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Emily Oaks Nature Center
4.7 ★★★★★ 518 Google reviews · Running trail in Skokie, Illinois · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Distance
- 2 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Emily Oaks Nature Center'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.
Indoor nature center featuring interactive exhibits, classrooms, a playground, a garden & more.
What runners say about Emily Oaks Nature Center
“wonderful nature experience, very pretty, quiet places to relax or mediate, trail is kinda short but I will walk it twice ,friendly staff.”
Really nice place to take a walk, the smaller trails by the lake are pretty interesting. Don’t stay too late, once the chipmunks come out you can be quickly out numbered and overcome. You can easily connect to the Skokie Valley trail for a longer walk.
It’s definitely one of my favorite trails to walk. It’s very peaceful and calming.
We went on a field trip with my daughter’s class and it was such a beautiful space. It had rained the night before so it smelled amazing. Our tour guide was so kind! I can’t wait to go back for a walk on my own. The only drawback is that you can hear city noises, but that’s not something they can control!
A great place to get in touch with nature. It is not very large but it features both a paved and mulch path! The playground was very busy but the pond and paths were not. It’s about 0.25 mile around the paved path. Lovely spot!
Trail conditions & character
“wonderful nature experience, very pretty, quiet places to relax or mediate, trail is kinda short but I will walk it twice ,friendly staff.”
“It is not very large but it features both a paved and mulch path!”
“About a 1/2 mile walk tho , pond with fish and ducks outdoors, free parking and cool playground for kids”
“Fun for kids and a nice getaway that's accessible and calming.”
Plan your run at Emily Oaks Nature Center
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Distance2 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websiteskokieparks.org
- Phone(847) 677-7001
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 10 AM–7 PM |
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