Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center has educated and delighted generations of families with live animals, exhibits and self-guided trails.
On this page:
- Location, Hours & Things to Do
- Trails
- Education
- Accessible Garden
- History
- NPS Cancellation Stamps
- Events
- Volunteer
- Rules
Location, Hours & Things to Do
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
Things to Do & Amenities
- Parking
- Nature Center
- Nature Play
- Accessible Indoor Bathroom
- Trail Access
- Hiking & Walking
- No Fishing
- Birding Hotspot
- Volunteer Opportunities
- No Dogs
- Service dogs are allowed at most public locations. View accessibility policies.
Hours
Mar - Oct: 9am - 5pm, closed FridaysNov - Feb: 9am - 4pm, closed FridaysClosed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's DayClosures & Alerts
Trails
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center Trails
Explore the Little Red Schoolhouse grounds on three unpaved walking trails or the paved accessible garden trail. Connect to the Palos Trail System to extend your walk.
Location: Willow Springs
Surface
Paved & UnpavedEstimated Total Length
2.5 milesThings to Do
- Service dogs are allowed at most public locations. View accessibility policies.
Hours
Mar - Oct: 8 am - 5 pmNov - Feb: 8 am - 4 pmClosed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's DayClosures & Alerts
Palos Trail System
The extensive and varied Palos Trail System winds through rolling hills and deep ravines, providing beautiful views of the surrounding landscapes.
Location: Hickory Hills, Justice, Palos Hills & Willow Springs
Surface
UnpavedEstimated Total Length
42.1 milesHours
Year-round: Sunrise to SunsetClosures & Alerts
Education
Complement your curriculum and help meet standards by taking your classroom outdoors with a visit to a local preserve or nature center. Learn about the region’s plants, animals, and natural communities by walking nature trails, meeting live ambassador animals, or participating in field science labs.
Educators are encouraged to explore our Guided Learning opportunities for field trips and in-classroom programs. Teachers also have access to Educator Resources, which include lesson plans, resource loan kits and workshops.
The Forest Preserves also provides Programs, including the Nature Express Bus, to give students experiences they will never forget.
Contact one of our nature centers or experience.nature@cookcountyil.gov for more information or to discuss programs tailored to your learning objectives.
Accessible Garden
This 6,000-square-foot garden with accessible trail encourages people of all abilities to physically interact with nature. The garden features several flower beds (five of them are raised and accessible), interpretive signage lining an ADA compliant concrete walkway and a sensory water feature.
The interpretive signs throughout the garden describe native plants and animals, with each name featured in tactile English letters alongside Spanish, Polish, Braille and American Sign Language translations.
From the garden, the accessible trail winds through the prairie and down to Long John Slough, inspiring people to immerse themselves in nature, rather than just observe it from the sidelines. The path is just under a half-mile long and is 100% ADA compliant.
History
Visitors can connect with the historic past of the Palos Hills at the Little Red Schoolhouse. Built in 1886 amidst farms, woods and prairie, the schoolhouse replaced a log cabin school and hosted generations of children. Originally located on the Black Oak Trail at old 99th Street, the schoolhouse was moved in 1932 to Camp Kiwanis by a local resident using horses and log rollers. Classes continued there until 1948.
In 1952 it was moved to its present site, and in 1955 reopened as a unique, new kind of school. In place of reading, writing and arithmetic, children and adults learn about plants, animals and the natural world around us.
NPS Cancellation Stamps
The Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center has National Park Service cancellation stamps available for the Chicago Portage National Historic Site and the I&M Canal National Heritage Area.
Call 708-839-6897 to arrange a time to receive a stamp at 9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480.
Events
Events
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Magical Forest Houses
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Search for tiny, enchanted, homes built by mythical elves. These homes, built with natural materials, are hidden along our Farm Pond Trail. Scan the QR […]
Free -
Nature’s Art Box
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Explore the wild side of creativity! Kids ages 3–6 with an adult can enjoy hands-on nature-inspired art and activities. Supplies provided.
Free • Registration Required -
Yoga
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Bring a yoga mat/towel. Ages 18 & up.
Free • Registration Required -
Party for the Preserves
FeaturedCamp Bullfrog Lake • Willow Springs, IL 60480Celebrate National Public Lands Day with a day of activities. Paddle in 10-person canoes with Wilderness Inquiry. Funkadesi brings joyful tunes blending music from around the world. View the night sky with telescopes and walks. Noon–3 pm: 4H Kick off, […]
Free • Registration Required -
Sounds Like Fall
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Take your little one on a playful, music-filled nature walk. Ages 3-6 w/ adult.
Free -
Sounds Like Fall
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Take your little one on a playful, music-filled nature walk. Ages 3-6 w/ adult.
Free -
Beautiful Sounds at Sunset
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Spend time outdoors with the sounds of nature and soothing instruments around a fire with certified instructor Gail. Bring a cushion. Ages 18 & up.
Free • Registration Required -
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Fall in Focus
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Bring a camera or phone and join a guided photography hike. Ages 10 & up.
Free -
Nuts About Nature
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Explore the grounds to find native nuts and learn how animals use them for food and survival.sq
Free -
Sounds Like Fall
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Take your little one on a playful, music-filled nature walk. Ages 3-6 w/ adult.
Free -
Sounds Like Fall
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Take your little one on a playful, music-filled nature walk. Ages 3-6 w/ adult.
Free -
S.E.N.I.O.R.S.
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Seniors Enjoying Nature Inside/Outside Rain or Shine! Seniors can deepen their connection to the outdoors with fresh, engaging nature programs offered each month. Ages 55 […]
Free -
Fridays in the Field
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480University of Illinois-Extension Master Naturalists will connect visitors with nature through inquiry-based activities when the buildings are closed.
Free -
R.I.P. Stewardship
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Help us restore native habitats - Remove Invasive Plants with bow saws or loppers. Tools, gloves & snack provided. Closed toed shoes & long pants encouraged. […]
Free • Registration Required -
Tea-time
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Sample a variety of herbal tea blends paired with local honeys. Ages 13 & up.
Free • Registration Required -
Sunrise Hike
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Step into the quiet stillness of early morning and join us for a before-hours hike to witness the beauty of a new day. Gates and […]
Free -
Hispanic Heritage Celebration
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by making decorative sugar skulls. Vibrantly colored sugar skulls represent the circle of life and are ornamental gifts for friends and […]
Free -
Fall into Sounds & Nature
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join certified instructor Gail for a peaceful walk, where soothing sounds guide you along the trail. Ages 18 & up.
Free • Registration Required -
Everyone in Nature
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join us for an inclusive sensory-based experience where individuals of all abilities and homeschool learners can explore and connect with nature through hands-on activities. Participants […]
Free • Registration Required -
Meet the Birds
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Stop by to see our birds at mealtime.
Free -
Yoga and Storytime
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join the Bridgeview Library for a short nature story followed by kid's yoga activities. Ages 3-6 w/adult.
Free • Registration Required -
Forest Tales & Mysteries
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Listen to thrilling horror tales around the bonfire with La Grange Park Library and Gail’s soothing sound therapy. Ages 13 & up.
Free • Registration Required -
Yoga
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Bring a yoga mat/towel. Ages 18 & up.
Free • Registration Required -
Oak-tober
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480Join us for a hike to celebrate Oak Awareness Month.
Free
Volunteer Opportunities
Did you know the oak woodland is more endangered than the tropical rain forest? Help remove invasive plants so the oaks can have sunlight and space once again. Gloves, tools, goggles, and light refreshments are provided.
Rules
- Pets are not permitted on Nature Center grounds, including the parking lots.
- Nature Centers are unable to accept injured, orphaned or abandoned wildlife.
- For your safety and for the protection of natural areas, please stay on marked trails. Trails are for hiking only.
- Bicycles are only allowed in Nature Center parking lots, or at provided bike racks.
- For the benefit of other visitors and wildlife, please maintain respectful noise levels at all times.
- Picnicking is not permitted on Nature Center grounds. An adjacent picnic grove can be opened for pre-registered groups on weekdays.
- Food or drink is not permitted in Nature Center buildings.
- With the exception of water or sports bottles, food and drink are not permitted on Nature Center trails. Please dispose of litter in proper receptacles.
- Collecting of any kind is prohibited, as is the use of metal detectors. The fine for picking wildflowers is $500.
- For the protection of animals and visitors alike, please do not feed the wildlife.
- Be mindful of closing times for trails, the Nature Center building and parking lot.
- Please report safety hazards or suspicious activities to the Nature Center staff.
- Cross-country skiing is not permitted on Nature Center trails.
- All-terrain wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you plan to use multiple chairs or need special accommodations for a specific event, we request a minimum of 72 hours’ notice to ensure availability.