Wander at Will: A long winter hike to start the year

Editor’s note: This story is part of our Wander at Will series, which is designed to inspire you to enjoy the many recreation opportunities in your Will County preserves in whatever ways you are able to. Whether you’re a well-traveled explorer or just starting your outdoor adventures, digital marketing coordinator Meghan McMahon hopes her first-person adventures will help you’ll find new ideas, tips and hidden gems to help you connect with the outdoors all year. 

Like many things in life, distance can be relative. A mile might seem like short distance, but it can feel like a marathon at the end of a long hike. That was how I felt on my first Wander at Will adventure for 2026 — a long hike at Hadley Valley.

I covered 7.5 miles in all, which might not be much for regular runners and even walkers and hikers. It’s quite a bit for me, but my deal with myself for this year was to stop playing it so safe and step outside my comfort zone just a little bit, and this seemed like the perfect place to start.

Hiking is definitely in my wheelhouse, but long hikes really aren’t. I like a nice 2- or 3-mile hike, and no hills, please. Logging more than 7 miles is quite a bit more than I am used to, and I definitely felt that toward the end of my walk. That last mile — which was mostly uphill — was a slog.

The length of the hike wasn’t the only thing about it that pushed my usual limits. Doing it in winter was another way for me to get outside of my comfort zone. I’m not a winter person. Never have been really. I spent a good amount of time as a kid sledding and ice skating and making snowmen and snow angels, but I was usually the first to pack it in and head back inside, more content to read a book.

Even as a kid, winter always just seemed like a hassle. It was practically a workout in and of itself to wrestle with snow pants and boots, track down stray mittens and earmuffs (I’m dating myself here) and then finally trudge out into the snow. And then when you come inside, everything is wet. Ugh.

But what I found as I hiked at Hadley Valley was that winter is maybe not as bad as I make it out to be. It’s never going to be my favorite season, but the chilly air made me appreciate the sunshine more. And the relative quiet helped me tune into how I was feeling as I walked rather than being distracted by every bird or bug that zipped by.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Hadley Valley, and I’ll probably do it again. It wasn’t just the walk itself that was enjoyable. I liked the fact that I was pushing myself, too. It made me excited to continue with this Wander at Will series of adventures.

It took me about two and a half hours to complete the entire hike, making for a pace of about 20 minutes per mile. That pace included quite a few stops along the way to take photos and video to document my experience plus one stop at the latrine — a regular occurrence for me.

I keep myself pretty well hydrated, and as a result, I’m pretty well acquainted with public restrooms around Will County, including the latrines in the preserves. The latrines have never let me down, and the one at Hadley Valley was no exception. It was clean and well stocked with toilet paper, and it even smelled like it had been freshly cleaned.

By the time my hike was almost finished, I was just about over it. Have you ever seen the meme of kids in kindergarten showing them before going to school and then after getting home? Before school they are nicely dressed, hair perfectly coiffed. By the end of the day, they look like they’ve been through some things. That was me after logging 7.5 miles at Hadley Valley.

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As I stepped off for my hike, I was ready and eager. My coat was zipped, my hat was pulled down over my ears, shoes tightly tied. As I made my way up the final stretch of trail on the return trip, things had deteriorated. My coat and sweatshirt were both unzipped and flapping in the wind, my pockets were stuffed with discarded items — hats, gloves, sunglasses and more — and my hair was, well, a mess, thanks both to the wind and the previously discarded hat.

My appearance didn’t match my attitude, though. I was tired to be sure, but I was upbeat. I felt like I accomplished something, and it made me wonder how far I might be able to hike a few months from now if I continue making it a point to take longer walks rather than my usual 2- and 3-mile ones. Stay tuned in this space to see if I can make these longer hikes part of my regular routine this year.

My hike on the Spring Creek Greenway Trail took me from Hadley Valley’s Bruce Road Access under Interstate 355, across Gougar Road and around the loop near the preserve’s other access points before heading back to where I started. If you are looking for a spot for a long winter hike of your own, you have quite a few options in the preserves. Besides Hadley Valley, check out Lake Renwick Preserve and Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve, both of which have multiple trails that can be combined for longer hikes. In addition, any of the Forest Preserve’s regional trails are good for longer out-and-back walks.

If you’d like to join me in stepping outside of your comfort zone this year, consider starting with a long-for-you walk or hike — whatever distance that might be. I hope it gives you a sense of accomplishment like my long hike did for me.