Home › Illinois › Bartlett › Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve
Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 331 Google reviews · Running trail in Bartlett, Illinois · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 5.6 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Hawk Hollow 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.
This sizable tract of wildland landscape offers nature viewing opportunities & a multi-use path.
What runners say about Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve
“Large, open prairie, gorgeous any time of year, and big enough that it never feels crowded.”
“Great place for dogs that like to run on a log lead or off leash in fields.”
“When it rains, the path does get muddy, and if you have a dog like mine that loves to roll in mud, then I’d use the grass area instead.”
I love this place very much. Consider stepping off the gravel path and onto the mowed grass ones. One will take you right up to the river, and others will let you walk through the prairie itself. There is also a grass path that starts to the right of the townhouses by Jewel.
Biggest Prairie fenced in, off leash dog park! We can spend all day, walking the trail! It's a big loop and probably takes 30 - 45 minutes to walk around but you can make it way longer if you're playing with your pup!! It definitely gets busy on the weekends but means more puppy friends! Go check it out!
Large, open prairie, gorgeous any time of year, and big enough that it never feels crowded. The lack of trees makes it a place to go only early or late in very hot, sunny days -- but also means there's almost always a breeze to keep the bugs away. One of our favorite off-leash dog-walking areas.
Hawk Hollow has a beautiful vast grassland, meadows, and rolling hills. There's some really great views along the trail where you can see the landscape for miles. If you cross the bridge, the trail briefly takes you along the West Branch DuPage River and eventually leads to Mallard Lake Forest Preserve.
Trail conditions & character
“We have not been inside the play areas yet because the times I've gone, there were too many dogs in there, and my dog would be new kid on the block.”
“Large, open prairie, gorgeous any time of year, and big enough that it never feels crowded.”
“Gravel path for walking, a few benches along the path, mostly flat with small hills and valleys.”
“There's no parking lot available, but you can park along Struckman Blvd in the designated spots.”
“When it rains, the path does get muddy, and if you have a dog like mine that loves to roll in mud, then I’d use the grass area instead.”
“It's a big loop and probably takes 30 - 45 minutes to walk around but you can make it way longer if you're playing with your pup!”
Plan your run at Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve
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
- Loop distance5.6 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Trail mapOfficial trail map
- Websitedupageforest.com
- Phone(630) 933-7200
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6:30 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 6:30 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 6:30 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 6:30 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 6:30 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 6:30 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 6:30 AM–8 PM |
Running trails near Bartlett
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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