Events
Spring Wildflower Walk
Sauk Trail Woods-Central • South Chicago Heights, IL 60411Join a staff person as you search for unique spring wildflowers.
Insect Architects
Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010Meet some of the most impressive builders and manipulators in the insect world. Ages 6 & up.
Family Campout
Camp Shabbona Woods • South Holland, IL 60473Intro to camping for families. Includes meals, all camping gear and outdoor fun. $75/family (group up to 6).
Ecological Restoration Weekend
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Enjoy the outdoors. Put your muscles to work as you help restore habitat by removing invasive plants. Tools provided. Ages […]
Canceled April Showers Bring May Flowers
Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010Delight in the sights, scents and stories of spring flowers on a guided walk.
Cub Scout Adventure Series
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Programs will address content required to achieve varying levels of nature-related cub scout adventures. Mar 24: Wolf Level Apr 28: […]
Wellness Days at Kickapoo
Kickapoo Woods • Riverdale, IL 60827Reconnect with nature during relaxing mindfulness and meditative practices.
Walk and Talk
Spears Woods • Cook County, IL 60480 (near Willow Springs)For curious minds who want to know more about the Forest Preserves, these hikes will be led at a slower […]
Wellness Days at Whistler
Whistler Woods • Riverdale, IL 60827Reconnect with nature during relaxing mindfulness and meditative practices.
Archery
Cherry Hill Woods • Cook County, IL 60464 (near Palos Park)Attend this session to learn the basics of archery. Equipment provided. Ages 10 & up.
Book Swap
Twenty-Sixth Street Woods-West • Cook County, IL 60526 (near La Grange Park)Bring in your gently used books and leave with some new-to-you books! Books can be of any genre and reading […]
Walk with Pride!
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Join us this Pride Month for a self-guided interpretive walk to learn about LGBTQ2S+ people in conservation.
IKES Fish for Fun
Rolling Knolls • Elgin, IL 60120You are invited to this annual fishing extravaganza. Give-a-ways to participants, prizes for category winners, and refreshments for all. Event […]
Little Calumet River Clean-up
Kickapoo Woods • Riverdale, IL 60827Clean up the river while paddling. Register at lholden@openlands.org.
Creek Survey
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439Clean water supports a biodiverse ecosystem. Help us survey Sagawau’s creek to see what life it supports. Ages 12 & […]
Canceled Wellness Walk
Thatcher Woods Pavilion • River Forest, IL 60305Mindful and meditative guided nature walk. Ages 18 & up.
Live Healthy, Discover Nature! Walk
Sand Ridge Nature Center • South Holland, IL 60473Venture out on our scenic trails for a guided 3- to 4-mile walk.
Summertime Stories
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join us for stories told by the Naperville Chinese Storytime group and enjoy nature-based art and activity afterwards. Supplies provided. […]
Explore the Forest
Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010Celebrate everything the Forest Preserves has to offer through animal encounters, arts & crafts, recreation, and much more at this […]
Nests: Birds Baskets of Life
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center • Lemont, IL 60439We’ll search for nests and nesting activity. Bring binoculars or borrow ours.nestnes
Makin’ Music Bluegrass Jam
Thatcher Woods Pavilion • River Forest, IL 60305Make a simple musical instrument with us or bring your own and join the jam! All ages welcome to join […]
Cicada Celebration
Sand Ridge Nature Center • South Holland, IL 60473This year’s cicada emergence is a once-in-a-lifetime event! Join us for crafts, games and refreshments and learn what makes this […]
Let’s Play! Forest Exploration Day
Erickson Woods • Cook County, IL 60093 (near Winnetka)Engage in creative, imaginative, and child-directed, outdoor free-play as a family. In partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood and BackYard Nature Center.
Wellness Days at Kickapoo
Kickapoo Woods • Riverdale, IL 60827Reconnect with nature during relaxing mindfulness and meditative practices.
Live Healthy, Discover Nature
Daley Plaza • Chicago, IL 60602Celebrate all things Forest Preserves at Daley Plaza. We’ll be there with partners and information about all the exciting things […]
Senior Fitness Walk
Thatcher Woods Pavilion • River Forest, IL 60305Wellness Days at Whistler
Whistler Woods • Riverdale, IL 60827Reconnect with nature during relaxing mindfulness and meditative practices.
Wee Wandering Wednesdays
Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010A special program for little naturalists. Read a story, make a craft, and go on an adventure. Ages 3 to […]
Event Locations
Nearly all Forest Preserves events are free; some require registration and/or a low fee. Residents may qualify for free admission opportunities at our partners: Brookfield Zoo Chicago and the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Event Categories
- All Events
- Adaptive
- Animal Encounter
- Archery
- Arts & Crafts
- Astronomy
- Bicycling
- Birding
- Camping
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Education
- Film
- Fishing
- Fitness
- Food & Beverage
- Nature Play
- Gardening
- Hiking & Walking
- History & Culture
- Music
- Paddling
- Photography
- Senior
- Storytelling
- Volunteer
- Wellness in the Woods
- Yoga
Events Guide
Printed copies of our quarterly Events Guide are available at our Nature Centers and General Headquarters. They may also be available at your local city hall or library. Know a location that should have our Events Guide? Contact us.
Events Guide (PDF)Nature Express Bus
Get free transportation to the Forest Preserves for your group.
Learn MoreMonthly Newsletter
Sign up for the Forest Way and receive the latest Forest Preserves news, events and volunteer opportunities each month. View past newsletters.
Sign UpEvent Accessibility
The Forest Preserves is committed to providing equal, integrated participation for individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Nature Center hosting your event or program 72 hours in advance to request reasonable accommodations or inquire about site accessibility.
Please contact Experience.Nature@cookcountyil.gov or 708-771-1573 about accommodations for specific camping and outdoor recreation activities.