Ned Brown Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
1,886 acres3.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: Downtowngal · CC BY-SA 4.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Elk Grove Township
6% of Elk Grove Township’s land is conserved, and 96% of residents live within a half mile of a park
The biggest trail networks: Ned Brown Forest Preserve (3.3 mi), Busse Forest Nature Preserve (2.8 mi), Friendship Park (1.1 mi). 19 miles of mapped trail cross Elk Grove Township, 0.7 per square mile of land. 6% of Elk Grove Township’s land is conserved, about 1,004 acres.
Ahead of 69% of U.S. towns · #309 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
6%
1,004 acres · of 27.6 sq mi of land
Trails
19 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
537 ac
5.8 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
96%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
31 mi
0.5 mi lanes · 26 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
6
5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Elk Grove Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Elk Grove Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Elk Grove Township is ahead of 69% of U.S. towns, #309 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Elk Grove Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land6% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%BTrails0.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (19 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land5.8 acres of park per 1,000 residents (537 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13CParks close to home96% 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 69%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 60%
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 Ned Brown Forest Preserve, with 3.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Busse Forest Nature Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
460 acres2.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Friendship Park
Managed by Mount Prospect Park District
28 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Jack A. Claes Pavilion
Managed by Elk Grove Park District
27 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lions Park
Managed by Mount Prospect Park District
38 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Clearwater Park
Managed by Mount Prospect Park District
22 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Einstein Park
Managed by Mount Prospect Park District
6 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Morton Park
Managed by Elk Grove Park District
19 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 49 parks & preserves
Ned Brown Forest Preserve1,886 acres · 3.3 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsBusse Forest Nature Preserve460 acres · 2.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsFriendship Park28 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsJack A. Claes Pavilion27 acres · 1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsLions Park38 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsClearwater Park22 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsEinstein Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsMorton Park19 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsAudubon Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsMarshall Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsKopp Park30 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsSunrise Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsPrairie Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Arlington Heights Park District
DirectionsAppleseed Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsAndrews Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsJ.M. Heffern Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
Memorial Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsTamarack Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Burbank Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsCarefree Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arlington Heights Park District
DirectionsRoosevelt Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsUdall Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsKingsbridge Arboretum6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arlington Heights Park District
DirectionsFairchild Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
Jaycee Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsRidge Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsMuir Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Elk Grove Park District
Owen Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
Victory Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arlington Heights Park District
Busse Pocket Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsHigh Ridge Knolls Park39 acres · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsHeritage Park20 acres · Arlington Heights Park District
DirectionsWeller Creek Park17 acres · Mount Prospect Park District
Sunset Park9 acres · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsWaverly Park5 acres · Rolling Meadows Park District
Cypress Park5 acres · Arlington Heights Park District
DirectionsOsborn Park3 acres · Elk Grove Park District
Olmstead Park3 acres · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsFrost Park3 acres
Devonshire Park3 acres · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsHuntington Chase Park3 acres · Elk Grove Park District
Dunton School3 acres · Arlington Heights Park District
DirectionsCountryside Park3 acres · Mount Prospect Park District
Salt Creek Park2 acres · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsHanson Park2 acres · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsWe-Go Park2 acres · Mount Prospect Park District
Sanders Park1 acres · Elk Grove Park District
DirectionsFalcon Park1 acres · Arlington Heights Park District
DirectionsCentennial Green Park1 acres · Mount Prospect Park District
DirectionsWho protects it
1,004 conserved acres
6% of Elk Grove Township’s land. Who manages Elk Grove Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation443 ac
Regional agency319 ac
Town or city123 ac
Private owners119 ac
Conservation Easement · 443 acLocal Park · 409 acPrivate Park · 119 acLocal Recreation Area · 22 acLocal Conservation Area · 6 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 443 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 119 | Open |
| Majowski Metropark Local Park | Town or city | 42 | Open |
| High Ridge Knolls Park Local Park | Regional agency | 31 | Open |
| Rosemary S. Argus Friendship Park Local Park | Regional agency | 28 | Open |
| Robert T Jackson Clearwater Park Local Park | Regional agency | 22 | Open |
| Majewski Metro Athletic Complex Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 22 | Open |
| Heritage Park Local Park | Town or city | 22 | Open |
| Lions Memorial Park Local Park | Regional agency | 20 | Open |
| Burbank Park Local Park | Town or city | 17 | Open |
| Lions Park Local Park | Regional agency | 16 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
113 places to go in Elk Grove Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Elk Grove Township
Big Surf Wave PoolIn Lions Park
DirectionsCoqui Frog PondIn Lions Park
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Elk Grove Township
Clearmont Park
Directions75 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Elk Grove Township
Busse Lake Boat LaunchIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake Boat LaunchIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake South Boat LaunchIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake South Boat LaunchIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Elk Grove Township
Busse Forest Main Dam Accessible Fishing AreaIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-West Accessible Fishing Area
DirectionsBusse Lake - Main PoolIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake - North PoolIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake Beisner Road Access Accessible Fishing AreaIn Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsPlus 5 fishing spots without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Elk Grove Township
Sledding HillIn Udall Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Elk Grove Township
Busse Forest-North Grove 1
DirectionsBusse Forest-North Grove 2In Busse Forest Nature Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-South Grove 10In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-South Grove 13In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-South Grove 14In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-South Grove 15In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-South Grove 16In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-South Grove 7In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
Directions7 more picnic areas
Busse Forest-South Grove 8In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Forest-South Grove 9In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake Boating Center Grove 19In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake Boating Center Grove 21In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake Boating Center Grove 22In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake Boating Center Grove 23In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsBusse Lake Boating Center Grove 25In Ned Brown Forest Preserve
DirectionsPlus 4 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
6 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
31 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.5 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
26 mi
off-road bike paths
4.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
87Tennis
47Soccer
45Baseball
25Basketball
13Pickleball
6Football
3Softball
3Tracks
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 Elk Grove 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 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 31 | 35 | 47 | 59 | 70 | 80 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 62 | 48 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.6 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Elk Grove Township →
Next door
Elk Grove Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Chicago242 miSchaumburg Township30 miAddison Township22 miMaine Township22 miElk Grove Township19 miElk Grove Village9.7 miDes Plaines7.4 miItasca3.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Grove Township | 6% | 0.7 | 6 | 96% | B+ |
| Chicago | 8% | 1.1 | 4 | 99% | A− |
| Schaumburg Township | 9% | 1.0 | 14 | 99% | A |
| Elk Grove Village | 4% | 0.8 | 10 | 99% | A− |
| Des Plaines | 4% | 0.5 | 7 | 99% | B+ |
| Maine Township | 3% | 0.8 | 4 | 98% | B |
| Addison Township | 15% | 0.7 | 32 | 99%+ | A |
| Itasca | 8% | 0.8 | 26 | 96% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Elk Grove Township
Where can I hike in Elk Grove Township?
The longest trail networks: Ned Brown Forest Preserve, 3.3 miles; Busse Forest Nature Preserve, 2.8 miles; Friendship Park, 1.1 miles; Jack A. Claes Pavilion, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Elk Grove Township is conserved land?
6% 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 Elk Grove Township’s trails?
Ned Brown Forest Preserve and Busse Forest Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Elk Grove Township?
31 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.5 of painted or protected lanes, 26 of off-road paths and 4.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Elk Grove Township?
19,130 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Elk Grove Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 542 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Elk Grove Township have?
Ahead of 69% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #309 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 Elk Grove 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 →