Forked Creek Preserve has three access points:
8 a.m.-sunset
Ballou Road Access Trail
Forstyhe Woods Nature Trail
Wauponsee Glacial Trail
815-727-8700
At 951 acres, Forked Creek Preserve offers a diverse natural landscape of forests, wetlands and waterways, including a portion of its namesake creek. The preserve provides important habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species.
Forked Creek Preserve includes three access areas — Ballou Road in Wesley Township and Butcher Lane and Forsythe Woods, both in Florence Township — with each offering unique ways to experience the landscape.
Forked Creek Preserve is open 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year except Christmas.
Wildlife throughout Forked Creek Preserve includes a variety of bird species, such as the spotted sandpiper, yellow-billed cuckoo, dickcissel and ovenbird. The preserve’s plant communities feature species such as redbud, Kentucky coffee tree, glade mallow and smooth blue aster.
Land for Forked Creek Preserve was acquired between 1974 and 2007. The preserve is part of the Forked Creek preservation system, which protects nearly 2,700 acres of natural areas in the region.
Summer is winding down, and we’re celebrating with an evening of good eats, live music, ice cream and fun for the whole family.
Pack a chair, a blanket and snacks and join us for this nighttime viewing opportunity of the Perseids meteor shower.
Calling all adventurers! Learn how to use a compass and map before embarking on an adventure through the woods.
With a goal of becoming a better birder, Meghan headed to a Lake Renwick Migratory Bird Viewing on a Saturday morning in June to learn more about some of our feathered friends.
Replacement of the deteriorating entrance road at Messenger Woods Nature Preserve has been completed, and the preserve has reopened.
Lone star ticks are grabbing headlines because they can cause people to develop an allergy to red meat. Learn how to identify them and how to prevent tick bites.
Electric-assist bicycles are allowed within the preserves as long as they meet certain requirements. The bikes must:
Per the District's General Use Ordinance, persons riding a bicycle must conform to federal and state bicycle laws.
Camping permits may be obtained online or in-person at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon, Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook, Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville, Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township or Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet. Reservations also can be made online; reservations for campsites must be made two business days in advance of the reservation date.
Youth group camping can only be booked over the phone by calling any of the above visitor centers. A 50 percent discount is offered to youth group organizations.
Visit the camping page for more information.
Visit the camping page for fee details.
A dog park permit may be purchased online or in-person at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook, Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon, Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township or Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet. You also can mail in an application.
Visit the dog park page for more information.
Call 911 in an emergency. Non-emergency safety concerns should be directed to the Laraway Communications Center dispatch at 815-727-6191 (option 9) to have a Forest Preserve District officer dispatched. Non-emergency and past concerns can also be reported to the District's police department by calling 815-727-8700 or through the online form.