HomeIllinoisRiverwoods › Lake County Forest Preserves

Lake County Forest Preserves

4.7 ★★★★★ 75 Google reviews · Running trail in Riverwoods, Illinois · Hours vary

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Not reported

We have not been able to confirm the surface, distance or shape of Lake County Forest Preserves yet from its own listing, the park's website or runner reviews — so those cells stay blank rather than guess. What is below comes straight from the listing and from reviewers' own words. 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.

Scenic

What runners say about Lake County Forest Preserves

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (75 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 6 mentions

“Lots of natural trees and plants and animals call these beautiful preserves home.”

Very good place for walking trails and bird watching. Different types of environments with wooded, river walk, and open meadows.

★★★★★ — Don , May 2025

Forest trail is really good, but one on open field has a lot of mosquitoes.

★★★★☆ — Pawel , Aug 2023

Great park with a bunch of trails that all connect at different points. Makes it easy to come back here and make it different every time. There is a historical house next to the river that is fun to see. Place can get busy but its pretty great at all points of the year.

★★★★★ — Michael , Jul 2023

Beautiful any time of year the trails are awesome. Fun to see the chickens and sheep and the welcome center is always a great source of information and confort

★★★★★ — Evil , Nov 2021

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 75 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 6 mentions

“Lots of natural trees and plants and animals call these beautiful preserves home.”

More trails like this →

Plan your run at Lake County Forest Preserves

The practical stuff

  • AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
  • 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.
  • Websitelcfpd.org
  • Phone+1 847-968-3321

Where to find Lake County Forest Preserves

21950 Riverwoods Rd, Riverwoods, IL 60015

Get directions

Running trails near Riverwoods

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area Welcome Center

4.8 ★★★★★ 10 reviews

Deerfield, IL

under a mile away

Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 606 reviews

Riverwoods, IL

ShadedScenic

Large preserve offers hiking & snowshoeing nature trails with diverse wildlife & a small farm area.

under a mile away

Lake County Forest Preserve

4.6 ★★★★★ 32 reviews

Deerfield, IL

Scenic

1.6 miles away

Happy Tails Dog Park - Buffalo Grove

4.2 ★★★★☆ 136 reviews

Buffalo Grove, IL

4 miShadedDog-friendly

Spacious area for dogs to socialize and run, often with divided space for smaller dogs.

1.6 miles away

Potawatomi Woods

4.7 ★★★★★ 581 reviews

Northbrook, IL

Crushed gravelShadedScenic

This grassy & wooded area provides trails, a picnic area & water access for fishing.

2.4 miles away

Half Day Forest Preserve

4.7 ★★★★★ 770 reviews

Vernon Hills, IL

MixedScenic

Scenic preserve featuring picnic shelters, pond fishing & areas for viewing migratory songbirds.

2.5 miles away

All running trails in Riverwoods, IL →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.