Dam Number 4 North Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
151 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: Kelly Martin · CC BY-SA 3.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Park Ridge
97% of residents live within a half mile of a park in Park Ridge
7.8 miles of mapped trail cross Park Ridge, 1.1 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Dam Number 4 North Preserve (1.6 mi), Centennial Park (0.7 mi), Maine Park (0.7 mi). 167 acres are parks and preserves, 4.3 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 67% of U.S. towns · #336 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
141 acres · of 7.1 sq mi of land
Trails
7.8 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
167 ac
4.3 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
97%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
4.5 mi
2.0 mi lanes · 2.5 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
5
What kind of outdoors town is Park Ridge?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Park Ridge have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Park Ridge is ahead of 67% of U.S. towns, #336 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Park Ridge’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B−Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (8 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land4.3 acres of park per 1,000 residents (167 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13CParks close to home97% 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 67%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 56%
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 Dam Number 4 North Preserve, with 1.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Centennial Park
Managed by Park Ridge Park District
20 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Maine Park
Managed by Park Ridge Park District
13 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Dam Number 4 South Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
119 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Iroquois Woods Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
53 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Belleau Lake Preserve
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
27 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
North Park
Managed by Park Ridge Park District
6 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 24 parks & preserves
Dam Number 4 North Preserve151 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsCentennial Park20 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsMaine Park13 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
Dam Number 4 South Preserve119 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsIroquois Woods Preserve53 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsBelleau Lake Preserve27 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsNorth Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
Oakton Park15 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
Woodland Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsNorthwest Park14 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsHinkley Park14 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsJohn E. Traeger Preserve12 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsProspect Park11 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsNortheast Park11 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsSouthwest Park8 acres · Park Ridge Park District
Forest Preserve District of Cook County7 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsSouth Park7 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsJaycee Park5 acres · Park Ridge Park District
Brickton Park4 acres · Park Ridge Park District
Ni-Ridge Park3 acres · Park Ridge Park District
Morgan Park2 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsCumberland Park2 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsHodges Park1 acres · Park Ridge Park District
DirectionsRotary Park1 acres · Park Ridge Park District
Who protects it
141 conserved acres
3% of Park Ridge’s land. Who manages Park Ridge’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city137 ac
Regional agency3 ac
Local Park · 140 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Park Local Park | Town or city | 18 | Open |
| Oakton Park Local Park | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Northwest Park Local Park | Town or city | 14 | Open |
| Edison Home Park Local Park | Town or city | 14 | Open |
| Hinkley Park Local Park | Town or city | 13 | Open |
| Woodland Park Local Park | Town or city | 11 | Open |
| Maine Park Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| Northeast Park Local Park | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| South Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
| North Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
32 places to go in Park Ridge
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Park Ridge
Hinckley Swimming PoolIn Hinkley Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Park Ridge
26 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Park Ridge
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Fishing spots in Park Ridge
Belleau LakeIn Belleau Lake Preserve
DirectionsPeaks in Park Ridge
Centennial HillIn Centennial Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Park Ridge
Dam No. 4 Woods-East Grove #2In Dam Number 4 North Preserve
DirectionsJohn E. Traeger Family Picnic AreaHours: sunrise-sunset · In John E. Traeger Preserve
DirectionsTrails & water
5 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
4.5 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.0 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
2.5 mi
off-road bike paths
Park Ridge BikewaysBike route
0.3 miCourts & fields
47Tennis
24Baseball
13Basketball
8Soccer
6Football
6Pickleball
1Beach volleyball
1Skate park
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 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Park Ridge: August and 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 | 47 | 59 | 70 | 80 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.6 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Park Ridge →
Next door
Park Ridge and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Chicago242 miMaine Township22 miLeyden Township13 miPark Ridge7.8 miDes Plaines7.4 miNorwood Park Township6.0 miNiles4.0 miRosemont0.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Ridge | 3% | 1.1 | 4 | 97% | B+ |
| Chicago | 8% | 1.1 | 4 | 99% | A− |
| Maine Township | 3% | 0.8 | 4 | 98% | B |
| Niles | 3% | 0.7 | 4 | 99%+ | B |
| Des Plaines | 4% | 0.5 | 7 | 99% | B+ |
| Norwood Park Township | 8% | 1.6 | 2 | 84% | B+ |
| Leyden Township | 1% | 0.6 | 2 | 95% | B− |
| Rosemont | 2% | 0.5 | 9 | 99%+ | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Park Ridge
Where can I hike in Park Ridge?
The longest trail networks: Dam Number 4 North Preserve, 1.6 miles; Centennial Park, 0.7 miles; Maine Park, 0.7 miles; Dam Number 4 South Preserve, 0.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Park Ridge is conserved land?
3% 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 Park Ridge’s trails?
Dam Number 4 North Preserve and Centennial Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Park Ridge?
4.5 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.0 of painted or protected lanes and 2.5 of off-road paths. Named routes: Park Ridge Bikeways.
Is there public land near Park Ridge?
12,101 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Park Ridge or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 167 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Park Ridge have?
Ahead of 67% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #336 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 Park Ridge 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 →