Photo: SHurleyVOM · CC BY-SA 4.099% of residents live within a half mile of a park in Matteson
156 acres are parks and preserves, 8.4 per 1,000 residents. 4% of Matteson’s land is conserved, about 239 acres. 3.1 miles of mapped trail cross Matteson, 0.3 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns · #354 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Matteson?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Matteson have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Matteson is ahead of 65% of U.S. towns, #354 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Oakwood Park, with 0.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Notre Dame Park
Butterfield Creek Headwaters Land and Water Reserve
All 9 parks & preserves
239 conserved acres
4% of Matteson’s land. Who manages Matteson’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 6 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfield Creek Headwaters Land And Water Reserve Private Conservation | Private owners | 90 | Closed |
| Governors Trail Park Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
| Butterfield Park Local Park | Regional agency | 20 | Open |
| Alleymong Park Local Park | Town or city | 20 | Open |
| Woodgate Park Local Park | Town or city | 18 | Open |
| Ridgeland Park Local Park | Town or city | 13 | Open |
| Memorial Park Local Park | Regional agency | 11 | Open |
| Oakwood Park Local Park | Town or city | 11 | Open |
| Creekside Park Local Park | Town or city | 8 | Open |
| Notre Dame Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
8 places to go in Matteson
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 7 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
5.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
The best walking months in Matteson: April 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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 36 | 48 | 60 | 71 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 49 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (2.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.6 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Matteson →
Matteson and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matteson | 4% | 0.3 | 8 | 99% | B+ |
| Richton Park | 3% | 0.4 | 8 | 99% | B |
| Park Forest | 12% | 0.6 | 12 | 94% | A− |
| Rich Township | 11% | 0.8 | 12 | 96% | A− |
| Olympia Fields | 7% | 1.6 | 30 | 99% | A |
| Frankfort Township | 6% | 0.6 | 20 | 98% | A− |
| Frankfort Square | 11% | 0.2 | 20 | 99%+ | A− |
| Frankfort | 5% | 0.1 | 26 | 99% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Matteson
Where can I hike in Matteson?
The longest trail networks: Oakwood Park, 0.4 miles; Notre Dame Park, 0.4 miles; Governors Trail Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Matteson is conserved land?
4% 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 Matteson’s trails?
Oakwood Park and Notre Dame Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Matteson?
5.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.1 of painted or protected lanes, 5.0 of off-road paths and 0.7 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Matteson?
7,777 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Matteson or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 156 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Matteson have?
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #354 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 Matteson neighbors.
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 →