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Caldwell Woods (Forest Preserves of Cook County)
4.7 ★★★★★ 176 Google reviews · Running trail in Chicago, Illinois · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Caldwell Woods (Forest Preserves of Cook County)'s own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Cook County park offering a trail for walking and biking, plus a picnic area.
What runners say about Caldwell Woods (Forest Preserves of Cook County)
“Great, well kept trails for running, biking, and hiking.”
“Beautiful forest preserve if you are able to get away from the traffic, which quite frankly , there aren't that many places in this preserve .”
“Great, well kept trails for running, biking, and hiking.”
I've been riding The North Branch Trail since I was a kid. They have re-paved the trail about 8 years ago and it's still in great shape. The cool thing is, last year they extended the north end to the Green Bay Trail. They are currently adding a addition to the south end.
As a girl from Ohio, I'm used to nature trails and now that I live in Chicago, I don't really get that experience. It was refreshing to walk the trails at the forest preserve and feel like I was back home. We even saw a deer which made the experience even that much more enjoyable.
I love the walking/running/biking trail. It's beautiful through the forest and there are parks along the way. I often see deer and other wildlife, which is very nice in the near suburbs of such a big city. Great way to get exercise and enjoy some nature time!
Can't wait for the weather get better so I can go and walk all over the place , is close to my house so most of the time I can go to walk , is clean secure and we appreciate the place, people walking around always smile at you in our walks 🤗
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful forest preserve if you are able to get away from the traffic, which quite frankly , there aren't that many places in this preserve .”
Plan your run at Caldwell Woods (Forest Preserves of Cook County)
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- Websitefpdcc.com
- Phone(800) 870-3666
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Saturday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–6 PM |
Running trails near Chicago
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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