Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve
Managed by Lake County Forest Preserves
321 acres4.6 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Photo: Teemu08 · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Lake Forest
Lake Forest has 35 miles of mapped trails, 2.0 for every square mile of land
14% of Lake Forest’s land is conserved, about 1,518 acres. 1,017 acres are parks and preserves, 52 per 1,000 residents. 94% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #19 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
1,518 acres · of 17.2 sq mi of land
Trails
35 mi
2.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,017 ac
52 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
94%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
27 mi
26 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
18
3 beaches
What kind of outdoors town is Lake Forest?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Lake Forest have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lake Forest is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #19 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Lake Forest’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (35 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land52 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,017 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home94% 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 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 Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve, with 4.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Skokie River Nature Preserve
Managed by Lake Forest Open Lands
84 acres3.2 mi of trail
Hart Family Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Skokie River Nature Preserve
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve
Managed by Lake County Forest Preserves
179 acres2.3 mi of trail
Fort Sheridan Birding Trail LoopFort Sheridan Grass TrailFort Sheridan Forest Preserve Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve
Managed by Lake Forest Open Lands Association
61 acres2 mi of trail
Jamee Field Riverwalk Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Jean and John Greene Nature Preserve
Managed by Lake Forest Open Lands Association
67 acres1.6 mi of trail
Ridge TrailWoodland TrailRavine Crest TrailGateway Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Everett Farm Nature Preserve
Managed by Lake Forest Open Lands Association
34 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
West Skokie Nature Preserve
Managed by Lake Forest Open Lands Association
22 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 25 parks & preserves
Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve321 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · Lake County Forest Preserves
Skokie River Nature Preserve84 acres · 3.2 mi of trail · Lake Forest Open Lands
DirectionsFort Sheridan Forest Preserve179 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsDerwen Mawr Nature Preserve61 acres · 2 mi of trail · Lake Forest Open Lands Association
Jean and John Greene Nature Preserve67 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Lake Forest Open Lands Association
DirectionsForest Park26 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsEverett Farm Nature Preserve34 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Lake Forest Open Lands Association
DirectionsWest Skokie Nature Preserve22 acres · 1 mi of trail · Lake Forest Open Lands Association
DirectionsTownline Community Park32 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · City of Lake Forest
Mellody Farm Nature Preserve28 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsMiddlefork Savanna Forest Preserve227 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsNorthcroft Park35 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Lake Forest
DirectionsEverett Park15 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Lake Forest
DirectionsOriole Grove Forest Preserve43 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Lake County Forest Preserves
Carruthers Nature Preserve17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Lake Forest Open Lands
Triangle Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Lake Forest Parks and Recreation
DirectionsWaveland Park23 acres
Deerpath Community Park18 acres
South Park17 acres
Buena Park9 acres · City of Lake Forest
West Park9 acres · Lake Forest Parks and Recreation
DirectionsMeadowood Park8 acres
Shooting Star Savanna1 acres
DirectionsWesylik Field1 acres
DirectionsVeterans Park1 acres · Lake Forest Parks and Recreation
DirectionsWho protects it
1,518 conserved acres
14% of Lake Forest’s land. Who manages Lake Forest’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency579 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits446 ac
State conservation413 ac
Town or city368 ac
Private owners190 ac
Local Park · 612 acConservation Easement · 571 acLocal Conservation Area · 559 acPrivate Park · 180 acRanch Easement · 29 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 123 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 73 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 319 | Open |
| Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 198 | Open |
| Knollwood Club Private Park | Private owners | 180 | Restricted |
| Skokie River Nature Preserve Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 72 | Open |
| Mccormick Woods Nature Preserve Local Park | Town or city | 60 | Open |
| Middlefork Farm Nature Preserve Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 51 | Open |
| Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 50 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Park | Town or city | 50 | Open |
| Mellody Farm Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 48 | Open |
| Forest Park And Beach - Lake Forest Local Park | Town or city | 43 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
31 places to go in Lake Forest
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Lake Forest
Forest Park Beach
DirectionsPlus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Lake Forest
Elawa Park
DirectionsElawa Park
DirectionsPlus 22 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Lake Forest
Prairie Wolf Off-Leash Dog AreaIn Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve
DirectionsWaterfalls in Lake Forest
1 waterfall without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Lake Forest
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Trails & water
10 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 15.2 mi
Fort Sheridan Birding Trail Loop1.6 mi
Ridge Trail0.7 mi
George Beach Trail0.5 mi
Woodland Trail0.3 mi
Fort Sheridan Grass Trail0.2 mi
Ravine Crest Trail0.2 mi
Gateway Trail0.2 mi
Jamee Field Riverwalk Trail0.2 mi
Hart Family Trail0.1 mi
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
A. B. Dick LakelakeConway Farms Golf Club Pond 1pondConway Farms Golf Club Pond 2pondConway Park LakelakeConway Park Pond 1pondConway Park Pond 2pondConway Park Pond 3pondDalitsch PondpondEagle LakelakeGavin Woods Pond 1pondGavin Woods Pond 2pondLake Forest PondpondLarson Michels Ross Pond 1pondLarson Michels Ross Pond 2pondPatton PondpondRiley PondpondWayne L. and Jo Ann C. Kent Reflecting PoolpondSkokie River
Biking & sports
27 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
26 mi
off-road bike paths
0.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
93Tennis
26Soccer
25Pickleball
18Baseball
12Basketball
7Football
3Field hockey
2Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →20 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.
RagdaleBuilding · listed 1976
About itLake Forest Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1978
About itVine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1980
About itJ. Ogden Armour HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itNoble Judah EstateDistrict · listed 1990
About itDeerpath InnBuilding · listed 1992
About itRobert P. Lamont HouseBuilding · listed 1993
About itEdward H. Bennett House and StudioBuilding · listed 1995
About itGreen Bay Road Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1995
About itClifford Milton Leonard FarmBuilding · listed 2000
About itRobert Hosmer Morse HouseBuilding · listed 2000
About itMrs. Kersey Coates Reed HouseBuilding · listed 2001
About it8 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Lake Forest: 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) | 31 | 35 | 45 | 56 | 67 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 61 | 48 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Lake Forest →
Next door
Lake Forest and its neighbors
Lake Forest has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Lake Forest35 miHighland Park31 miMoraine Township28 miShields Township26 miLake Bluff5.8 miMettawa1.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Forest | 14% | 2.0 | 52 | 94% | A+ |
| Shields Township | 14% | 1.5 | 25 | 99% | A |
| Moraine Township | 9% | 2.4 | 23 | 99%+ | A |
| Highland Park | 10% | 2.6 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Mettawa | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lake Bluff | 26% | 1.4 | 81 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Highwood | 1% | 0.6 | 1 | 99%+ | B− |
| Bannockburn | 8% | 0.1 | 98 | 99%+ | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lake Forest
Where can I hike in Lake Forest?
The longest trail networks: Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve, 4.6 miles; Skokie River Nature Preserve, 3.2 miles; Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, 2.3 miles; Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve (on leash) and Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Lake Forest?
27 miles of bike routes are on the map: 26 of off-road paths and 0.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Lake Forest?
18,116 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lake Forest or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,056 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Lake Forest have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #19 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 Lake Forest 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 →