Peck Farm Park
Managed by Geneva Park District
159 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Mpen320 · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Geneva
14% of Geneva’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 19 miles of mapped trail cross Geneva, 1.9 per square mile of land. 14% of Geneva’s land is conserved, about 909 acres.
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns · #4 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
909 acres · of 10.1 sq mi of land
Trails
19 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,027 ac
48 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
27 mi
1.2 mi lanes · 25 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Geneva?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Geneva have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Geneva is ahead of 98% of U.S. towns, #4 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 Geneva’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (19 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land48 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,027 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13A−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 98%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)#4 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 Peck Farm Park, with 2.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Fabyan Forest Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Kane County
187 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Wheeler Park
Managed by Geneva Park District
43 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Stanley A. Esping Park
Managed by Geneva Park District
7 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Randall Square Park
Managed by Geneva Park District
6 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Kay Lovett Park
Managed by Geneva Park District
5 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 38 parks & preserves
Peck Farm Park159 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsFabyan Forest Preserve187 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsBurgess Field32 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsWheeler Park43 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsStanley A. Esping Park7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsRandall Square Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsKay Lovett Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
South Street Athletic Fields20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsSandholm Woods7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsLions Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsWilliamsburg Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsSunset Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsSterling Manor Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
River Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsFrank K. Burgess Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
Pepper Valley Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsMarjorie Murray Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Geneva Park District
DirectionsGood Templar Park61 acres
DirectionsDon Forni Park57 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsFoundation Park40 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsGunnar Anderson County Forest Preserve21 acres · Forest Preserve District of Kane County
DirectionsMoore Park11 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsIsland Park8 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsGood Templar Acquisition7 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsRiverside Park7 acres
Western Avenue School Park6 acres · Geneva Park District
Eaglebrook Park6 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsDryden Park6 acres · Geneva Park District
Bennett Park3 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsSunrise Park2 acres · Geneva Park District
Bricher Park2 acres · Geneva Park District
Meadows Park2 acres · Geneva Park District
Braeburn Marsh Forest Preserve1 acres
DirectionsLibrary Park1 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsElm Park1 acres · Geneva Park District
Old Mill Park1 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsJay-Cee Park1 acres · Geneva Park District
DirectionsFargo Park1 acres · Geneva Park District
Who protects it
909 conserved acres
14% of Geneva’s land. Who manages Geneva’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency858 ac
Town or city51 ac
State natural resources36 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1 ac
Local Park · 769 acUnknown · 123 acConservation Easement · 36 acLocal Conservation Area · 17 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 38 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peck Farm Park Local Park | Regional agency | 344 | Open |
| Fabyan Forest Preserve Local Park | Regional agency | 226 | Open |
| Settler's Hill Golf Course Unknown | Regional agency | 85 | Open |
| Wheeler Park Local Park | Regional agency | 45 | Open |
| Geneva Middle School Campus Unknown | Town or city | 31 | Open |
| Sunset Park Local Park | Regional agency | 18 | Open |
| Gunnar Anderson Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 17 | Restricted |
| Moore Park Local Park | Regional agency | 14 | Open |
| Western Avenue School/Park Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| Island Park Local Park | Regional agency | 9 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
52 places to go in Geneva
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Geneva
Sunset PoolIn Sunset Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Geneva
Island Park playgroundIn Island Park
Directions37 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Geneva
Peck Farm dog parkIn Peck Farm Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Geneva
Geneva Fire Department Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Geneva
Fabyan WindmillHours: May 15-Oct 15 Sa-Su 13:00-16:00 · In Fabyan Forest Preserve
DirectionsPlus 4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Geneva
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Geneva
Community Gardens at Prairie GreenGeneva Park District
DirectionsTrails & water
2 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
27 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
25 mi
off-road bike paths
0.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
31Tennis
15Baseball
15Basketball
7Soccer
6Pickleball
4Football
1Skate park
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →8 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Dutch MillStructure · listed 1979
About itCentral Geneva Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itNorth Geneva Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About itFabyan VillaBuilding · listed 1984
About itGeneva Country Day SchoolBuilding · listed 1989
About itRiverbank LaboratoriesDistrict · listed 2003
About itElizabeth PlaceBuilding · listed 2008
About itPure Oil StationBuilding · listed 2013
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Geneva: April, July 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 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 35 | 47 | 60 | 71 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 48 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 2.0 |
January 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 Geneva →
Next door
Geneva and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geneva | 14% | 1.9 | 48 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Batavia | 5% | 0.7 | 11 | 99%+ | A− |
| St. Charles | 11% | 1.2 | 26 | 98% | A |
| St. Charles Township | 12% | 1.2 | 42 | 97% | A |
| Geneva Township | 14% | 1.7 | 59 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Geneva
Where can I hike in Geneva?
The longest trail networks: Peck Farm Park, 2.9 miles; Fabyan Forest Preserve, 1.8 miles; Burgess Field, 1 miles; Wheeler Park, 0.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Geneva is conserved land?
14% 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 Geneva’s trails?
Peck Farm Park and Fabyan Forest Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Geneva?
27 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.2 of painted or protected lanes, 25 of off-road paths and 0.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Geneva?
26,732 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Geneva or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,028 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Geneva have?
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #4 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 Geneva 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 →