Rock Run Rookery Preserve
Location
Rock Run Rookery Preserve is located on Youngs Road, south of Route 6/Eames Street, in Joliet.
Hours
6 a.m.-sunset (April-October)
8 a.m.-sunset (November-March)
Trails
Rock Run Rookery Trail
Phone
815-727-8700
Rock Run Rookery Preserve in Joliet offers a mix of open water, wetland and woodland habitat centered around two former quarry lakes. The 224-acre preserve is especially notable for its bird populations, with protected nesting areas that support herons and other waterbirds.
Planning your visit
Rock Run Rookery Preserve is open 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year except Christmas.
Amenities and activities
- Boating: A boat launch and trailer parking are available for small fishing boats on the large east lake. No launch fee or District permit is required. Boats are not allowed on the smaller west lake or in buoy-marked areas of the east lake that protect the rookery. State and District regulations apply.
- Canoeing/kayaking: A canoe and kayak launch provides access to the large east lake. No launch pass is required.
- Fishing: Shoreline fishing is available on both lakes. Catch-and-release fishing is encouraged.
- Picnicking: Rock Run Rookery Shelter accommodates up to 100 people and is available for rental.
- Trails: The preserve features 0.41 mile of paved trail suitable for biking, hiking, running, in-line skating, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Flora and fauna
Rock Run Rookery protects a range of habitats, including forest, wetland and two lakes, an 84-acre lake and a 13-acre lake. The preserve supports a variety of bird species, including great blue herons and great egrets, which nest on islands within the west lake. Plant species found at the preserve include marbleseed, pale beardtongue and sedges.
Preserve history
The preserve was acquired between 2002 and 2011 and is part of the Rock Run preservation system, which protects more than 1,400 acres. Before the Forest Preserve owned the land, the site’s lakes were created and used for quarrying operations.
Upcoming events
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Birding by Boat
Take your birding to the next level and view them from the water!
Playaking: Unlittering the Lake
Spend a morning making the waters of Rock Run Rookery healthier and prettier as you pick up litter while kayaking.
Lake Renwick Migratory Bird Viewing
See the dazzling spectacle of nesting herons, egrets and cormorants at our weekly bird viewings at Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve.
Latest headlines
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Invasive carp trap installed at Rock Run Rookery
A new one-way trap at Rock Run Rookery Preserve is designed to keep invasive carp from escaping the lake, helping prevent them from reaching Lake Michigan.
What you need to know about the lone star tick
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.
Vehicle access to be restricted at Lockport Prairie to protect at-risk wildlife
The move comes as a result of data showing increased turtle deaths on Division Street during nesting season.
Frequently asked questions
Whalon Lake in Naperville and Rock Run Rookery Preserve in Joliet offer fishing lakes where the District allows the launch of fishing boats (trolling motors only). Boating is also allowed at Lake Chaminwood Preserve in Channahon and Monee Reservoir in Monee Township, but only boats that can be transported in or on top of a vehicle and carried or rolled by hand cart to the lake are permitted at these preserves. There is no boat trailer parking at the Lake Chaminwood or Monee Reservoir. Canoes and kayaks may also be launched at all four preserves; no launch pass is required at any location.
Canoes, kayaks, rowboats and pedalboats may be rented from Monee Reservoir as well.
Boats may be launched between April 1 and Oct. 31. For more information about the use of watercraft in District preserves, visit the boating page or the canoeing/kayaking page.
Non-gasoline powered watercraft that are up to 18 feet long are permitted, including fishing boats, rowboats, canoes and kayaks. Sailboats are not permitted. Only electric trolling motors can be used. Gas-powered motors must be raised and out of the water. Inflatable watercraft are allowed as long as people are entirely secured in the watercraft.
Ice fishing is not allowed in Will County forest preserves.
There is no special permit required to fish in Will County forest preserves. However, in accordance with State law, anyone over the age of 16 who fishes a public Illinois waterway is required to have a fishing license, which may be obtained from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources or at the District's Hidden Lakes Trout Farm bait shop, The Tackle Box, and Monee Reservoir Visitor Center. Visit the fishing page for more information.
Groups less than 25 people may use picnic groves and shelters on a first-come, first-served basis without a picnic permit if the picnic area is not already reserved. However, purchasing a picnic permit is recommended due to the high demand for picnic groves and shelters. A picnic permit will reserve your space. Picnic permits are required for groups that are 25 people or more. Visit the picnicking 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.