Knock Knolls Park
Managed by Naperville Park District
116 acres3.1 mi of trail
River TrailRunners Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Sea Cow · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Naperville
8% of Naperville’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
The biggest trail networks: Knock Knolls Park (3.1 mi), Centennial Park (1.4 mi), Frontier Sports Complex (1.2 mi). 8% of Naperville’s land is conserved, about 2,125 acres. 25 miles of mapped trail cross Naperville, 0.6 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns · #150 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
8%
2,125 acres · of 39.4 sq mi of land
Trails
25 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,305 ac
15 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
55 mi
2.4 mi lanes · 52 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
9
1 beach · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Naperville?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Naperville have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Naperville is ahead of 84% of U.S. towns, #150 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Naperville’s overall grade.
Conserved land8% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (25 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land15 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,305 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13BParks close to home99% 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 84%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 81%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Naperville ranks #151 on Outdoors.
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 Knock Knolls Park, with 3.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Centennial Park
Managed by Naperville Park District
28 acres1.4 mi of trail
Riverwalk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Frontier Sports Complex
Managed by Naperville Park District
106 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
DuPage River Park
Managed by Naperville Park District
262 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sportsman's Park
Managed by Naperville Park District
28 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Seager Park
Managed by Naperville Park District
33 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
May Watts Park
Managed by Naperville Park District
28 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Riverwoods Park
Managed by Naperville Park District
19 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 133 parks & preserves
Knock Knolls Park116 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCentennial Park28 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsFrontier Sports Complex106 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsDuPage River Park262 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSportsman's Park28 acres · 1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSeager Park33 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsMay Watts Park28 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsRiverwoods Park19 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsKnoch Park43 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCommissioners Park77 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSpringbrook Parkway49 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsBurlington Park Forest Preserve52 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
DirectionsGarden Plots Park28 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsNike Sports Complex42 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsArbor Way Park34 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsRiverwalk Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHobson West Ponds16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsFredehagen Park2 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWolf's Crossing Community Park38 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsDuPage River Sports Complex26 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsBrook Crossings Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSpring-Field Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
Meadow Glens Park20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWinding Creek Park19 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsOakridge Parkway12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
Campus Greens Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsBailey Hobson Woods Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCentral Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsGartner Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsPrairie Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHobson Grove Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHunters Woods8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsStanford Meadows7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
Springhill Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
Willowgate Square2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWest Greens Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Naperville Park District
Herrick Lake Forest Preserve164 acres · Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
DirectionsWhalon Lake Park66 acres · Forest Preserve District of Will County
DirectionsPioneer Park Forest Preserve56 acres · Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
DirectionsCountry Lakes Park36 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsClow Creek Greenway30 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsAshbury Park27 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWildflower Park26 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsTall Grass Lakes Park26 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsArrowhead Park25 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsVermont Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve20 acres · Forest Preserve District of Will County
DirectionsAshbury Greenway19 acres · Naperville Park District
Wil-O-Way Commons Park18 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsFairlane Farms Park16 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSpringhill Greenway16 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsDorothea Weigand Riverfront Park16 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsKingsley Prairie16 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSummerfield Lake Park15 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsVeterans Park15 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCarrol Acres15 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsA. George Pradel Park14 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsBrighton Ridge Park14 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsFoxhill Greens Park13 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsAshwood Park13 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsTall Grass Greenway12 acres · Naperville Park District
Brush Hill Park11 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSpringbrook Prairie10 acres · Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
DirectionsUniversity Heights Park10 acres · Naperville Park District
William Freidrich Memorial Park10 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCantore Park10 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWestglen Commons Park10 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsColumbia Commons10 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsRock Ridge Park10 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHeatherstone Park10 acres · Naperville Park District
Harris Fawell Park10 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsAtwater Park9 acres · Naperville Park District
Lincoln Greenway9 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSpringbrook Crossings Park9 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWil-O-Way Park9 acres · Naperville Park District
Bainbridge Greens Park8 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsRanchview Park8 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsQueensbury Greens Park8 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsOld Sawmill Park8 acres · Naperville Park District
Baileywood Park7 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWhite Eagle Park7 acres · Naperville Park District
Westglen Park7 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsBrook Prairie7 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsSouth Pointe Park6 acres · Naperville Park District
Olesen Estates Park6 acres · Naperville Park District
Century Farms Park6 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsMill Street Park6 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsTall Grass Park6 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsFarmington Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
Rose Hill Farms Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
Farmington Commons Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsKnoch Knolls Commons Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHigh Meadow Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsOld Farm Greenway Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
Three Meadows Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
Cress Creek Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsColumbia Estates Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHobson West Park5 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsKendall Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCreekside Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
Eagle Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
Redfield Commons Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsEast Greens Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHuntington Estates Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsButtonwood Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
Firemen's Memorial Park4 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsMcDowell Grove Forest Preserve3 acres · Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
DirectionsHuntington Commons3 acres · Naperville Park District
River Run Park3 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsWalnut Ridge Park3 acres · Naperville Park District
Pembroke Commons Park3 acres · Naperville Park District
Pembroke Park3 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsFairways Commons Park3 acres · Naperville Park District
Windridge Park2 acres
DirectionsNaper Commons Park2 acres · Naperville Park District
Timber Creek Park2 acres · Naperville Park District
Forest View Park2 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsNike Greenway2 acres · Naperville Park District
Huntington Ridge Park2 acres · Naperville Park District
Olesen Farm Park2 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsRiver Run Preserve South2 acres · Naperville Park District
Burr Oak Park2 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHuntington Estates Parkway2 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCountry Commons2 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsKings Park2 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsGreene Valley Forest Preserve1 acres · Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Burlington Square Park1 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsCrestview Knoll Park1 acres · Naperville Park District
Miledje Square1 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsHobson Woods Park1 acres · Naperville Park District
Kroehler Park1 acres · Naperville Park District
DirectionsColfax Way1 acres · Naperville Park District
Dove Park1 acres
DirectionsHeritage Place Park1 acres
Who protects it
2,125 conserved acres
8% of Naperville’s land. Who manages Naperville’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency1,836 ac
Town or city262 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits92 ac
State natural resources24 ac
Local Park · 1,574 acState Conservation Area · 206 acUnknown · 165 acConservation Easement · 119 acLocal Conservation Area · 103 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 96 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 144 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrick Lake Forest Preserve State Conservation Area | Regional agency | 167 | Closed |
| Springbrook Golf Course Unknown | Town or city | 163 | Open |
| Knoch Knolls Park Local Park | Regional agency | 110 | Open |
| Frontier Sports Complex Local Park | Regional agency | 108 | Open |
| Burlington Park Local Park | Regional agency | 102 | Open |
| Commissioners Park Local Park | Regional agency | 77 | Open |
| Springbrook Parkway Local Park | Regional agency | 51 | Open |
| Nike Sports Complex Local Park | Regional agency | 42 | Open |
| Riverwalk Park Local Park | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Knoch Park Local Park | Regional agency | 38 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
162 places to go in Naperville
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Naperville
Centennial BeachIn Centennial Park
DirectionsPublic pools in Naperville
Ashbury Clubhouse
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Naperville
95th Street Community PlazaIn Frontier Sports Complex
DirectionsBall FactoryHours: Mo, Tu, Th 09:30-15:00; We off; Fr, Sa, Su 10:00-18:00
DirectionsFuntopia Adventure Park
DirectionsJaycees PlaygroundIn Centennial Park
DirectionsUniversity Heights Park PlaygroundIn University Heights Park
Directions142 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Naperville
Whalon Lake Dog ParkIn Whalon Lake Park
DirectionsPlus 5 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Naperville
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Naperville
Sesquincentennial OverlookIn Riverwalk Park
DirectionsPeaks in Naperville
Rotary HillIn Riverwalk Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Naperville
5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Naperville
Von Oven Scout Reservation
DirectionsDisc golf in Naperville
Knoch Knolls Disc Golf CourseIn Knock Knolls Park
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.9 miUnpaved · 7.6 mi
Riverwalk1.3 mi
River Trail0.3 mi
Runners Trail0.1 mi
Windrigde Park Path0.1 mi
Biking & sports
55 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
52 mi
off-road bike paths
1.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
128Tennis
93Basketball
66Baseball
65Pickleball
28Soccer
17Football
12Multi-sport
9Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 9 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Naperville
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) | 31 | 36 | 47 | 60 | 71 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 49 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.6 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Naperville →
Next door
Naperville and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Aurora36 miWinfield Township33 miNaperville Township31 miLisle29 miNaperville25 miPlainfield12 miBolingbrook10 miWarrenville2.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naperville | 8% | 0.6 | 15 | 99% | A− |
| Warrenville | 4% | 0.5 | 11 | 88% | B+ |
| Lisle | 8% | 4.1 | 21 | 99% | A |
| Bolingbrook | 6% | 0.4 | 14 | 99% | A− |
| Aurora | 10% | 0.8 | 17 | 99% | A |
| Plainfield | 7% | 0.5 | 19 | 99% | A− |
| Naperville Township | 17% | 0.9 | 20 | 99% | A |
| Winfield Township | 15% | 0.9 | 37 | 92% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Naperville
Where can I hike in Naperville?
The longest trail networks: Knock Knolls Park, 3.1 miles; Centennial Park, 1.4 miles; Frontier Sports Complex, 1.2 miles; DuPage River Park, 1.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Naperville is conserved land?
8% 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 Naperville’s trails?
Knock Knolls Park and Centennial Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Naperville?
55 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.4 of painted or protected lanes, 52 of off-road paths and 1.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Naperville?
31,499 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Naperville or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,309 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Naperville have?
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #150 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 Naperville 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 →