Join the self-paced challenge by completing seven of 10 designated trails to earn a collector's medal for your hat, backpack or walking stick.
Follow these rules to protect your pup and the preserves.
Grab a flyer and search for the individual items that make up seven sculptures along Snapper Pond Trail in Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve.
Isle a la Cache Museum immerses visitors in our cultural heritage and natural history. The museum transports visitors back to the 18th century, when "Illinois Country" was home to the fur trade.
The Forest Preserve's Preserve the Moment photo contest begins May 1, but all participants are being urged to stay safe while snapping pics of nature in Will County preserves.
The Plum Creek Nature Center offers visitors a place to explore the natural world, with hands-on exhibits and interactive play elements.
The Plum Creek Greenway Trail travels 3.15 miles through Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve.
12/12/2020: Join an interpretive naturalist for this guided hike through the preserve in search of our winter residents.
The great horned owl is most well known from storybooks and folklore, because it is the owl that makes the famous hooting call.
Messenger Woods Nature Preserve has two shelters available, and a permit is required for all groups of 25 or more to use a shelter.
12/5/2020: Make your own upcycled wreath from book pages and learn something new along the way.
That hawk soaring overhead or perched atop a light pole is probably a red-tailed hawk. Learn more about these high-flying birds.
Changing recommendations from the CDC and state modifications to its COVID-19 response paved the way for the dog parks to reopen; but the Forest Preserve urges dog park patrons to follow all public safety advice to protect their health and the health of others.
Opossums are so ugly that they're cute, but beyond their appearances we should appreciate them for their amazing pest control abilities.
Permits can be purchased online or in person at Forest Preserve visitor centers on a first-come, first-served basis.
The DuPage River Trail is a work in progress through a partnership between the Forest Preserve District and 12 other agencies. The trail is planned to travel 40 miles from Channahon north into DuPage County.
Birding can be a rewarding experience, but also tricky in getting those identifications just right.
Paul Wenger is the third monthly winner so far this year, with five more months to go before all eight finalists compete for top Preserve the Moment contest honors in January 2021.
The 525-acre McKinley Woods was acquired between 1931 and 2004. The preserve is part of the Des Plaines River preservation system, which conserves more than 2,400 acres.
Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Visitor Center is located on Renwick Road, east of Route 30, in Plainfield.
The mysterious mink lives across Illinois, but are not often seen by humans.
The 2020 Preserve the Moment contest kicked off with more than 100 stunning photo entries taken in Will County forest preserves; seven more monthly winners will be chosen until the contest concludes December 31.
Take this quick quiz to test your knowledge of these amazing birds.
The Forest Preserve District of Will County has six dog parks throughout the county. All parks provide fenced areas that allow dogs to run and play without a leash.
10/1/2020: Don’t want plastic to be a part of your Halloween? Learn how you can make a zero-waste plan for Halloween for this year's holiday celebration.
The Forest Preserve offers canoeing and kayaking opportunities at locations throughout Will County.
The wildlife you see in the preserves and elsewhere is just that — wild. The preserves aren't petting zoos, and people should not touch or otherwise handle animals they encounter.
Throughout the year, the Forest Preserve District of Will County undertakes many challenging projects.
For Earin Land, the Wauponsee Glacial Trail is his 'Happy Place' because it keeps him fit both mentally and physically, and it's 'a wonderful ride.'
Naperville resident Bertrand Leclercq is the fourth monthly winner in the contest, which continues through December 31. Overall contest winners will be chosen from among eight monthly finalists in January 2021.
The 1,541-acre Hickory Creek Preserve was acquired between 1942 and 2010. The preserve is part of the Hickory Creek preservation system, which conserves more than 2,000 acres.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate in waves, and some have already departed for their wintering grounds. But we'll continue to see the birds in Will County for weeks still, so keep filling your feeders.
The Forest Preserve offers fishing boat launches and rowboat rentals at select preserves. Fishing boat launches provide trailer parking, and there is no launch fee.
The monarchs you see at this time of the year are truly special, part of a 'super generation' different than the previous three generations.
Turkey vultures are raptors just like eagles and hawks, but there are a few things that set them apart.
The 1,541-acre Hickory Creek Preserve was acquired between 1942 and 2010. The preserve is part of the Hickory Creek preservation system, which conserves more than 2,000 acres.