Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
251 acres4.2 mi of trail
North Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: Miroslaw Mucha · Public domainA−Outdoors
Outdoors in Niles Township
7% of Niles 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. 30 miles of mapped trail cross Niles Township, 1.4 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Forest Preserve District of Cook County (4.2 mi), Harms Woods Nature Preserve (2.7 mi), Linne Woods Preserve (2.5 mi).
Ahead of 81% of U.S. towns · #188 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
959 acres · of 21.3 sq mi of land
Trails
30 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
611 ac
5.6 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
38 mi
13 mi lanes · 25 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Niles Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Niles Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Niles Township is ahead of 81% of U.S. towns, #188 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Niles Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (30 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land5.6 acres of park per 1,000 residents (611 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13CParks 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 81%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 76%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Niles Township ranks #185 on Outdoors.
Park acres per resident are where Niles Township trails most U.S. towns: 5.6 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 109,978 people share 611 acres.
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 Forest Preserve District of Cook County, with 4.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Harms Woods Nature Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
134 acres2.7 mi of trail
North Branch Orange Unpaved TrailNorth Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Linne Woods Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
180 acres2.5 mi of trail
North Branch Yellow Unpaved TrailNorth Branch Tan Unpaved Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Park No. 538
Managed by Chicago Park District
31 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Harms Flatwoods Nature Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
106 acres1.2 mi of trail
North Branch Brown Unpaved Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Henry Proesel Park
Managed by Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
21 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Harrer Park
Managed by Morton Grove Park District
23 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Prairie View Park
Managed by Morton Grove Park District
18 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 78 parks & preserves
Forest Preserve District of Cook County251 acres · 4.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsHarms Woods Nature Preserve134 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsLinne Woods Preserve180 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsPark No. 53831 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Chicago Park District
DirectionsHarms Flatwoods Nature Preserve106 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsHenry Proesel Park21 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
DirectionsHarrer Park23 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Morton Grove Park District
DirectionsPrairie View Park18 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Morton Grove Park District
DirectionsEmily Oaks Nature Center15 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsSkokie Sports Park35 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsLaramie Park12 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsOakton Park19 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsFrank Hren Discovery Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Morton Grove Park District
DirectionsFrank Bobrytzke Forest268 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsChannelside Park16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsDevonshire Park10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsNational Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Morton Grove Park District
DirectionsCaldwell Preserves144 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsEmerson Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsAustin Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Morton Grove Park District
Harms Woods Preserves289 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsPioneer Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Niles Park District
DirectionsTerminal Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsDonald W. Lyon Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsGleiss Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsDiederich Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Glenview Park District
DirectionsLincolnwood Centennial Park23 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
DirectionsSculpture Park - Section IV12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSculpture Park - Section I12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsM. Lester Flowers Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
Wetlands2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Niles Park District
DirectionsPalma Lane Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Morton Grove Park District
Sequoyah Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
DirectionsAllen Weissburg Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
Mulford Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Skokie Park District
Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park45 acres
Wayside Woods Preserve22 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsSculpture Park - Section II12 acres
DirectionsHeritage Park11 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsCentral Park9 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsSculpture Park - Section III9 acres
DirectionsHamlin Park8 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsGorell Park7 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsReid Park6 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsGross Point Park6 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsSkokie Park Tennis Center5 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsNorman Schack Park5 acres · Skokie Park District
Lorel Park5 acres · Skokie Park District
Timber Ridge Park5 acres · Skokie Park District
Kirk Lane Park5 acres · Niles Park District
DirectionsCunliff Park4 acres · Glenview Park District
DirectionsMansfield Park4 acres · Morton Grove Park District
McNally Park4 acres · Skokie Park District
Lockwood Park3 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsSearle Park3 acres
DirectionsSpringfield Park3 acres · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
DirectionsMartin F. Peccia Park3 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsLauth Park2 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsNico Park2 acres · Niles Park District
DirectionsGeorge Park2 acres · Skokie Park District
Beck Park1 acres · Evanston Parks & Recreation
DirectionsShabonee Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
Klehm Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsLee Wright Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
Onöndowa’ga Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsPohatan Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
G.G. Rowell Park1 acres · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
Goebelt Park1 acres · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
Village Green Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsLeaning Tower Plaza1 acres
DirectionsTecumseh Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
DirectionsCharles L. O'Brien Park1 acres · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
DirectionsDrake Park1 acres · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
DirectionsWinnebago Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
Shawnee Park1 acres · Skokie Park District
Main - Hamlin Tennis Center1 acres · Skokie Park District
Jacobs Park1 acres · Morton Grove Park District
Davis Street Parkway1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
959 conserved acres
7% of Niles Township’s land. Who manages Niles Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency333 ac
Private owners242 ac
State conservation233 ac
Town or city146 ac
Local Park · 365 acPrivate Park · 242 acConservation Easement · 233 acUnknown · 73 acLocal Recreation Area · 23 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 232 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evanston Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 193 | Open |
| Westmoreland Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 49 | Open |
| Golf View Recreation Center Unknown | Town or city | 40 | Open |
| North Shore Sculpture Park Local Park | Regional agency | 35 | Open |
| Park No. 538 Local Park | Town or city | 30 | Open |
| Lincolnwood Centennial Park Local Park | Regional agency | 25 | Open |
| Henry A. Prosel Park Local Park | Town or city | 21 | Open |
| Harrer Park Local Park | Regional agency | 20 | Open |
| Oakton Park Local Park | Regional agency | 18 | Open |
| Prairie View Park Local Park | Regional agency | 17 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
109 places to go in Niles Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Niles Township
Old Orchard Mall Play Area
Directions81 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Niles Township
Pooch ParkIn Channelside Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Niles Township
Linne Woods Canoe LandingIn Linne Woods Preserve
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Picnic areas in Niles Township
Bunker Hill Picnic Shelter Grove 2In Caldwell Preserves
DirectionsBunker Hill Picnic Shelter Grove 3In Caldwell Preserves
DirectionsBunker Hill Picnic Shelter Grove 4In Caldwell Preserves
DirectionsBunker Hill Picnic Shelter Grove 5In Caldwell Preserves
DirectionsBunker Hill Picnic Shelter Grove 6In Caldwell Preserves
DirectionsBunker Hill Picnic Shelter Grove 7In Caldwell Preserves
DirectionsHarms Woods Picnic Grove 2In Harms Woods Preserves
DirectionsHarms Woods Picnic Grove 4In Harms Woods Preserves
Directions12 more picnic areas
Harms Woods Picnic Grove 6In Harms Woods Preserves
DirectionsHarms Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Harms Woods Preserves
DirectionsHarms Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 3In Harms Woods Preserves
DirectionsHarms Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 5In Harms Woods Preserves
DirectionsLinne Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Linne Woods Preserve
DirectionsLinne Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 2In Linne Woods Preserve
DirectionsMiami Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Frank Bobrytzke Forest
DirectionsSt. Paul Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Frank Bobrytzke Forest
DirectionsSt. Paul Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 2In Frank Bobrytzke Forest
DirectionsSt. Paul Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 3In Frank Bobrytzke Forest
DirectionsSt. Paul Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 4In Frank Bobrytzke Forest
DirectionsWayside Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Wayside Woods Preserve
DirectionsDisc golf in Niles Township
North Shore Channel Trail DGCIn Lincolnwood Centennial Park · Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Niles Township
Niles Community Rain GardenVillage of Niles
DirectionsSkokie Community GardenSkokie Park District
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.9 miHorses · 4.7 miUnpaved · 9.9 mi
North Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail2.0 mi
North Branch Brown Unpaved Trail1.2 mi
North Branch Orange Unpaved Trail0.8 mi
North Branch Tan Unpaved Trail0.8 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
38 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
13 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
25 mi
off-road bike paths
1.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
North Branch Yellow Unpaved TrailBike route
2 miNorth Branch Brown Unpaved TrailBike route
1.2 miNorth Branch Tan Unpaved TrailBike route
0.8 miNorth Branch Orange Unpaved TrailBike route
0.8 miCourts & fields
115Tennis
55Basketball
40Baseball
20Soccer
17Pickleball
7Softball
3Beach volleyball
3Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Niles 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 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 36 | 46 | 58 | 69 | 79 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 62 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Niles Township →
Next door
Niles Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Chicago242 miNorthfield Township58 miNew Trier Township34 miNiles Township30 miEvanston12 miSkokie9.8 miNiles4.0 miLincolnwood2.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niles Township | 7% | 1.4 | 6 | 99%+ | A− |
| Chicago | 8% | 1.1 | 4 | 99% | A− |
| Skokie | 8% | 1.0 | 5 | 99%+ | A− |
| Niles | 3% | 0.7 | 4 | 99%+ | B |
| Evanston | 6% | 1.5 | 4 | 99%+ | A− |
| New Trier Township | 8% | 2.1 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
| Northfield Township | 9% | 1.7 | 15 | 91% | A |
| Lincolnwood | 5% | 1.0 | 9 | 99%+ | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Niles Township
Where can I hike in Niles Township?
The longest trail networks: Forest Preserve District of Cook County, 4.2 miles; Harms Woods Nature Preserve, 2.7 miles; Linne Woods Preserve, 2.5 miles; Park No. 538, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Niles Township is conserved land?
7% 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 Niles Township’s trails?
Forest Preserve District of Cook County and Harms Woods Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Niles Township?
38 miles of bike routes are on the map: 13 of painted or protected lanes, 25 of off-road paths and 1.1 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: North Branch Yellow Unpaved Trail, North Branch Brown Unpaved Trail and North Branch Tan Unpaved Trail.
Is there public land near Niles Township?
10,731 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Niles Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 626 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Niles Township have?
Ahead of 81% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #188 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 Niles 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 →