Forest Preserve District of Cook County

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Forest Preserve District of Cook County 70,000 acres of wild and wonderful in Cook County, IL. Don’t you sometimes just want to escape?

Explore the natural beauty of Cook County for an hour, a day or even a night. When you’re surrounded by 70,000 acres of wild and wonderful, there’s no better place to feel free. This page has been created for the Forest Preserves of Cook County and its visitors to share news, ideas and events. We welcome your engagement and feedback, but comments posted by a member of the public are the opinion of the poster only, and do not necessarily imply endorsement of or reflect the opinions or policies of the Forest Preserves. Comments containing any of the following content will not be permitted and are subject to removal and/or restriction at any time and without prior notice:
- Obscene, sexual or pornographic content and/or language
- Content that promotes discrimination by the government on the basis of race, age, religion, gender or other protected class
- Private, personal information published without consent
- True threats to any person
- Conduct that violates any federal, state, or local law or encourages illegal activity
- Spam, commercial promotions or links to malware or viruses
- Actual defamation

The Forest Preserves reserves the right to deny access to our social media sites for any individual who repeatedly violates the Forest Preserves social media policy, at any time and without prior notice. All comments posted to any Forest Preserves social site are bound by the social media platform’s terms of use or code of conduct. Users who enter private or personal information do so at their own risk, and the Forest Preserves is not responsible for any damages resulting from the public display of, or failure to remove, private or personal information. Content posted on the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s social media sites may be subject to disclosure under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and retention under the Local Records Act. This policy and terms of use may be amended from time-to-time, without further notice.

Happy Halloween🍂🕸️📷: Mark Korosa, Short Eared Owl at Bartel Grassland, January 2023
10/31/2026

Happy Halloween🍂🕸️

📷: Mark Korosa, Short Eared Owl at Bartel Grassland, January 2023

Get involved this November! Join a fun community event to help prepare native seeds for sowing. Each precious seed was h...
10/30/2026

Get involved this November! Join a fun community event to help prepare native seeds for sowing. Each precious seed was hand-collected by volunteers and will be returned to the forest preserves to restore the land. No experience necessary. Light refreshments provided.

Join us at one of these upcoming volunteer events:

CALUMET REGION: Calumet Seed Processing
Nov 10 at Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland

CENTRAL REGION: Central Confluence Seed Collectors
Nov 14 at Native Seed Nursery, Western Springs

Visit fpdcc.com/volunteer/ to learn more and sign up.

From cozy campfire stories to celebrating local history and culture, there’s something for everyone in the Forest Preser...
10/29/2026

From cozy campfire stories to celebrating local history and culture, there’s something for everyone in the Forest Preserves! Check out these upcoming events:

🌙 Stars, Stories & S’mores
Gather around for an evening of storytelling, a night hike and delicious s’mores! Enjoy a fun night outdoors with family and friends.
Nov. 6 | 6 - 8 pm
📍 LaBagh Woods

🌳 Calumet Heritage Day
Celebrate the rich history, culture and natural beauty of the Calumet region! Join us for a day of discovery and community as we explore the stories that make this area special.
Nov. 7 | 10 am - 2 pm
📍 Sand Ridge Nature Center

Visit fpdcc.com/events/ for more details.

Happy ! This Wednesday is Fall Color Edition! 🍁 The Forest Preserves are bursting with color—here’s where to catch the ...
10/29/2026

Happy ! This Wednesday is Fall Color Edition! 🍁

The Forest Preserves are bursting with color—here’s where to catch the best of the season.

🍁 Deer Grove
Rolling hills and fiery color everywhere — a must-see for any fall foliage fan! 🔥

🍁 River Trail Nature Center
Sugar maples burst with golden yellows and deep oranges — pure autumn bliss. 🍁

🍁 Thatcher Woods
Hike unpaved trails through glowing floodplain forests of yellow and orange. ✨

🍁 Orland Grassland-South
Grasslands get their moment too — neon pinks, yellows, and oranges with late-blooming goldenrods, asters + gentians. 🌾

🍁 Schubert’s Woods
Bright yellows below, burgundy oaks above, and some seriously big trees to admire. 🌳

Find your perfect fall spot: fpdcc.com/fall-colors 🍂

📸: Jerry Attere

Explore this interactive map of the Forest Preserves of Cook County—nearly 70,000 acres of woodlands, prairies, savannas and wetlands in & around Chicago

Take in the crisp air, colorful leaves and the beauty of the changing seasons in the Forest Preserves. 🍂 – captured by D...
10/27/2026

Take in the crisp air, colorful leaves and the beauty of the changing seasons in the Forest Preserves. 🍂 – captured by Debbie Ziegler, River Trail Nature Center, November 2023

🎃 The trunks were decked out, and the candy bags filled up! Families joined President Toni Preckwinkle at Eggers Grove f...
10/26/2026

🎃 The trunks were decked out, and the candy bags filled up!

Families joined President Toni Preckwinkle at Eggers Grove for our annual Trunk or Treat with the East Side Chamber Of Commerce. Costumed kids made the rounds for candy, while pony rides and a petting zoo added to an afternoon of outdoor fun.

Thank you to everyone who decorated a trunk, handed out treats or joined the celebration. You helped make this Halloween tradition a sweet day in the Forest Preserves!

🍂 Explore fall in the Forest Preserves! Use our Fall Color Map to find vibrant spots to see peak colors. 🌳 Then meet the...
10/26/2026

🍂 Explore fall in the Forest Preserves! Use our Fall Color Map to find vibrant spots to see peak colors. 🌳 Then meet the forest’s giants in our Champion Tree Register, featuring the biggest, oldest trees in Cook County.

🔗 fpdcc.com/fall-colors
🔗 fpdcc.com/nature/champion-tree-register/

As you explore the Forest Preserves of Cook County, keep an eye out for champion trees—some over a century old! These giants not only provide […]

Embrace the enchanting world of bats this October season! 🦇 Halloween is just around the corner, making bats the perfect...
10/24/2026

Embrace the enchanting world of bats this October season! 🦇

Halloween is just around the corner, making bats the perfect topic for the season. Enhance your knowledge about these eco-friendly mammals..

Read more: fpdcc.com/forget-your-fears-bats-are-beneficial/

When twilight descends, Cook County residents may notice bats emerging like messengers of the night. As they glide through the forest, bats produce a melodic […]

Fall in the Forest Preserves 🍂 – captured by Timothy Minnick, Paw Paw Woods Nature Preserve, November 2025
10/23/2026

Fall in the Forest Preserves 🍂 – captured by Timothy Minnick, Paw Paw Woods Nature Preserve, November 2025

🌳 How do we know a restored woodland is getting healthier? We keep coming back, collecting data and studying what change...
10/23/2026

🌳 How do we know a restored woodland is getting healthier? We keep coming back, collecting data and studying what changes.

That research helps the Forest Preserves of Cook County make informed decisions about caring for the places you love. On October 15, our Research Symposium at Brookfield Zoo Chicago brought staff and researchers together to share discoveries and explore new partnerships.

From tracking how native plants respond to restoration to studying how time in nature affects human health, their work helps us understand what’s working and where to go next.

Learn how research shapes your preserves: fpdcc.com/research

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536 N Harlem Avenue
River Forest, IL
60305

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