Algonquin Woods Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
193 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
BOutdoors
Outdoors in Maine Township
98% of residents live within a half mile of a park in Maine Township
22 miles of mapped trail cross Maine Township, 0.8 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Algonquin Woods Preserve (2.3 mi), Campground Road Woods Preserve (2.1 mi), Dam Number 4 North Preserve (1.6 mi). 526 acres are parks and preserves, 3.8 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 63% of U.S. towns · #372 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
480 acres · of 25.9 sq mi of land
Trails
22 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
526 ac
3.8 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
28 mi
6.2 mi lanes · 14 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
13
4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Maine Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Maine Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Maine Township is ahead of 63% of U.S. towns, #372 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 Maine Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B−Trails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (22 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land3.8 acres of park per 1,000 residents (526 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13CParks close to home98% 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 63%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 52%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Maine Township ranks #308 on Outdoors.
Park acres per resident are where Maine Township trails most U.S. towns: 3.8 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 136,611 people share 526 acres.
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 Algonquin Woods Preserve, with 2.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Campground Road Woods Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
107 acres2.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Dam Number 4 North Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
260 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Kloempken Prairie Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
145 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Big Bend Lake Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
160 acres0.8 mi of trail
Big Bend Lake Hiking Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Dee Park
Managed by Golf Maine Park District
13 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Golf Mill Park
Managed by Niles Park District
10 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Prairie Lakes Park
Managed by Des Plaines Park District
42 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 78 parks & preserves
Algonquin Woods Preserve193 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsCampground Road Woods Preserve107 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsDam Number 4 North Preserve260 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsKloempken Prairie Preserve145 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsBig Bend Lake Preserve160 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsDee Park13 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Golf Maine Park District
DirectionsGolf Mill Park10 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Niles Park District
DirectionsPrairie Lakes Park42 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsCentennial Park20 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsMaine Park13 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
Iroquois Woods Preserve94 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsBelleau Lake Preserve47 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsArndt Park14 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsNorth Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
Manor Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Glenview Park District
Lake Park75 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsHarry Semrow Preserve58 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsOakton Park16 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
Johns Park12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Glenview Park District
DirectionsJames Woodworth Prairie Preserve (Peacock Prairie)6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · University of Illinois Chicago
DirectionsOriole Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Morton Grove Park District
DirectionsCentral Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsLions Woods Preserve37 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsNorthwestern Woods Preserve24 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsWest Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
Woodland Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsOak Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Niles Park District
Des Plaines Manor Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsOakton Manor Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Niles Park District
Cumberland Terrace1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsApache Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsDimucci-Lowenberg Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
Ballard Point Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Hawaii Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Des Plaines Park District
Forest Preserve District of Cook County70 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsBelleau Wood Preserve34 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsRand Park15 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsNorthwest Park14 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsHinkley Park13 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsProspect Park12 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsJohn E. Traeger Preserve11 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsNortheast Park11 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsBallard Park9 acres · Niles Park District
DirectionsSouth Park7 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsChippewa Park6 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsSeminole Park6 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsRugen Park5 acres · Glenview Park District
Blackhawk Park5 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsOasis Water Park5 acres · Niles Park District
DirectionsJonquil Terrace Park5 acres · Niles Park District
DirectionsGrennan Heights Park4 acres · Niles Park District
Leisure Center Park4 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsEaton Field Park4 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Cheyenne Park4 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsNi-Ridge Park4 acres · Park Ridge Park District
Sesquicentennial Park4 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsLadendorf Park4 acres · Glenview Park District
Morgan Park4 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsTomahawk Park3 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Courtland Park3 acres · Niles Park District
Oketo Park3 acres · Morton Grove Park District
Washington Terrace Park3 acres · Niles Park District
DirectionsCornell Park2 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Willow Park2 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsCumberland Park2 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsNorthshire Park2 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsShermer Park1 acres · Morton Grove Park District
Westfield Gardens1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsHodges Park1 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsKutchen Park1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Potawatomie Park1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Woodlawn Park1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Rotary Park1 acres · Park Ridge Park District
South Golf Cul de Sac Park1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
DirectionsMcKay-Nealis Park1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Menominee Park1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Kiwanis Park1 acres · Des Plaines Park District
Overhill Park1 acres · Morton Grove Park District
DirectionsWho protects it
480 conserved acres
3% of Maine Township’s land. Who manages Maine Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency288 ac
Town or city188 ac
Local Park · 392 acLocal Recreation Area · 46 acUnknown · 37 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Park Local Park | Regional agency | 76 | Open |
| Prairie Lakes Community Center Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 38 | Open |
| Golf Center Des Plaines Unknown | Town or city | 35 | Open |
| Centennial Park Local Park | Town or city | 17 | Open |
| Oakton Park Local Park | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Rand Park Local Park | Regional agency | 15 | Open |
| South Park Local Park | Town or city | 14 | Open |
| Northwest Park Local Park | Town or city | 13 | Open |
| Hinkley Park Local Park | Town or city | 13 | Open |
| Dee Park Local Park | Regional agency | 13 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
103 places to go in Maine Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Maine Township
Hinckley Swimming PoolIn Hinkley Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Maine Township
78 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Maine Township
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Maine Township
Big Bend Lake Boat LaunchIn Big Bend Lake Preserve
DirectionsNorthwestern Woods Canoe LandingIn Northwestern Woods Preserve
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Maine Township
Axehead LakeIn Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsAxehead LakeIn Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsAxehead LakeIn Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsBelleau LakeIn Belleau Lake Preserve
DirectionsChippewa WoodsIn Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsPlus 1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Peaks in Maine Township
Centennial HillIn Centennial Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Maine Township
Big Bend Lake Grove #1In Big Bend Lake Preserve
DirectionsBlandings Grove Family Picnic AreaHours: sunrise-sunset · In Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsCamp Ground Road Woods Grove #1In Campground Road Woods Preserve
DirectionsChippewa Woods Grove #1In Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsDam No. 4 Woods-East Grove #2In Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsIroquois Woods Grove #1In Iroquois Woods Preserve
DirectionsJohn E. Traeger Family Picnic AreaHours: sunrise-sunset · In John E. Traeger Preserve
DirectionsLions Woods Grove #1In Lions Woods Preserve
Directions1 more picnic area
Northwestern Woods Grove #1In Northwestern Woods Preserve
DirectionsPlus 2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Maine Township
Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 13 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.0 miUnpaved · 4.4 mi
Big Bend Lake Hiking Trail0.8 mi
Biking & sports
28 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
6.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
14 mi
off-road bike paths
7.8 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Park Ridge BikewaysBike route
0.3 miCourts & fields
90Tennis
55Baseball
41Basketball
22Soccer
21Pickleball
9Football
4Skate park
4Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Maine Township: August 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) | 32 | 36 | 47 | 59 | 70 | 80 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.6 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Maine Township →
Next door
Maine Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Chicago242 miNiles Township30 miMaine Township22 miElk Grove Township19 miLeyden Township13 miPark Ridge7.8 miDes Plaines7.4 miRosemont0.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Township | 3% | 0.8 | 4 | 98% | B |
| Chicago | 8% | 1.1 | 4 | 99% | A− |
| Rosemont | 2% | 0.5 | 9 | 99%+ | B |
| Des Plaines | 4% | 0.5 | 7 | 99% | B+ |
| Park Ridge | 3% | 1.1 | 4 | 97% | B+ |
| Leyden Township | 1% | 0.6 | 2 | 95% | B− |
| Elk Grove Township | 6% | 0.7 | 6 | 96% | B+ |
| Niles Township | 7% | 1.4 | 6 | 99%+ | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Maine Township
Where can I hike in Maine Township?
The longest trail networks: Algonquin Woods Preserve, 2.3 miles; Campground Road Woods Preserve, 2.1 miles; Dam Number 4 North Preserve, 1.6 miles; Kloempken Prairie Preserve, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Maine Township 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 Maine Township’s trails?
Algonquin Woods Preserve and Campground Road Woods Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Maine Township?
28 miles of bike routes are on the map: 6.2 of painted or protected lanes, 14 of off-road paths and 7.8 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Park Ridge Bikeways.
Is there public land near Maine Township?
15,818 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Maine Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 527 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Maine Township have?
Ahead of 63% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #372 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 Maine 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 →