2025 Local Hikes
April 11, 2025
2025
Friday, Jan 17
Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve
Hawk Hollow
15
3.7
150'
Easy
Loop
Light
Easy local hike
Flagship on the Fox,Tasty! Check out their daily specials.
Wednesday, Mar 12
Brown Rd
Great Western Brown Rd to Blue Shed
5
5
200'
Easy
Out&Back
Light
Easy local hike
Picnic Lunch at ball fields, tasty!
Wednesday, Mar 26
Brown Rd
Great Western Brown Rd to Blue Shed
5
5
200'
Easy
Out&Back
Light
Easy local hike
Lunch at home, tasty!
Friday, Apr 11
Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve
Inner and Outer Loops
25
4.0
200'
Easy
Loop
Light
Nice Hike
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Wednesday, May 7
Dick Young Forest Preserve
Nelson Lake Loop
10
4.7
200'
Easy
Loop
Light
Easy hike close to home
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Tuesday, June 12
St James Forest Preserve
AllTrails #1
10
3.7
150'
Easy
Loop
Light
Easy hike close to home
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Sunday, June 15
Forest Preserve near Jake's
20
2
50'
Easy
Out & Back
Light
Nice hike on Father's day, short because Jake had to work.
Breakfast at the Jelly Cafe, Tasty!
Thursday, June 19
Crab Tree Nature Center
Figure 8
20
4
200'
Easy
Loops
Light
A very nice hike with great views. Nature Center and well maintained trails. Definately come back.
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Tuesday, July 19
Herrick Lake
Herrick Lake Trail + Bluebird
20
5
150'
Easy
Lp+s
Light
Nice Hike. Lots of sun. Picnic Tables. All limestone path.
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Friday, Aug 5
McDowell Grove Forest Preserve
all trails 3.5 (first one) West Branch, Boneset, Black Walnut Loop
20
3.6
66'
Easy
Lp+s
Light
Nice Hike. Next Time look at FP map, Don't do the OB portion that walks across the dam/dike.
Instead just do the loop and add the Mud Lake loop. See map saved downstairs
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Bonus! A couple of pictures of sunrise on July 28 from our front yard!
Wednesday, Aug 13
Kline Creek Forest Preserve
Great Western Triangle
15
5.2
150'
Easy
Lp
Light
Decent Hike but, lonnng stretch along power lines. Would be nice for biking too. VC closed. No picnic tables
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Wednesday, Aug 20
Shoe Factory Woods
All Trails Yellow (6 mi)
15
5.2
150'
Easy
Lp
Light
Nice hike, first section noisy along 59, the rest nice. Gravel and grass. Could pick a
diff trail to avoid 59. Nice pavillion at parking lot.
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Wednesday, Aug 27
Great Western Brown to Hansen
Great Western Brown to Hansen
5
5
150'
Easy
Ob
Light
Easy Hike, shaded, close to home
Picnic lunch at Leroy Oaks, Tasty!
Friday, Sep 4
James O Breen Nature Area
Loop+38spur
5
3.2
150'
Easy
Lp+Ob
Light
Easy Hike close to home.
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Wednesday, Sep 10
Jelkes Creek Bird Sanctuary
Great Western Triangle
15
3.5
118'
Easy
Lp
Light
Easy Hike close to home. Gravel easy but wear boots.
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Thursday, Sep 18
Penny Pond Preserve
Penny Road Pond and Spring Lake Loop
20
5.1
264'
Easy
Lps
Light
Really nice hike in woods and prairied on grass trail with no traffice. Unfortunately, knats were bad. Great place to re-visit when bugs are down. Only one picnic table at parking lot.
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
Wednesday, Oct 1
Fullersburg Woods FP
Multiple Loops
25
4.6
200'
Easy
Lps
Light
Excellent hike, shaded, limestone,most along the river, picnic tables by the river
Picnic lunch by the river. Tasty!
Friday, Oct 17
Bemis Woods Forest Preserve
Salt Creek
38
6.2
200'
Easy
Ob
Medium
Trail all paved. Lots of bike traffic. Mostly wooded and shaded. Far from home
Picnic lunch, Tasty!
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