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 ↗
AOutdoors
Outdoors in Moraine Township
9% of Moraine Township’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. 28 miles of mapped trail cross Moraine Township, 2.4 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: The Preserve of Highland Park (5.2 mi), Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve (2.4 mi), Larry Fink Memorial Park (2 mi).
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns · #30 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
9%
710 acres · of 11.9 sq mi of land
Trails
28 mi
2.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
807 ac
23 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
25 mi
0.1 mi lanes · 14 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
14
8 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Moraine Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Moraine Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Moraine Township is ahead of 95% of U.S. towns, #30 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 Moraine Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land9% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails2.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (28 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land23 acres of park per 1,000 residents (807 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 95%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 96%
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.
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve
Managed by Lake County Forest Preserves
252 acres2.4 mi of trail
Fort Sheridan Birding Trail LoopFort Sheridan Grass TrailFort Sheridan Forest Preserve Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Larry Fink Memorial Park
Managed by Highland Park Park District
70 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ravinia Festival
Managed by Ravinia Park Association
40 acres2 mi of trail
Bernbaum Sculpture Walk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sunset Woods Park
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
32 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Jean and John Greene Nature Preserve
Managed by Lake Forest Open Lands Association
68 acres1.5 mi of trail
Ridge TrailWoodland TrailRavine Crest TrailGateway Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Briarwood Park
Managed by Deerfield Park District
15 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Rosewood Park
Managed by Park District of Highland Park
16 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Rosewood BeachWebsite ↗
All 41 parks & preserves
The Preserve of Highland Park106 acres · 5.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsFort Sheridan Forest Preserve252 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsLarry Fink Memorial Park70 acres · 2 mi of trail · Highland Park Park District
DirectionsRavinia Festival40 acres · 2 mi of trail · Ravinia Park Association
DirectionsSunset Woods Park32 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsJean and John Greene Nature Preserve68 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Lake Forest Open Lands Association
DirectionsBriarwood Park15 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Deerfield Park District
DirectionsRosewood Park16 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsMoraine Park13 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
Millard 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
DirectionsMooney Park7 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 Park15 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsWoodridge Park13 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
DirectionsTrail Tree Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Deerfield Park District
DirectionsHidden Creek AquaPark13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsLongview Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsRory David Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsCentral Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsPort Clinton Park4 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
DirectionsEverts Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBrown Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsOld Elm Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
Lincoln Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsMay T. Watts Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsOpenlands Lakeshore Preserve95 acres · Lake County Forest Preserves
DirectionsSouth Park17 acres
Moroney Park3 acres · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsSleepy Hollow Park2 acres · Park District of Highland Park
DirectionsSherwood Park2 acres · Park District of Highland Park
Park Avenue Park2 acres
DirectionsMagnolia Park2 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
DirectionsLincoln Place Park1 acres · Park District of Highland Park
Who protects it
710 conserved acres
9% of Moraine Township’s land. Who manages Moraine Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency392 ac
Town or city229 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits176 ac
State conservation73 ac
State natural resources10 ac
Local Park · 347 acConservation Easement · 237 acUnknown · 139 acState Conservation Area · 77 acLocal Conservation Area · 68 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 130 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 | 119 | Open |
| Fort Sheridan Bluff State Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 75 | Open |
| Larry Fink Park Local Park | Regional agency | 69 | Open |
| Mccormick Woods Nature Preserve Local Park | Town or city | 63 | Open |
| Openlands Open Space Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 46 | Open |
| Sunset Woods Park Local Park | Regional agency | 33 | Open |
| Briarwood Nature Area Local Park | Regional agency | 17 | Open |
| West Ridge Park Local Park | Regional agency | 17 | Open |
| Corlands Open Space Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 16 | Open |
| Rosewood Park Local Park | Regional agency | 16 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
70 places to go in Moraine Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Moraine Township
Millard Beach
DirectionsMillard BeachIn Millard Park
DirectionsPark Avenue Boating/Fishing BeachIn Park Avenue Park
DirectionsRosewood BeachIn Rosewood Park
DirectionsPlus 4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Moraine Township
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
Directions50 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Moraine Township
Debbie Gottlieb Beitler Dog ParkFee · In Larry Fink Memorial Park
DirectionsMoraine Beach (Dog park)Hours: dawn-dusk · In Moraine Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Moraine Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Moraine Township
4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Moraine Township
Picnic GroveIn Ravinia Festival
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Moraine Township
Moraine Township Food Pantry GardenIn Woodridge Park · Moraine Township
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
8 named trails and 14 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 6.6 mi
Fort Sheridan Birding Trail Loop1.6 mi
Ridge Trail0.7 mi
Foley Fishing Pond Trail0.4 mi
Woodland Trail0.3 mi
Fort Sheridan Grass Trail0.2 mi
Ravine Crest Trail0.2 mi
Gateway Trail0.2 mi
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Blossom PondpondBob O Link Golf Club Pond 1Bogey's PondpondBommarito PondFoley’s PondpondLarry Fink Memorial PondpondLieberman Management Edgewater Homeowners Association PondpondNorth PondPatton PondpondPond 1pondPond 2pondSunset Valley Golf Course Pond 4Sunset Valley Golf Course Pond 5Skokie River
Biking & sports
25 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
14 mi
off-road bike paths
11 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
82Tennis
22Baseball
19Basketball
18Soccer
13Pickleball
4Football
1Skate park
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Moraine Township: 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 Moraine Township →
Next door
Moraine Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Northfield Township58 miWest Deerfield Township36 miLake Forest35 miNew Trier Township34 miHighland Park31 miMoraine Township28 miShields Township26 miGlencoe5.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moraine Township | 9% | 2.4 | 23 | 99%+ | A |
| Highland Park | 10% | 2.6 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Lake Forest | 14% | 2.0 | 52 | 94% | A+ |
| West Deerfield Township | 11% | 2.0 | 38 | 97% | A+ |
| Shields Township | 14% | 1.5 | 25 | 99% | A |
| Northfield Township | 9% | 1.7 | 15 | 91% | 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 Moraine Township
Where can I hike in Moraine Township?
The longest trail networks: The Preserve of Highland Park, 5.2 miles; Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, 2.4 miles; Larry Fink Memorial Park, 2 miles; Ravinia Festival, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Moraine Township is conserved land?
9% 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 Moraine Township’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Moraine Township?
25 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.1 of painted or protected lanes, 14 of off-road paths and 11 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Moraine Township?
15,168 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Moraine Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 829 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Moraine Township have?
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #30 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 Moraine 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 →