Camp Shabbona Woods
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
504 acres3.5 mi of trail
Lost Beach TrailDogwood TrailRedwing TrailPines Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 3.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Thornton Township
7% of Thornton Township’s land is conserved, and 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park
The biggest trail networks: Camp Shabbona Woods (3.5 mi), Izaak Walton Preserve (1.7 mi), Veterans Park (1.3 mi). 21 miles of mapped trail cross Thornton Township, 0.5 per square mile of land. 1,267 acres are parks and preserves, 8.2 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 71% of U.S. towns · #290 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
1,979 acres · of 46.9 sq mi of land
Trails
21 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,267 ac
8.2 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
15 mi
1.7 mi lanes · 10 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
13
4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Thornton Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Thornton Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Thornton Township is ahead of 71% of U.S. towns, #290 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 Thornton Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical IL town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (21 mi) · IL 0.3 · U.S. 0.4BPark land8.2 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,267 acres) · IL 15 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to home98% 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 71%
LessMore
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 62%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Thornton Township ranks #263 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 Camp Shabbona Woods, with 3.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Izaak Walton Preserve
Managed by Izaak Walton League
170 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Veterans Park
Managed by Village of South Holland
37 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Gouwens Park
Managed by Village of South Holland
25 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Wampum Lake
Managed by Forest Preserve District of Cook County
324 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Riverview Park
Managed by Village of South Holland
6 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lan-Oak Park
Managed by Lan-Oak Park District
18 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Memorial Park
Managed by Calumet Memorial Park District
9 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 86 parks & preserves
Camp Shabbona Woods504 acres · 3.5 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsIzaak Walton Preserve170 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Izaak Walton League
DirectionsVeterans Park37 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Village of South Holland
DirectionsGouwens Park25 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Village of South Holland
DirectionsWampum Lake324 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsRiverview Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Village of South Holland
DirectionsLan-Oak Park18 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Lan-Oak Park District
Memorial Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Calumet Memorial Park District
DirectionsBriggs-Ellis Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Harvey Park District
Hollandale Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Village of South Holland
VanLaten Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Lan-Oak Park District
DirectionsLincoln Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Harvey Park District
Taft Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Pacesetter Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Village of South Holland
Bock Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lan-Oak Park District
DirectionsDeYoung's Grove Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Village of South Holland
Prairie Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Riverdale Park District
DirectionsWigwam Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Village of South Holland
Thornton-Lansing Road Nature Preserve334 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Kickapoo Woods322 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsCalumet Woods203 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsBurnham Prairie146 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsWentworth Woods109 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Wentworth Prairie77 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsPowderhorn Prairie and Marsh Nature Preserve62 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsCalumet City Prairie Nature Preserve38 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
DirectionsDolton Park25 acres · Dolton Park District
Beaubien Woods19 acres · Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Riverfront Park19 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
DirectionsPaarlberg Park14 acres · Village of South Holland
Lions Park12 acres · Homewood-Flossmoor Park District
DirectionsNeedles Park10 acres · Dolton Park District
Martin Luther King Park10 acres · Markham Park District
Van Oostenbrugge Park9 acres · Village of South Holland
DirectionsOrchard Park9 acres · Homewood-Flossmoor Park District
Downey Park9 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
Dolton-Riverdale Park9 acres · Dolton Park District
DirectionsMaicach Park7 acres · Village of South Holland
Richard D. Irwin Park7 acres · Homewood-Flossmoor Park District
New Holmes Park7 acres
DirectionsLittle Calumet Park7 acres · Village of South Holland
DirectionsWinterhoff Park7 acres · Lan-Oak Park District
DirectionsMunicipal Park6 acres · Village of South Holland
Blackstone Park6 acres · Dolton Park District
Harmon Park6 acres · Harvey Park District
Commisioners Park5 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
Ivanhoe Park5 acres · Riverdale Park District
DirectionsTown & Country Park5 acres · Dolton Park District
MacArthur Park5 acres · Village of South Holland
Lexington Park5 acres · Harvey Park District
Schultz Park4 acres · Lan-Oak Park District
Oakley Park4 acres · Lan-Oak Park District
DirectionsCooper Park4 acres · Harvey Park District
DirectionsThorn Creek Park4 acres · Village of South Holland
Southwest Park4 acres · Harvey Park District
DirectionsFranson Park4 acres · Riverdale Park District
DirectionsFinneran Park4 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
DirectionsArrowhead Park4 acres · Village of South Holland
Ashland Park3 acres · Harvey Park District
Terrace View Park3 acres · Village of South Holland
DirectionsWillowbrook Park3 acres · Village of South Holland
Pioneer Park3 acres · Village of South Holland
Potts Park3 acres · Lan-Oak Park District
Kiwanis Park3 acres · Lan-Oak Park District
Burnham Park3 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
Dahlenburg Park3 acres · Village of South Holland
DirectionsTriangle Park2 acres · Dolton Park District
Willowgreen Park2 acres · Dolton Park District
Vollbrecht Park2 acres · Village of South Holland
Lions Field2 acres
Kandy Kane Park2 acres · Dolton Park District
Sunshine Park2 acres · Dolton Park District
Cottage Park2 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
Thornwood Park2 acres · Village of South Holland
Blackburn Park1 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
Tomahawk Park1 acres · Village of South Holland
DirectionsCalumet Park1 acres · Harvey Park District
Riverside Park1 acres · Village of South Holland
Thorndale Park1 acres · Village of South Holland
Lawhead Park1 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
DirectionsIndependence Park1 acres · Homewood-Flossmoor Park District
DirectionsCedar Park1 acres · Homewood-Flossmoor Park District
Pulaski Park1 acres · Calumet Memorial Park District
DirectionsHolmes Park1 acres · Harvey Park District
Papoose Park1 acres · Village of South Holland
Pow-Wow Park1 acres · Village of South Holland
Who protects it
1,979 conserved acres
7% of Thornton Township’s land. Who manages Thornton Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation1,068 ac
Regional agency541 ac
Town or city276 ac
State natural resources157 ac
Private owners12 ac
Not recorded21 ac
Conservation Easement · 1,148 acLocal Park · 511 acLocal Resource Management Area · 190 acState Recreation Area · 78 acUnknown · 68 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,048 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calumet City Playfield Local Resource Management Area | Regional agency | 173 | Open |
| Burnhum Prairie Acquisition State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 78 | Open |
| Needles Park Local Park | Regional agency | 37 | Open |
| Dolton Avenue Prairie Unknown | Regional agency | 30 | Restricted |
| Veterans Park Local Park | Regional agency | 26 | Open |
| Gouwens Park And Sports Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 25 | Open |
| Dolton Park Local Park | Regional agency | 25 | Open |
| Superior Street Complex Unknown | Town or city | 23 | Closed |
| Veterans Memorial Park Local Park | Town or city | 22 | Open |
| Riverside Park Local Park | Not recorded | 21 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
70 places to go in Thornton Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Thornton Township
McDonald's PlayPlace
Directions51 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Thornton Township
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Thornton Township
4 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Picnic areas in Thornton Township
Brownell Woods Picnic Grove 1
DirectionsCalumet Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Calumet Woods
DirectionsDixmoor Playfield Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Kickapoo Woods
DirectionsGreen Lake Woods Picnic Grove 1In Camp Shabbona Woods
DirectionsGreen Lake Woods Picnic Grove 2In Camp Shabbona Woods
DirectionsGreen Lake Woods Picnic Grove 3In Camp Shabbona Woods
DirectionsGreen Lake Woods Picnic Grove 4In Camp Shabbona Woods
DirectionsSweet Woods Picnic Shelter Grove 1
Directions5 more picnic areas
Wampum Lake Picnic Grove 1In Wampum Lake
DirectionsWampum Lake Picnic Grove 3In Wampum Lake
DirectionsWampum Lake Picnic Grove 4In Wampum Lake
DirectionsWampum Lake Picnic Grove 5In Wampum Lake
DirectionsWampum Lake Picnic Shelter Grove 1In Wampum Lake
DirectionsCampgrounds in Thornton Township
Camp Shabbona WoodsHours: Nov-Mar closed; Apr-Oct: 00:00-24:00 · In Camp Shabbona Woods
DirectionsTrails & water
6 named trails and 13 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.9 miHorses · 0.9 miUnpaved · 4.4 mi
Lost Beach Trail1.4 mi
Dogwood Trail0.9 mi
Thorn Creek Yellow Unpaved Trail0.9 mi
Redwing Trail0.3 mi
Pines Trail0.3 mi
Swallowtail Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
15 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.7 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
10 mi
off-road bike paths
2.5 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
54Tennis
49Baseball
9Basketball
5Soccer
5Volleyball
4Pickleball
3Softball
2Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Thornton Township: April, 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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 36 | 48 | 60 | 71 | 80 | 84 | 82 | 76 | 64 | 49 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.3 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Thornton Township →
Next door
Thornton Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Chicago242 miNorth Township42 miBloom Township29 miBremen Township23 miThornton Township21 miCalumet Township1.4 miBurnham0.7 miThornton0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thornton Township | 7% | 0.5 | 8 | 98% | B+ |
| Bremen Township | 6% | 0.6 | 10 | 98% | B+ |
| Chicago | 8% | 1.1 | 4 | 99% | A− |
| Burnham | 13% | 0.4 | 4 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Bloom Township | 3% | 0.6 | 10 | 92% | B+ |
| Calumet Township | 2% | 0.3 | 3 | 96% | B− |
| Thornton | 2% | under 0.1 | 12 | 99%+ | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Thornton Township
Where can I hike in Thornton Township?
The longest trail networks: Camp Shabbona Woods, 3.5 miles; Izaak Walton Preserve, 1.7 miles; Veterans Park, 1.3 miles; Gouwens Park, 1.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Thornton 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 Thornton Township’s trails?
Camp Shabbona Woods and Izaak Walton Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Thornton Township?
15 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.7 of painted or protected lanes, 10 of off-road paths and 2.5 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Thornton Township?
15,885 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Thornton Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,282 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Thornton Township have?
Ahead of 71% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #290 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 Thornton 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 →