Be a Trailblazer: Hike Hickory Creek

Editor’s note: We want you to Be a Trailblazer this year, so we will be hiking at various preserves throughout the year and documenting it for you. Journey along with us as we blaze a trail through the preserves and hopefully encourage you to do the same.

Hickory Creek Preserve is Will County’s largest preserve, so it’s stand to reason there’s plenty to see and explore. We definitely believe that to be the case no matter the season, but fall, in particular, is the perfect time for a visit.

Our visit to the preserve was in early October, and fall color was just starting to creep in. We saw pockets of yellow here and there and flashes of red moving up tree trunks, but the foliage was mostly still green. This preserve is a nice one for fall color, though, so it’s definitely on our list to visit again when fall color is at its peak.

The Hickory Creek Bikeway is the main thoroughfare through the preserve and is accessible from all three preserve access points: Hickory Creek Barrens, Hickory Creek Junction and LaPorte Road Access. We started our hike at the LaPorte Road Access, where the trailhead is at a higher elevation and you start with a sweeping vista as you walk through a grassy area down into the woods.

The woods is what Hickory Creek is all about. Much of the preserve is forested, and many of the trails here slice through the woods. We walked in the morning, before the sun was high in the sky, so it still seemed dark in many places.

The darkness allowed us to tune into the sounds all around us. We could hear traffic in the distance, but nature sounds too. Blue jays and northern flickers were creating a ruckus, and insects were singing. We noticed the insect symphony was much quieter than just a week or two before, but their songs were still a constant as we walked. We also heard squirrels scurrying through the fallen leaves and even acorns and walnuts plunking down to the ground from the branches above.

As the sun rose and it got a little lighter, the textures of the forest really stood out. Many of the trees here are old and towering, and their trunks have stories to tell. We saw twisted bark, trunks covered with lichen, moss and more, and burls creating illusions about what we were seeing.

The Hickory Creek Bikeway has multiple bridges spanning the eponymous Hickory Creek, and they are a good spot to slow down for a minute or two to get a good look at the surroundings. The creek itself can be creeping along or flowing furiously depending on recent rains, but it’s always a scenic spot. We often see birds here we don’t see elsewhere in the preserve, and you might also glimpse other wildlife using the waterway for sustenance.

Hickory Creek is a large preserve centrally located in a populated part of the county, so the trails are often busy here. You’ll see joggers and cyclists, people walking their dogs and groups meeting up to walk and talk. It isn’t necessarily the kind of place where you can go for long stretches without seeing other people, but you can slip into some solitude by hopping on one of the few natural surface trails you’ll see along the bikeway. (Note: There are many unauthorized trails at Hickory Creek Preserve. Stay off these. You’ll know which trails are authorized and maintained because they will be marked with Forest Preserve trailhead signs.)

We veered off the Hickory Creek Bikeway when we came to the Hickory Creek Nature Trail and were happy to walk on dirt for awhile. The nature trail is short — less than a half-mile — but it was quieter and less crowded, allowing us to get better in tune with the seasonal changes.

More insects and birds were audible here, and we could see and hear Hickory Creek itself meandering through the preserve in a few spots. We walked more slowly along this stretch to look at the flowers and leaves and check out the few birds we saw flitting about.

If you’re looking for someplace new to explore besides the trails accessible from LaPorte Road Access, Hickory Creek has plenty more to offer. There’s not a bad place for a walk here, but one that is maybe a little underrated is the trailhead located behind the Frankfort Township offices, just a short distance down the road from Hickory Creek Junction. This is our favorite trail, especially in the spring, when ephemeral wildflowers are peeking up from the forest floor, and in the fall, right when the color display is at its peak.

Hiking Hickory Creek Preserve

Route: We started on the Hickory Creek Bikeway from the LaPorte Road Access. We took a break from the paved trail to walk along the Hickory Creek Nature Trail before jumping back on the bikeway trail.

Distance: 3 miles

Time: 1 hour, 2 minutes

Weather conditions: A sunny but cool early October morning.

Difficulty level: You can opt for an entirely paved route at Hickory Creek Preserve, but there are elevation changes throughout the preserve.

Trail notes: Hickory Creek Preserve is the largest Will County preserve and also among the busiest. This is not the kind of place where you can hike for miles without seeing another sole. Be prepared to share the trail and use trail etiquette during your visit.

Don’t forget: Dress in layers, especially for a hike at the beginning or end of the day. Much of the trail is shaded, so it can be cool and crisp without the sun to warm things up.

(Photos by Anthony Schalk)