The Illinois Canyon Trail, a 9.4-mile round-trip, is the ideal day hike. We especially love it in fall, when you can catch both the turning leaves and the tiny waterfalls scattered throughout. Read more.
27 acres of verdant hills and a fishing pond mean you have plenty of opportunity to become one with nature. Make it to the park’s highest point, Mount Bridgeport, for killer views of the city skyline. Read more.
The foamy breaking waves look all the more majestic while in a wool sweater and sipping an apple cider, so head over there to get some glimpses of an autumn you might miss if you keep to the city. Read more.
The 21-acre West Ridge Nature Preserve is a relatively new addition to the outskirts of the city. It boasts paved trails, a pond and the wide expanses hard to find in more bustling parts of Chicago. Read more.
Sandstone bluffs, red-bellied woodpeckers and six miles of hiking trails—what doesn’t Castle Rock State Park offer? The area is also home to top-notch cross-country skiing paths. Read more.
