Home › Illinois › Plano › Jay Woods Forest Preserve
Jay Woods Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 76 Google reviews · Running trail in Plano, Illinois · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- 1 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Jay Woods 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.
Wooded prairie preserve offering trails for strolls.
What runners say about Jay Woods Forest Preserve
“People need to clean up after their dogs.”
“Otherwise, beautiful walking limestone track for 1 mile with tons of flowers and birds of all kinds.”
“Peaceful, beautiful, very relaxing.”
I love this forest to their of its beautiful and filled with a ton of beautiful flowers and there is an awesome overlook to a little Creek that's very relaxing I like to go for many walks here and across the street is a trail that's open with no trees if you would like to catch some Sun while you go for a walk.
Jay Woods is a great place but it seems it has been neglected a bit the last few years, trails in the woods were pretty rough but it's still a gem
A nice little place. There's a prairie trail on one side, and a few trails through the forest in the other side of the road. The trails are short - a mile or less - but quite pretty. A good place for a quick run or to walk your dog. The overlook in the woods is a lovely place to sit and watch the birds.
Nice quiet place. Peaceful. Doggie bags are available by the sign in the prairie area, and I believe in the forested area as well. It's good if you run out accidentally. There is the prairie area and the forest area on opposite sides of the road. The prairie area is a longer hike. The forested area is pretty short.
Trail conditions & character
“Otherwise, beautiful walking limestone track for 1 mile with tons of flowers and birds of all kinds.”
“The other side is a shaded mulch path just under a half mile.”
“One side has a crushed limestone path that has a 1 mile long loop which is out in the open.”
“A good place for a quick run or to walk your dog.”
Plan your run at Jay Woods Forest Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- Loop distance1 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websiteco.kendall.il.us
Hours
| Monday | 8 am–8 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am–8 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am–8 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am–8 pm |
| Friday | 8 am–8 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am–8 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am–8 pm |
Running trails near Plano
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Big Rock Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 431 reviews
Woodland, marsh & prairie make up this 840-acre preserve with camping, hiking & horseback riding.
Foli Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 102 reviews
Park with a pond, trails, a lake and a disc golf course, plus fishing piers.
Subat Forest Preserve
4.3 ★★★★☆ 35 reviews
Nature preserve, with a loop trail through the woods and along the prairie, as well as a lookout point.