Chicago Botanic Gardens
Managed by Chicago Horticultural Society
242 acres6.7 mi of trail
McDonald Woods Trail (North Trail Loop)McDonald Woods Trail (South Trail Loop)McDonald Woods Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
AOutdoors
Outdoors in New Trier Township
8% of New Trier 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. 34 miles of mapped trail cross New Trier Township, 2.1 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Chicago Botanic Gardens (6.7 mi), Skokie Lagoons South (2.6 mi), Forest Preserve District of Cook County (2.1 mi).
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #91 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
8%
807 acres · of 15.9 sq mi of land
Trails
34 mi
2.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
608 ac
11 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
21 mi
5.5 mi lanes · 13 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
16
11 beaches · 7 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is New Trier Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does New Trier Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, New Trier Township is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #91 of 768 in Illinois. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of New Trier Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land8% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails2.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (34 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land11 acres of park per 1,000 residents (608 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 89%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 88%
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 Chicago Botanic Gardens, with 6.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Skokie Lagoons South
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
298 acres2.6 mi of trail
North Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
421 acres2.1 mi of trail
North Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Skokie Lagoons North
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
110 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Gillson Park
Managed by Wilmette Park District
53 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Skokie Lagoons Central
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
136 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Crow Island Woods
Managed by Winnetka Park District
17 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Mallinckrodt Park
Managed by Wilmette Park District
10 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 66 parks & preserves
Chicago Botanic Gardens242 acres · 6.7 mi of trail · Chicago Horticultural Society
DirectionsSkokie Lagoons South298 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsForest Preserve District of Cook County421 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsSkokie Lagoons North110 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsGillson Park53 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsSkokie Lagoons Central136 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsCrow Island Woods17 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsMallinckrodt Park10 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsHibbard Woods Preserve124 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsCommunity Park34 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
Centennial Park22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsShelton Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Stephen R. Keay Nature Learning Center5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsBarbara Brown Nature Reserve13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsIndian Hill Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsMaloney Farm Preserve3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Kenilworth Park District
DirectionsTurnbull Woods70 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsWatersmeet Woods37 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsHibbard Park14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
Tower Road Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsVattman Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
Bell Woods Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
Hubbard Woods Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsWatts Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
West Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsHoward Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsLloyd Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsLakefront Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsElder Lane Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsVillage Green Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsCunliff Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glenview Park District
DirectionsHenry J. Kalk Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsMaple Street Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsMaple Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Franklin Dunbaugh Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsMilton Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Dwyer Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsClara Dietz Bird Sanctuary1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Elmwood Dunes Preserve1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Village of Wilmette
DirectionsWoodlawn Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Ravine Bluffs Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsDell Place Beach1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
Earlywine Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Wilmette Park District
Friends Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsStation Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsSkokie Playfield26 acres · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsThornwood Park7 acres · Wilmette Park District
Nick Corwin Park5 acres · Winnetka Park District
Melvin Berlin Park5 acres · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsWest Elm Street Park5 acres · Winnetka Park District
North Field Park4 acres · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsTownley Field4 acres · Kenilworth Park District
DirectionsNorthfield Park District3 acres · Northfield Park District
DirectionsSheridan Park3 acres · Winnetka Park District
DirectionsLangdon Park2 acres · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsNorthfield Park2 acres · Winnetka Park District
Robert Everly Wildflower Sanctuary1 acres · Glencoe Park District
Shorewood Park1 acres · Wilmette Park District
Duke Park1 acres · Glencoe Park District
Pee Wee Playfield1 acres · Kenilworth Park District
DirectionsWilmette Park District1 acres · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsVernon Playground Park1 acres · Glencoe Park District
South Ave Overlook1 acres
Glencoe Boating Beach1 acres · Glencoe Park District
DirectionsForest Park1 acres · Wilmette Park District
DirectionsWho protects it
807 conserved acres
8% of New Trier Township’s land. Who manages New Trier Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency497 ac
Private owners230 ac
Town or city76 ac
State natural resources5 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1 ac
Local Park · 343 acPrivate Park · 230 acLocal Recreation Area · 157 acUnknown · 69 acConservation Easement · 6 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1 acre is a conservation easement, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Hill Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 142 | Open |
| Winnetka Golf Club Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 97 | Open |
| Westmoreland Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 88 | Open |
| Wilmette Golf Club Unknown | Town or city | 66 | Open |
| Gillson Park Local Park | Regional agency | 58 | Open |
| Skokie Playfields Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 42 | Open |
| Community Park Local Park | Regional agency | 39 | Open |
| Centennial Park Local Park | Regional agency | 22 | Open |
| Crow Island Park Local Park | Regional agency | 17 | Open |
| Nths Duke Childs Field Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 16 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
87 places to go in New Trier Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in New Trier Township
Cherry Street BeachIn (Cherry St. Beach)
DirectionsGillson BeachFee · In Gillson Park
DirectionsGlencoe Beach
DirectionsKenilworth Beach
DirectionsLangdon Park Beach
DirectionsTower Road Beach
DirectionsPlus 5 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in New Trier Township
Phil Thomas Memorial PlaygroundIn Shelton Park
Directions50 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in New Trier Township
Gillson Dog BeachIn Gillson Park
DirectionsBoat launches in New Trier Township
Stepan Family Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 6 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in New Trier Township
11 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in New Trier Township
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in New Trier Township
Erickson Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Skokie Lagoons South
DirectionsForest Way Grove Picnic ShelterIn Skokie Lagoons North
DirectionsTurnbull Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Turnbull Woods
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Community gardens in New Trier Township
Glencoe Community GardenIn Shelton Park
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 16 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.9 miHorses · 2.8 miUnpaved · 7.0 mi
North Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail2.8 mi
Evanston-Wilmette Community Trail0.7 mi
McDonald Woods Trail (North Trail Loop)0.4 mi
McDonald Woods Trail (South Trail Loop)0.3 mi
Biking & sports
21 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.5 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
13 mi
off-road bike paths
3.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
North Branch Yellow Unpaved TrailBike route
2.8 miCourts & fields
125Tennis
27Baseball
8Soccer
7Basketball
5Football
4Pickleball
1Field hockey
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in New Trier 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 | 36 | 45 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in New Trier Township →
Next door
New Trier Township and its neighbors
New Trier Township has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Northfield Township58 miNew Trier Township34 miNiles Township30 miEvanston12 miWilmette9.2 miGlencoe5.8 miWinnetka5.6 miKenilworth0.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Trier Township | 8% | 2.1 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
| Winnetka | 10% | 1.5 | 18 | 99%+ | A |
| Glencoe | 3% | 1.6 | 10 | 99%+ | A− |
| Wilmette | 11% | 1.7 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
| Northfield Township | 9% | 1.7 | 15 | 91% | A |
| Evanston | 6% | 1.5 | 4 | 99%+ | A− |
| Niles Township | 7% | 1.4 | 6 | 99%+ | A− |
| Kenilworth | 2% | 0.7 | 5 | 99%+ | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in New Trier Township
Where can I hike in New Trier Township?
The longest trail networks: Chicago Botanic Gardens, 6.7 miles; Skokie Lagoons South, 2.6 miles; Forest Preserve District of Cook County, 2.1 miles; Skokie Lagoons North, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of New Trier Township 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 New Trier Township’s trails?
Chicago Botanic Gardens and Skokie Lagoons South don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in New Trier Township?
21 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.5 of painted or protected lanes, 13 of off-road paths and 3.1 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: North Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail.
Is there public land near New Trier Township?
10,821 acres of parks and open public land lie inside New Trier Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 610 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does New Trier Township have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #91 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 New Trier 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 →