preserve
DirectionsRiver Mile 73.5 - Voyager Landing Forest Preserve South
DirectionsRiver Mile 73.6 - Voyager Landing Forest Preserve North
DirectionsRiver Mile 75.2 - South End Park
DirectionsRiver Mile 75.9 - Downtown West Dundee
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Dundee Township
2 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Dundee Township
Scenic OverlookIn Raceway Woods Forest Preserve
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Dundee Township
Jelkes Creek Bird SanctuaryIn Jelkes Creek Bird Sanctuary
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Dundee Township
Camp Big Timber
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 7.4 miHorses · 4.4 miUnpaved · 24.6 mi
Blue Trail1.7 mi
Black Oak Trail (1.35mi)1.4 mi
Serpentine1.3 mi
Steffan's Loop0.7 mi
Wood's Trail0.7 mi
Andres Flow0.6 mi
Central Loop Trail (0.5mi)0.5 mi
Prairie Trail0.5 mi
Valley Loop Trail0.4 mi
Yellow Trail0.4 mi
15 more trails
Scarab's Revenge
0.4 miRanch Road Trail
0.3 miConnector Trail
0.3 miAngelina Place
0.3 miGreen Trail
0.3 miRed Trail
0.3 miWinaki Trail
0.2 miLower Field Trail
0.2 miUNCONFIRMED
0.2 miDoane's Hill
0.2 miSouth East Trail
0.2 miOrange Trail
0.2 miPink Trail
0.2 miMeadow Trail
0.2 miDogwood Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
46 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
44 mi
off-road bike paths
SerpentineBike route
1.3 miFox River Shores Forest Preserve bike pathBike route
0.5 miCourts & fields
29Baseball
21Tennis
20Basketball
19Soccer
2Beach volleyball
2Lacrosse
1Disc golf
1Volleyball
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 Dundee 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) | 9.4 | 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 | 59 | 70 | 80 | 84 | 81 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
January 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 Dundee Township →
Next door
Dundee Township and its neighbors
Dundee Township has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Barrington Township73 miDundee Township55 miAlgonquin Township52 miRutland Township34 miElgin Township25 miElgin20 miAlgonquin4.3 miGilberts1.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dundee Township | 21% | 1.6 | 56 | 98% | A+ |
| Rutland Township | 16% | 0.9 | 116 | 88% | A |
| Algonquin Township | 12% | 1.1 | 40 | 99% | A |
| Elgin Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Elgin | 7% | 0.5 | 14 | 95% | A− |
| Barrington Township | 7% | 2.1 | 82 | 79% | A |
| Algonquin | 8% | 0.3 | 23 | 99% | A− |
| Gilberts | 4% | 0.3 | 18 | 99%+ | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Dundee Township
Where can I hike in Dundee Township?
The longest trail networks: Raceway Woods Forest Preserve, 9.1 miles; Randall Oaks Park, 7.5 miles; Jelkes Creek Bird Sanctuary, 5.2 miles; Dixie Briggs Forest Preserve, 4.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Dundee Township is conserved land?
21% 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 Dundee Township’s trails?
Raceway Woods Forest Preserve and Randall Oaks Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Dundee Township?
46 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.2 of painted or protected lanes and 44 of off-road paths. Named routes: Serpentine and Fox River Shores Forest Preserve bike path.
Is there public land near Dundee Township?
30,833 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Dundee Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,873 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Dundee Township have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #8 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 Dundee 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 →