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Mather Woods
4.6 ★★★★★ 197 Google reviews · Running trail in Plainfield, Illinois · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Mather Woods' 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.
A 67-acre forest park with 2 miles of trails, picnic shelters & river access.
What runners say about Mather Woods
“Mather Woods is a scenic park with well-maintained natural and paved trails through the woods.”
“Mather Woods is a scenic park with well-maintained natural and paved trails through the woods.”
“Gorgeous on a summer day and quiet in the winter.”
Nice park close to home. There are some paved trails and then some grassy trails. There are also 3 picnic areas and bathrooms. It does get muddy though so bring some hiking boots. Everytime I go here though, the bugs get me. Bring bug spray and sunglasses to keep the flies out of your eyes.
Mather Woods is a scenic park with well-maintained natural and paved trails through the woods. You're surrounded by tons of trees here and it's a beautiful place to walk in the fall. The trail is easy and flat and has good signage. The trail connects to Settlers Park if you want to extend your mileage.
Pretty we went on the dirt trails was pretty got to see deer and a mini waterfall we found not marked it is hidden.
Great paths to walk/ hike. Beautiful place and a wonderful place to take pictures as well. Excited to do a few more hikes here and explore more!
Trail conditions & character
“Pretty we went on the dirt trails was pretty got to see deer and a mini waterfall we found not marked it is hidden.”
“The park looks nice, there is a wide paved trail to make walking easier during the rainy days, but we bounced off of that trail and headed into the woods.”
“The main path is not paved so the loop can be muddy if it just rained, but there is a paved path that you can still enjoy walking on!”
“Gorgeous on a summer day and quiet in the winter.”
“The main path is not paved so the loop can be muddy if it just rained, but there is a paved path that you can still enjoy walking on!”
“There is a paved trail and natural terrain paths, there's also restrooms at start of trail and 3 pavilions near there.”
Plan your run at Mather Woods
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
- 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.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Websiteplfdparks.org
- Phone+1 815-436-8812
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–8 pm |
Running trails near Plainfield
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Settlers' Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 570 reviews
Scenic park featuring open lawns, a playground, an amphitheater and a paved path around a pond.
Lake Renwick Preserve - Copley Nature Park
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Park with trails and a public restroom offering a peaceful spot to observe birds.
Clow Stephens Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 155 reviews
Park with two playgrounds, clean walkways and a vast dog area.
Lake Renwick Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 418 reviews
This 839-acre wetland features bird nesting areas, trails & mounted scopes for wildlife viewing.