Deer Grove Forest Preserve

Great place for a big party or wedding reception!

Located in the high Deer Park IL forest preserve, these numbers “spots” are huge. Covered stone structure with several picnic tables. We backed up a few food and beverage trucks, set up a huge tent, s...

Great hiking trails

The map you can print out is not very accurate. We walked the entire loop plus some other routes within the loop. It’s cement, crushed gravel and dirt trails. Where hiking shoes. It was a fun...

the perfect place to forest bathe (shinrin-yoku)

The east and west sections offer entirely different experiences -- the west side less developed and more "natural". Both are worth visiting at any time of year. Bring your binoculars for bird watchi...

destination hike

About 15 years ago, when O'Hare Airport was expanded, the new runways destroyed the local wetlands. Federal law required the City of Chicago to replace them, and one of the happy results is the resto...

A variety of recreational opportunities in Nature

I visited Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine on a beautiful Fall day in November.  The preserve offers a myriad of different activities to connect with nature.  The preserve is in two units, East ...