Marengo Ridge Conservation Area
Managed by McHenry County Conservation District
790 acres6.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: Andy McMurray · CC BY 2.5–Not graded
Outdoors in Marengo Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Marengo Township
The biggest trail networks: Marengo Ridge Conservation Area (6.2 mi). 13% of Marengo Township’s land is conserved, about 3,093 acres. 582 acres are parks and preserves, 80 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
13%
3,093 acres · of 35.9 sq mi of land
Trails
15 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
582 ac
80 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
85%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.8 mi
0.8 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
1
1 boat launch
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 Marengo Ridge Conservation Area, with 6.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Sponable Park
Park
4 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
3,093 conserved acres
13% of Marengo Township’s land. Who manages Marengo Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency3,034 ac
State natural resources207 ac
Private owners85 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits3 ac
Local Conservation Area · 2,727 acConservation Easement · 231 acPrivate Conservation · 131 acState Conservation Area · 82 acLocal Park · 59 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 21 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 38 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marengo Ridge 11 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 308 | Unknown |
| Kishwaukee Corridor 14 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 282 | Restricted |
| Kishwaukee Corridor Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 251 | Open |
| Kishwaukee Corridor 6 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 230 | Restricted |
| Kishwaukee Corridor 18 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 219 | Restricted |
| Kishwaukee Corridor 11 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 156 | Restricted |
| Coon Creek 6 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 154 | Unknown |
| Kishwaukee Corridor 8 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 147 | Restricted |
| Kishwaukee Corridor 17 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 130 | Restricted |
| Kishwaukee Corridor 21 Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 117 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
7 places to go in Marengo Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Marengo Township
Above Ground Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Marengo Township
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Marengo Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Marengo Township
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Marengo Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Marengo Township
Thomas Woods CampsiteIn Marengo Ridge Conservation Area
DirectionsTrails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.8 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.8 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
13Baseball
8Tennis
5Soccer
2Basketball
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Marengo Township
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 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 33 | 46 | 59 | 71 | 80 | 84 | 81 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 1.7 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
February is the driest month (1.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.9 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Marengo Township →
Next door
Marengo Township and its neighbors
Marengo Township has the second most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Bonus Township15 miMarengo Township15 miDunham Township7.6 miRiley Township6.1 miSeneca Township5.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marengo Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Riley Township | 4% | 0.2 | 86 | 60% | B |
| Bonus Township | 4% | 0.4 | 48 | 64% | B+ |
| Dunham Township | 1% | 0.2 | 15 | 67% | C+ |
| Seneca Township | 4% | 0.2 | 101 | 40% | B− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Marengo Township
Where can I hike in Marengo Township?
The longest trail networks: Marengo Ridge Conservation Area, 6.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Marengo Township’s trails?
Marengo Ridge Conservation Area and Indian Oaks Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Marengo Township?
0.8 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.8 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Marengo Township?
8,021 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Marengo Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 582 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Marengo 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 →