Caldwell Woods, located on the northwest side of Chicago, features picnic groves, activity areas, a wellness and welcome center, sledding hill and access to the popular North Branch Trail. Although small in size, this preserve is big on diversity, with habitats ranging from flatwoods and floodplain forests to open savanna and oak woodlands.

On this page:

• Location & Things to Do
• Trails
• Nature Notes
• Caldwell Woods Wellness Center
• Events
• Volunteer Opportunities

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Location & Things to Do

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Trails

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Nature Notes

Caldwell Woods has offered recreation opportunities since the Forest Preserves acquired 160 acres of land here between 1917 and 1922. For generations, the Jensen Toboggan Slides were one of the Forest Preserves’ most beloved winter amenities before being removed in 2004 due to ongoing maintenance and safety concerns. In 1932, when the Forest Preserves first opened the original Whealan Swimming Pool and Bathhouse, it was one of the largest outdoor pools in the state. Today, Whealan Pool Aquatic Center welcomes swimmers of all ages and abilities with a lap pool, zero-depth leisure pool, water playground, and more.

In a relatively small space, Caldwell Woods offers ecosystems ranging from wet flatwoods and floodplain forests to drier oak woodlands, prairie and savanna. In the floodplain forest, you’ll find silver maple and box elder, while the best place to see flowers is out in the sunny prairie and savanna. In late summer and early fall, you’ll find a display of asters, goldenrods, sunflowers, blazing star and fringed gentian. Monarch and swallowtail butterflies will feed on the flowers of the prairie, while the jewel-winged damselfly can be found hovering in the moister areas.

Considered a birding hotspot in the Forest Preserves, more than 180 species of birds have been spotted at Caldwell Woods. In the oxbow, savanna and along the river, you can see egrets, herons, thrushes and colorful songbirds. The riverbanks are where you can find ducks, geese, herons and mink.

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Caldwell Woods Wellness Center

Reimagined as a welcoming wellness facility, the Caldwell Woods Wellness Center serves as launching point for nature exploration and a community resource for programs and events. Inside, the building features a large, open floor plan that enables staff and community partners to lead programs ranging from dance classes and book discussions to art making and more. Additional amenities include access to public restrooms year-round; art and information connecting nature to health; as well as books, games, costumes and more to spark imagination and exploration.

With the transformation of the historic warming shelter into the Caldwell Woods Wellness Center, the site is also home to a pilot partnership program which allows community groups to use the facility for public programming free of charge through creative knowledge and resource exchange.

To learn more, please submit information using the following form:

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This project received generous funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources through the Public Recreation Facility Construction grant program.

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Events

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Volunteer Opportunities

This beautiful preserve is just one example of the rich diversity that once was the vast Illinois landscape. Its open savanna, oak woodland and river bluff ecosystems offer interesting views in all seasons. Join North Branch Restoration Project volunteers as they remove buckthorn and other weedy species, protecting these high-quality natural areas.

Bunker Hill Flatwoods

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Oxbow Prairie