16% of Waukegan’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
16% of Waukegan’s land is conserved, about 2,414 acres. The biggest trail networks: Waukegan Dunes (1.4 mi), Foss Park (0.5 mi). 1,578 acres are parks and preserves, 18 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns · #178 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Conserved land
16%
2,414 acres · of 24.3 sq mi of land
Trails
6.1 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,578 ac
18 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
16 mi
0.6 mi lanes · 14 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
4 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Waukegan?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Waukegan is ahead of 82% of U.S. towns, #178 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; trail miles pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Waukegan’s overall grade.
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.
16% of Waukegan’s land. Who manages Waukegan’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency1,629 ac
Town or city348 ac
Private owners344 ac
State conservation242 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits8 ac
Local Park · 807 acLocal Conservation Area · 672 acPrivate Recreation or Education · 344 acAgricultural Easement · 262 acConservation Easement · 256 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 390 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
Waukegan Beach
Private Recreation or Education
Private owners
344
Closed
Greenbelt Forest Preserve
Local Conservation Area
Regional agency
312
Open
Independence Grove Forest Preserve
Local Conservation Area
Regional agency
188
Open
Bonnie Brook Golf Course
Local Recreation Area
Town or city
155
Open
Waukegan Sportspark
Local Park
Regional agency
132
Open
Village Park
Local Park
Regional agency
112
Open
Lyons Prairie and Woods Nature Preserve
Local Conservation Area
Regional agency
102
Closed
Mcclory Trail
Local Park
Regional agency
77
Open
Milwaukee Avenue Open Space
Local Conservation Area
Town or city
65
Open
North Beach Park
Local Park
Town or city
64
Open
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
44 places to go in Waukegan
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
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
14 mi
off-road bike paths
1.4 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
33Tennis
21Basketball
18Soccer
18Baseball
7Pickleball
5Beach volleyball
2Football
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 12 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
The best walking months in Waukegan: 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)
31
35
44
55
66
76
82
80
73
61
48
36
Rain (in)
1.8
1.7
2.2
3.8
4.2
4.4
3.5
3.6
3.4
3.3
2.5
2.0
February is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Waukegan →
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Waukegan
Where can I hike in Waukegan?
The longest trail networks: Waukegan Dunes, 1.4 miles; Foss Park, 0.5 miles; Bowen Park, 0.4 miles; Bevier Park, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Waukegan 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 Waukegan’s trails?
Waukegan Dunes and Foss Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Waukegan?
16 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.6 of painted or protected lanes, 14 of off-road paths and 1.4 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Waukegan?
26,292 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Waukegan or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,625 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Waukegan have?
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #178 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 Waukegan neighbors.
Photo: edward P. steinburg desnged · CC BY-SA 3.0