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Hastings Lake Forest Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 790 Google reviews · Running trail in Lake Villa, Illinois · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 2 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Hastings Lake Forest Preserve'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.
Preserve with 4 mi. of trails through forest, fields & wetlands, plus picnic areas & a playground.
What runners say about Hastings Lake Forest Preserve
“Everything looked nicely maintained and our toddler had an absolute blast running back and forth between all the big animal statues.”
“If you enjoy being a part of nature at it's most beautiful then the park is a good place.”
“There are areas that have tree shade on the trail, which help on those hot sunny days.”
MOST SCENIC TRAIL! I had the best experience during my walks in this preserve. We ended up going 3 miles after repeating the loops. Be cautious to keep an eye on the exit signs. The trail has many scenic views. People were fishing and ready to set on their kayaks.
This preserve is stunning and beautiful 😍 great for walking with two large trails. Lot's of people fishing today,riding bikes.In addition if you have kid's it offers a playground.We walked the blue trail around the lake and observed beautiful wildlife many birds out today 😀
Perfect place for a family outing. Shade and bathrooms available. The 2-mile lake loop had a good surface for scooters. There were plenty of spots along the route to sit down, enjoy the view and listen the the birds. The playground was fantastic too. This place is a gem!
This a wonderful place to walk, run, or ride a bike. You can fish on the lake. They have a canoe launch area where you can get into the water. The lake is perfect for paddle boarding as well. It is relaxing to walk in the woods and relax among the flowers and trees. There is wildlife to observe as well.
Trail conditions & character
“There were plenty of spots along the route to sit down, enjoy the view and listen the the birds.”
“On the map it shows you two different loops you can do the yellow which is about a mile or you can do the blue loop which is more than 2 miles.”
“Paths were clean and wide, some were gravel, some boardwalk, some paved, lots of parking, huge playground for children.”
“There are areas that have tree shade on the trail, which help on those hot sunny days.”
“The restrooms are not your typical forest persevere out houses.”
“Paths were clean and wide, some were gravel, some boardwalk, some paved, lots of parking, huge playground for children.”
“Paths were clean and wide, some were gravel, some boardwalk, some paved, lots of parking, huge playground for children.”
“There are several places where there are boardwalks across water or swampy areas, but these are smooth and wide and accessible.”
“The path was very clean and markers easy to spot as there is only 1 path and no diversions.”
“Paths were clean and wide, some were gravel, some boardwalk, some paved, lots of parking, huge playground for children.”
Plan your run at Hastings Lake Forest Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance2 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitelcfpd.org
- Phone+1 847-367-6640
Running trails near Lake Villa
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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Laffredo Park
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Millennium Park
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Park featuring an open space, a playground and a baseball field. Also on-site are picnic tables, sand volleyball courts, basketball hoops and a farm museum.