Skokie Lagoons Central
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
124 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: bogdanstepniak · CC BY 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Glencoe
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park in Glencoe
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 5.8 miles of mapped trail cross Glencoe, 1.6 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Skokie Lagoons Central (0.8 mi), Forest Preserve District of Cook County (0.7 mi), Skokie Lagoons North (0.7 mi).
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns · #171 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
77 acres · of 3.7 sq mi of land
Trails
5.8 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
89 ac
10 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.7 mi
2.8 mi lanes · 3.9 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
1
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is Glencoe?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Glencoe have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Glencoe is ahead of 82% of U.S. towns, #171 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 Glencoe’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B−Trails1.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (6 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land10 acres of park per 1,000 residents (89 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 82%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 78%
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 Skokie Lagoons Central, with 0.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
138 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Skokie Lagoons North
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
43 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Shelton Park
Managed by Glencoe Park District
9 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 26 parks & preserves
Skokie Lagoons Central124 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsForest Preserve District of Cook County138 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsSkokie Lagoons North43 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsShelton Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Turnbull Woods70 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsBarbara Brown Nature Reserve12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsChicago Botanic Gardens64 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Chicago Horticultural Society
DirectionsWatts Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Lakefront Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsHenry J. Kalk Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Milton Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Clara Dietz Bird Sanctuary2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Woodlawn Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Ravine Bluffs Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsDell Place Beach1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Friends Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsMelvin Berlin Park5 acres · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsWest Park5 acres · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsNorth Field Park5 acres · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsRobert Everly Wildflower Sanctuary1 acres · Glencoe Park District
Duke Park1 acres · Glencoe Park District
Vernon Playground Park1 acres · Glencoe Park District
South Ave Overlook1 acres
Glencoe Boating Beach1 acres · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsOld Elm Park1 acres · Glencoe Park District
Who protects it
77 conserved acres
3% of Glencoe’s land. Who manages Glencoe’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency72 ac
Town or city3 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1 ac
Local Park · 70 acUnknown · 3 acLocal Recreation Area · 1 acConservation Easement · 1 acLocal Conservation Area · 1 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1 acre is a conservation easement, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takiff Community Center Local Park | Regional agency | 12 | Open |
| Watts Park Local Park | Regional agency | 12 | Open |
| Lakefront Park Local Park | Regional agency | 8 | Open |
| Shelton Park Local Park | Regional agency | 6 | Open |
| Central Park Local Park | Regional agency | 5 | Open |
| Watts Center Unknown | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Kalk Park Local Park | Regional agency | 2 | Open |
| Linden Park Local Park | Regional agency | 2 | Open |
| Veterans Memorial Park Local Park | Regional agency | 2 | Open |
| Milton Park Local Park | Regional agency | 2 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
12 places to go in Glencoe
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Glencoe
Glencoe Beach
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Glencoe
Phil Thomas Memorial PlaygroundIn Shelton Park
DirectionsPlus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Glencoe
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Picnic areas in Glencoe
Forest Way Grove Picnic ShelterIn Skokie Lagoons North
DirectionsTurnbull Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Turnbull Woods
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Glencoe
Glencoe Community GardenIn Shelton Park
DirectionsTrails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
6.7 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.8 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
3.9 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
28Tennis
4Baseball
4Pickleball
1Soccer
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 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.
Sylvan Road BridgeSite · listed 1978
About itJohn Rogerson Montgomery HouseBuilding · listed 2004
About itWilliam A. Glasner HouseBuilding · listed 2005
About itMr. James Kent Calhoun HouseBuilding · listed 2010
About itJesse L. Strauss EstateBuilding · listed 2014
About itEdmund D. Brigham HouseBuilding · listed 2016
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Glencoe: July to 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 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 35 | 45 | 56 | 67 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Glencoe →
Next door
Glencoe and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Northfield Township58 miNew Trier Township34 miHighland Park31 miMoraine Township28 miNorthbrook16 miGlencoe5.8 miWinnetka5.6 miNorthfield4.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glencoe | 3% | 1.6 | 10 | 99%+ | A− |
| Winnetka | 10% | 1.5 | 18 | 99%+ | A |
| New Trier Township | 8% | 2.1 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
| Northbrook | 7% | 1.2 | 14 | 91% | A− |
| Northfield | 11% | 1.4 | 9 | 88% | A− |
| Northfield Township | 9% | 1.7 | 15 | 91% | A |
| Highland Park | 10% | 2.6 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Moraine Township | 9% | 2.4 | 23 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Glencoe
Where can I hike in Glencoe?
The longest trail networks: Skokie Lagoons Central, 0.8 miles; Forest Preserve District of Cook County, 0.7 miles; Skokie Lagoons North, 0.7 miles; Shelton Park, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Glencoe is conserved land?
3% 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 Glencoe’s trails?
Skokie Lagoons Central and Forest Preserve District of Cook County don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Glencoe?
6.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.8 of painted or protected lanes and 3.9 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Glencoe?
8,859 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Glencoe or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 91 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Glencoe have?
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #171 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 Glencoe 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 →