HomeIllinoisWadsworth › Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve

Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve

4.6 ★★★★★ 89 Google reviews · Running trail in Wadsworth, 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 Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve 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.

Dog-friendlyWater

Natural area featuring a dog park.

What runners say about Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (89 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 3 mentions

“Beautiful preservation of the natural beauty and wildlife in Northern Illinois”

🐕 dog-walking favorite 3 mentions

“Good group of dogs and owners, friendly place.”

I've been going there with my dog since 2008, so 9 years now... I used to go out there twice a day, 7 days a week. 3 miles a pop. It's nothing special to the visitor, but like everything else in Wadsworth, it has it own distinctive charm once you become a local.

★★★★★ — Chris , Jun 2017

Great place for a day hike. Easy enough for the young and old. Just a heads up there is hardly any shaded areas.

★★★★★ — Elizabeth , Sep 2021

Wonderful place though horseback riders should be required to use a manure catcher for there is way too much of it on the trails.

★★★★☆ — Dean , Jul 2019

We go to the dog park and my dogs and I have a great time there. We run into a lot of people and find friendly dogs and people.

★★★★★ — Tim , Aug 2020

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 89 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.

🐕 Dog-friendly 22 mentions

“I've visited the new dog park at this forest preserve a few times this month and my pup has enjoyed it .”

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🚰 Water fountains

“Completely fenced in, with doggy bowl drinking fountains.”

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Plan your run at Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve

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.
  • At the trailheadwater — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websitelcfpd.org
  • Phone(847) 367-6640

Where to find Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve

38820 N Delany Rd, Wadsworth, IL 60083

Get directions

Running trails near Wadsworth

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

Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve

5 ★★★★★ 3 reviews

Gurnee, IL

under a mile away

Wadsworth Village Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 171 reviews

Wadsworth, IL

1 miDog-friendly

Clean family-friendly park featuring basketball and tennis courts, baseball fields and soccer pitches.

1.2 miles away

Shaw Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 47 reviews

Gurnee, IL

Swings and playgrounds at a renovated park where families can come for informal recreation.

2.3 miles away

Des Plains River Trail Access

5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews

Gurnee, IL

2.5 miles away

Kilbourne Road DPRT Trail Access

4.7 ★★★★★ 17 reviews

Gurnee, IL

2.6 miles away

Betty Russell Community Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 337 reviews

Gurnee, IL

Scenic

Grassy space with a skate park, playground, baseball & soccer fields, plus a seasonal ice rink.

2.8 miles away

All running trails in Wadsworth, 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.