The Preserve of Highland Park
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
106 acres5.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Highland Park
10% of Highland Park’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. 31 miles of mapped trail cross Highland Park, 2.6 per square mile of land. 10% of Highland Park’s land is conserved, about 818 acres.
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #17 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
10%
818 acres · of 12.2 sq mi of land
Trails
31 mi
2.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
726 ac
24 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
26 mi
0.1 mi lanes · 11 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
12
7 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Highland Park?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Highland Park have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Highland Park is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #17 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Highland Park’s overall grade.
Conserved land10% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (31 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land24 acres of park per 1,000 residents (726 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 96%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 98%
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 The Preserve of Highland Park, with 5.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Walter E. Heller Nature Preserve
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
89 acres3.2 mi of trail
Red trailsBlue trailsGreen trailsGold trails
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Ravinia Festival
Managed by Ravinia Park Association
40 acres2 mi of trail
Bernbaum Sculpture Walk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Larry Fink Memorial Park
Managed by Highland Park Park District
70 acres1.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Danny Cunniff Park
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
62 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sunset Woods Park
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
32 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Olson Park
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
20 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Rosewood Park
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
17 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Rosewood BeachWebsite ↗
All 44 parks & preserves
The Preserve of Highland Park106 acres · 5.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsWalter E. Heller Nature Preserve89 acres · 3.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsRavinia Festival40 acres · 2 mi of trail · Ravinia Park Association
DirectionsLarry Fink Memorial Park70 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Highland Park Park District
DirectionsDanny Cunniff Park62 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsSunset Woods Park32 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsOlson Park20 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsRosewood Park17 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsHighmoor Park Nature Preserve10 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsBerkeley Prairie18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsMillard Park12 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsKennedy Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsSleepy Hollow Park16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsMoraine Park13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
Mooney Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsLaurel Park2 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsWest Ridge Park16 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsWoodridge Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsPort Clinton Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsFoley’s Pond4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park District Of Highland Park IL
DirectionsCloverdale Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsFort Sheridan Forest Preserve72 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsHidden Creek AquaPark14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsRory David Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsCentral Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsCarroll F. Snyder Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsMay T. Watts Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsLongview Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsBrown Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsOld Elm Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
Lincoln Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsLeonardi Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsOpenlands Lakeshore Preserve29 acres · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsSkokie River Woods25 acres · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsPrairie Wolf Forest Preserve3 acres · Lake County Forest Preserves
Moroney Park3 acres · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsSherwood Park2 acres · Park District of Highland Park
Park Avenue Park2 acres
DirectionsMagnolia Park1 acres · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsMemorial Park1 acres · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsGrove Park1 acres · Park District of Highland Park
Devonshire Park1 acres · Park District of Highland Park
Jens Jensen Park1 acres · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsSheridan Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
818 conserved acres
10% of Highland Park’s land. Who manages Highland Park’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency609 ac
Town or city171 ac
State conservation79 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits43 ac
State natural resources34 ac
Private owners25 ac
Local Park · 357 acConservation Easement · 254 acUnknown · 140 acLocal Conservation Area · 136 acState Conservation Area · 64 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 129 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset Valley Golf Club Unknown | Town or city | 120 | Open |
| Heller Nature Center Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 89 | Open |
| Larry Fink Park Local Park | Regional agency | 70 | Open |
| Danny Cunniff Park Local Park | Regional agency | 64 | Open |
| Sunset Woods Park Local Park | Regional agency | 34 | Open |
| Fort Sheridan Bluff State Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 28 | Open |
| Skokie River Woods Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 25 | Open |
| Hybernia Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Private owners | 24 | Closed |
| Olson Park Local Park | Regional agency | 20 | Open |
| Berkeley Prairie Forest Preserve Local Park | Regional agency | 18 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
61 places to go in Highland Park
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Highland Park
Millard BeachIn Millard Park
DirectionsMillard BeachIn Millard Park
DirectionsPark Avenue Boating/Fishing BeachIn Park Avenue Park
DirectionsRosewood BeachIn Rosewood Park
DirectionsPlus 3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Highland Park
KidsLawnIn Ravinia Festival
DirectionsRory David Deutsch Tot LotIn Rory David Park
DirectionsRosewood ParkIn Rosewood Park
DirectionsSunset Woods Park RocketIn Sunset Woods Park
DirectionsWeil Tot LotIn Weil Tot Lot
Directions43 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Highland Park
Debbie Gottlieb Beitler Dog ParkFee · In Larry Fink Memorial Park
DirectionsMoraine Beach (Dog park)Hours: dawn-dusk · In Moraine Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Highland Park
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Highland Park
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Highland Park
sled hillIn Danny Cunniff Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Highland Park
Picnic GroveIn Ravinia Festival
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Highland Park
Moraine Township Food Pantry GardenIn Woodridge Park · Moraine Township
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
5 named trails and 12 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.5 miUnpaved · 6.5 mi
Red trails1.3 mi
Blue trails0.8 mi
Foley Fishing Pond Trail0.4 mi
Green trails0.4 mi
Gold trails0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
26 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
11 mi
off-road bike paths
15 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
91Tennis
23Pickleball
19Baseball
18Basketball
16Soccer
4Football
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →35 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 15 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Water Tower, Building 49Structure · listed 1974
About itWard Winfield Willits HouseBuilding · listed 1980
About itBraeside SchoolBuilding · listed 1982
About itC. S. Soule HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itEvert HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itGeorge Madison Millard HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itGeorge Pick HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itGranville-Mott HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itHaerman Lanzl HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itHarold Florsheim HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itHazel Avenue Prospect Avenue Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About it23 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Highland Park: 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) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.4 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Highland Park →
Next door
Highland Park and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Lake Forest35 miNew Trier Township34 miHighland Park31 miMoraine Township28 miDeerfield7.0 miGlencoe5.8 miHighwood0.4 miBannockburn0.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Park | 10% | 2.6 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Moraine Township | 9% | 2.4 | 23 | 99%+ | A |
| Highwood | 1% | 0.6 | 1 | 99%+ | B− |
| Lake Forest | 14% | 2.0 | 52 | 94% | A+ |
| Deerfield | 5% | 1.3 | 9 | 99%+ | A− |
| Bannockburn | 8% | 0.1 | 98 | 99%+ | A− |
| Glencoe | 3% | 1.6 | 10 | 99%+ | A− |
| New Trier Township | 8% | 2.1 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Highland Park
Where can I hike in Highland Park?
The longest trail networks: The Preserve of Highland Park, 5.2 miles; Walter E. Heller Nature Preserve, 3.2 miles; Ravinia Festival, 2 miles; Larry Fink Memorial Park, 1.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Highland Park is conserved land?
10% 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 Highland Park’s trails?
The Preserve of Highland Park and Walter E. Heller Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Highland Park?
26 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.1 of painted or protected lanes, 11 of off-road paths and 15 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Highland Park?
14,225 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Highland Park or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 731 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Highland Park have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #17 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 Highland Park 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 →