Horizon Farm, a former equestrian estate, covers nearly 400 acres and features meadows, wetlands and small streams, as well as open habitat for grassland birds.

On this page:

• Location & Things to Do
• Trails
• Site Planning

Location & Things to Do

Horizon Trails

Site Planning

The Forest Preserves is working on a long-term, comprehensive plan for Horizon Farm. This process will consider earlier planning efforts, input from local stakeholders and feedback from community outreach efforts. Email planning@cookcountyil.gov for more information. 

With Horizon Farm now open, the Forest Preserves is excited for visitors to start engaging with the site and providing feedback which will contribute to continued planning efforts.

August 2023: The Forest Preserves continues to meet with key stakeholders for options that balance recreation and ecological restoration at the site. The expectation is to share a draft of a comprehensive master plan to the public in the fall of 2023. The plan will provide direction to establish a developed trail system, strategies for new facilities, enhanced visitor amenities, restoration efforts and cultivating local relationships for restoration and use.

December 2022: All sections of Horizon Farm are opened to the public for activities like hiking, birdwatching, photography, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. The trails, now official, are available for pedestrian, biking and equestrian use. The property was acquired subject to a conservation easement granted to the Barrington Area Conservation Trust (“BACT”) and a partner organization that restricts specific site uses. Discussions to amend the easement are in process and updated lists of allowed and prohibited uses are expected to be finalized in 2023.

June 2022: The Forest Preserves holds a public meeting to share the Horizon Farm opening plan and to hear ideas and feedback about what the site could look like in the future. The meeting presentation (PDF) and Q&A (PDF) are available for viewing.

November 2021: The northern section of Horizon Farm opens to the public for activities like hiking, birding, photography, and cross-country skiing. No official trails are open at this time.

October 2020: The Forest Preserves starts a three-part activation plan to open Horizon Farm to the public. In total, more than 20 buildings beyond their useful life, in some cases in deep disrepair, will be demolished, and roads will be repaired or turned into trails.

October 2019: After a protracted legal process, the Forest Preserves regains possession of Horizon Farm and starts an assessment of the conditions of trails and buildings to determine any maintenance and safety issues, as well as planning for activation of the site for the public.

September 2017: Horizon Farm closes while the Forest Preserves works to secure the public’s legal right to access this property.

December 2015: The Forest Preserves releases an RFP to conduct market feasibility and preliminary market feasibility analysis for specific re-use concepts and any other concepts identified at Horizon Farm.

June 2015: A major portion of Horizon Farm opens to the public for hiking, biking and riding on both paved and mowed trails. Parking for vehicles and horse trailers is available through the entrance on the west side of the site off Old Sutton Road. The public may also ride or walk in on the bridle trail on the east side of the site off of Trader’s Estate road. Trails at Horizon Farm connect to trails in the Spring Creek Preserve west of Old Sutton Road. Most of the southern portion of the site remains closed to the public while the Forest Preserves continues to assess the condition of buildings and explore potential uses of the property.

November/December 2014: The Community Meeting is held on November 19, 2014. The presentation (PDF) is available for viewing.

October 2014: The Community Meeting for Horizon Farm is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, 2014, at 7:00 pm at Countryside Elementary School.

July 2014: The Forest Preserves begins a full site assessment, as well as making any necessary improvements for access and safety.

June 2014: The first community outreach meeting takes place on June 18, 2014, at Barrington Countryside Elementary School in Barrington.