Fishing Derby
Horsetail Lake • Cook County, IL 60464 (near Palos Park)Join the Village of Palos Park and the Forest Preserves for a family-fun day of fishing.
Events in Southwest Cook County
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Southwest Cook County
Spectacular Partial Solar Eclipse
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Watch this rare natural phenomenon here!
Fitness Hike
Orland Grassland • Cook County, IL 60467 (near Orland Park)Fitness Hikes are for those looking to get some exercise outdoors. Fitness hikes will be faster paced with little to […]
Fall Color Walk
Palos Park Woods-North • Cook County, IL 60464 (near Palos Park)Look for the changing colors on a 3.4-mile walk. Color scavenger hunts for the little ones provided.
Map and Compass 101: Teen Exploration Day
Camp Sullivan • Oak Forest, IL 60452Bring your friends to compete in an orienteering competition. Prizes will be awarded.
Fall Color Walk
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Learn why trees drop their leaves and the cause of leaf color change.
Spooky Shuffle 5k/10k
Swallow Cliff Woods-South • Cook County, IL 60464 (near Palos Park)In partnership with the Village of Palos Park, this 5k/10k trail race takes you through the forest preserves.
“The Magic Stump” Film Screening
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439“The Magic Stump” is a documentary short that tells the story of an Illinois tree stump that’s attracted a phenomenal […]
Camping 101
Camp Bullfrog Lake • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join us for a workshop covering basic camping skills. All ages.
Evening at a Nature Center: Teen Exploration Day
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Observe the ambassador animals, hike a trail, and warm up by a fire with hot chocolate. Ages 13 & up.
Día de los Muertos
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480In celebration of Día de los Muertos, stop inside to learn about Mesoamerican tradition and view our alter dedicated to […]
ENTICE workshop: Coyote Track
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439In partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, this workshop will focus on coyote ecology and behavior related to […]
Birds in Autumn
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Visit the bird feeding stations and hike along a nature trail to observe birds during the fall season.
“Monty and Rose 2: The World of Monty and Rose” Film Screening
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439“Monty and Rose 2: The World of Monty and Rose” is a feature-length documentary that tells the story of the […]
Book Discussion: “Braiding Sweetgrass”
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Join us for a book discussion about “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Queen Quest
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Where do bumble bee queens overwinter? Join us on a search for dormant queens.
Crafternoon
Swallow Cliff Woods-North • Cook County, IL 60464 (near Palos Park)Let nature inspire your creativity. Join in on various nature-themed arts and crafts projects. Hosted at Swallow Cliff Woods Pavilion.
Fossil Quarry Tour
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Learn about Chicago’s ancient history through indoor fossil presentations followed by a visit to the fossil reserve quarry.
Folktale Under the New Moon
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join us for a “scary” folktale recited by a LaGrange Park Library librarian during a walk under the darkest day […]
National Take a Hike Day
Country Lane Woods • Cook County, IL 60480 (near Willow Springs)Celebrate National Take a Hike Day by hitting the trail with a naturalist on a 5-mile hike.
Thankful for the Dark
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Enjoy a nocturnal walk followed by relaxing time by a fire.
Geology of the Sag Valley
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Come along for a tour of the Sag Valley to observe and interpret its geologic formations. Participants will drive their […]
The Smokey Bear Effect
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Come learn about America’s history of wildfire management and how a little bear influenced the whole nation.
Nature Lens
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Use your camera to observe nature on a guided photography walk. All levels and camera types. Ages 13 & up.
Walk & Talk
Red Gate Woods • Cook County, IL 60480 (near Willow Springs)Walk & Talk Hikes are for the curious mind who want to know more about the Forest Preserves and natural […]
Fire Basics
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Learn the basics of starting a fire and explore the different types of campfires. S'mores and hot cocoa provided. All […]
Little Red’s Snowshoe Roulette
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Snowshoe hikes offered during any days that we have over 4” of snow! Free snowshoe rental with an ID on […]
Teens Behind the Scenes
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join a naturalist and learn how we care for our animals at the nature center. Ages 13-19.
Stairs, Stories & S’mores
Swallow Cliff Woods-North • Cook County, IL 60464 (near Palos Park)Families, drop in and challenge yourself by climbing to the top of Swallow Cliff stairs. Then, try the story trail, […]
Clear the Trails
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Help brush back the ski trails. Ages 10 & up. Weather dependent.