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River Trail Nature Center
4.6 ★★★★★ 279 Google reviews · Running trail in Northbrook, Illinois · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from River Trail Nature Center'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.
Children's park with exhibits for seeing live rescue animals like snakes, turtles, birds, owls and bald eagles.
What runners say about River Trail Nature Center
“A very well maintained nature center around Prospect Heights with lots of walking trails and opportunities for bird watching!”
“This is a beautiful area with great views of the Des Plaines River and amazing trails through the nearby woods.”
A must stop visit if looking for a nature fix! They have a great nature center with a lot of interesting reads and animal exhibits. There are also live animals to see: the resident coyote, hawks, owls, turtles and so many snakes! Staff is very friendly and lots of parking.
Serene escape to natural, loved the view of Des Plaines River, flowing calmly making a small bend, with ample seating options to enjoy the view. Great spot to enjoy a nice picnic. There is a nature inspired play area for the kids.
It’s a great place to go so close to the city take family and friends hiking biking they also have horse riding trials nearby. Take the family education learn about nature and animals I’m not a big fan of seeing animals in cages but education doesn’t hurt.
Very good place to take your kids, awesome hiking, cycling path. They have few native animals in cage, honey hives. They keep feeder for birds , so that we can see many varieties of bird. We can do fishing in river. No entry fee. Parking is also free.
Trail conditions & character
“Serene escape to natural, loved the view of Des Plaines River, flowing calmly making a small bend, with ample seating options to enjoy the view.”
“Medium-sized parking and best of all, it's free.”
“Has a quick wooden area (portage trail) loop walk with shade.”
Plan your run at River Trail Nature Center
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- 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 trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websitefpdcc.com
- Phone+1 847-824-8360
Hours
| Monday | 9 am–5 pm |
| Tuesday | 9 am–5 pm |
| Wednesday | 9 am–5 pm |
| Thursday | 9 am–5 pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 9 am–5 pm |
| Sunday | 9 am–5 pm |
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