Silver Creek Conservation Area
Managed by McHenry County Conservation District
653 acres5.6 mi of trail
West Trail LoopLong LoopEast Trail LoopShort Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Terwilliger House · Photo: Andy McMurray · CC BY 2.5AOutdoors
Outdoors in Nunda Township
16% of Nunda Township’s land is conserved: 4,772 acres
2,420 acres are parks and preserves, 63 per 1,000 residents. 38 miles of mapped trail cross Nunda Township, 0.8 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Silver Creek Conservation Area (5.6 mi), Sterne's Woods Park (5 mi), Veteran Acres Park (3.6 mi).
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #96 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
16%
4,772 acres · of 46.9 sq mi of land
Trails
38 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,420 ac
63 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
73%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
27 mi
0.6 mi lanes · 27 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
9
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Nunda Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Nunda Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Nunda Township is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #96 of 768 in Illinois. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Nunda Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land16% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%ATrails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (38 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land63 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,420 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home73% of residents within a half mile of a park · IL 88% · U.S. 72%B
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 Silver Creek Conservation Area, with 5.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Sterne's Woods Park
Managed by Crystal Lake Park District
116 acres5 mi of trail
Moraine View TrailFen View Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Veteran Acres Park
Managed by Crystal Lake Park District
134 acres3.6 mi of trail
Kettle View TrailPrairie View TrailMoraine View Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Moraine Hills State Park
Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources
1,591 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sterne's Fen Nature Preserve
Managed by Crystal Lake Park District
80 acres2.1 mi of trail
Oak View Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Oakwood Hills Fen
Managed by Village of Oakwood Hills
97 acres1.6 mi of trail
deer path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Bates Fen Nature Preserve
Managed by McHenry County Conservation District
205 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Wingate Prairie Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
15 acres1.1 mi of trail
Prairie View TrailKettle View Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
All 32 parks & preserves
Silver Creek Conservation Area653 acres · 5.6 mi of trail · McHenry County Conservation District
DirectionsSterne's Woods Park116 acres · 5 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsVeteran Acres Park134 acres · 3.6 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsMoraine Hills State Park1,591 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · Illinois Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsSterne's Fen Nature Preserve80 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsOakwood Hills Fen97 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Village of Oakwood Hills
DirectionsBates Fen Nature Preserve205 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · McHenry County Conservation District
DirectionsWingate Prairie Nature Preserve15 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsStickney Run Conservation Area372 acres · 1 mi of trail · McHenry County Conservation District
DirectionsWoodland Estates Park21 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsBoloria Meadows36 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · The Land Conservancy of McHenry County
DirectionsLippold Park78 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Crystal Lake Park District
Boger Bog Conservation Area17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · McHenry County Conservation District
DirectionsPrairie Ridge Conservation Area70 acres
DirectionsMiller Riverfront Park41 acres
DirectionsKnox Park36 acres
DirectionsWheeler Fen Park32 acres
DirectionsPowers Creek Conservation Area16 acres
Boulder Creek Park13 acres
DirectionsWindy Knoll Conservation Area11 acres
Veteran's Park10 acres
DirectionsJaycee Park5 acres
Colonel Palmer House4 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area2 acres · McHenry County Conservation District
DirectionsMaple Ridge Park2 acres
Asbury Park2 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
Creekside Park2 acres
DirectionsHomestead Tot Lot1 acres
Pebble Creek Park1 acres
DirectionsGalway Totlot1 acres
Depot Park1 acres · Crystal Lake Park District
DirectionsMcHenry Shores Park1 acres
Who protects it
4,772 conserved acres
16% of Nunda Township’s land. Who manages Nunda Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources1,931 ac
Regional agency1,797 ac
State conservation1,467 ac
Town or city432 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits390 ac
Private owners80 ac
County38 ac
Conservation Easement · 1,839 acState Park · 1,563 acState Conservation Area · 983 acLocal Conservation Area · 964 acLocal Park · 721 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 661 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 5 of 85 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morraine Hills State Park State Park | State natural resources | 1,563 | Open |
| Silver Creek Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 699 | Open |
| Black Crown Marsh State Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 365 | Open |
| Stickney Run Conservation Area Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 224 | Restricted |
| Sterne's Fen Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Town or city | 185 | Restricted |
| Sterne'S Woods Local Park | Regional agency | 185 | Open |
| Veteran Acres Park Local Park | Regional agency | 133 | Open |
| Stickney Run 2 State Conservation Area | Regional agency | 117 | Restricted |
| Lippold Park Local Park | Regional agency | 71 | Open |
| Stickney Run 3 State Conservation Area | Regional agency | 70 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
42 places to go in Nunda Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Nunda Township
Morrison Park BeachHours: sunrise-sunset · In Morrison Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Nunda Township
Acorn Alley PlaygroundIn Veteran Acres Park
DirectionsMcDonald's PlayPlace
Directions32 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Nunda Township
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Nunda Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Nunda Township
Black Tern Marsh Viewing Platform FormIn Moraine Hills State Park
DirectionsWetland Scenic ViewIn Moraine Hills State Park
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Picnic areas in Nunda Township
3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
12 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.8 miUnpaved · 18.7 mi
Moraine View Trail1.6 mi
West Trail Loop1.2 mi
Long Loop1.2 mi
East Trail Loop1.0 mi
Oak View Trail1.0 mi
Kettle View Trail0.8 mi
Prairie View Trail0.8 mi
Fen View Trail0.8 mi
Short Loop0.6 mi
Trail to River0.3 mi
2 more trails
deer path
0.2 miGreen Oaks Drive connection
0.1 miBiking & sports
27 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
27 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
26Tennis
13Baseball
6Basketball
4Soccer
2Beach volleyball
2Football
2Volleyball
1Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Terwilliger HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Nunda 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 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 34 | 46 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Nunda Township →
Next door
Nunda Township and its neighbors
Nunda Township has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Algonquin Township52 miNunda Township38 miMcHenry Township21 miDorr Township20 miOakwood Hills6.6 miLakemoor2.2 miWauconda Township1.9 miPort Barrington1.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nunda Township | 16% | 0.8 | 63 | 73% | A |
| Wauconda Township | 5% | 0.1 | 14 | 81% | B− |
| Algonquin Township | 12% | 1.1 | 40 | 99% | A |
| McHenry Township | 5% | 0.5 | 18 | 81% | B+ |
| Dorr Township | 7% | 0.6 | 54 | 85% | A− |
| Oakwood Hills | 8% | 6.1 | 5 | 99%+ | A |
| Port Barrington | 7% | 1.1 | 27 | 99% | A |
| Lakemoor | 3% | 0.4 | 11 | 79% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Nunda Township
Where can I hike in Nunda Township?
The longest trail networks: Silver Creek Conservation Area, 5.6 miles; Sterne's Woods Park, 5 miles; Veteran Acres Park, 3.6 miles; Moraine Hills State Park, 2.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Nunda Township is conserved land?
16% 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 Nunda Township’s trails?
Silver Creek Conservation Area and Sterne's Woods Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Nunda Township?
27 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.6 of painted or protected lanes and 27 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Nunda Township?
30,482 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Nunda Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,448 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Nunda Township have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #96 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 Nunda 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 →