Outdoors

Enjoy a day on the slopes and trails at these downhill and cross-country skiing locations in the suburbs and northwest Illinois.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s annual celebration of bald eagles will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

Mark your calendars now with the dates of Forest Preserve District of Will County’s events and programs in the new year.

Bicyclists left the former Green River Cyclery on Wednesday, Jan. 1, and rode the bike path to Lowell Park and back before meeting for lunch.

Outdoor ice rinks are a great way to have fun, fit in some physical activity and enjoy fresh air this winter.

Fight cabin fever with anticipation of theater productions under the stars in just a few months, presented by American Players Theatre and Peninsula Players.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Healing with Nature series features six Will County residents and their stories.

There are some steps to try to get perennial potted plants through the tough winter months and enjoy them again come spring.

The primary objective is to provide unique recreational amenities for the southwest region of the Plainfield Park District.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County will close all of its visitor centers after 12 p.m. on Tuesday and all day on Wednesday, for the Christmas holiday. All preserves, including dog parks, will be closed on Wednesday. .

Forest Preserve District of Will County gift shops are stocked with unique gifts for the holiday shopping season and Museum Store Sunday on Dec. 1.

Choose curling, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and snowmobiling to make winter weekends a blast.

Sunday, Dec. 1, through Tuesday, Dec. 31, on designated Will County forest preserve trails, run a virtual 5K. Choose one of 11 designated trails to run your own race in December.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is seeking participants for its volunteer morning program, gathering seeds for future restoration efforts or clearing brush to give native plants room to grow.

Take in fall colors at Will County forest preserves with special hiking days or family programs celebrating the season.

Glow Holiday Festival will be shown at Joliet Slammers Stadium from Nov. 27 through Jan. 5. Show owner says festival is an event for all ages and will be 'selfies galore."

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Take It Outside Challenge challenges participants to complete nature-themed missions to earn points and win prizes. Two Take It Outside Meetups are scheduled for Oct. 23 and Nov. 17.

A new trail connection wraps along and under the 135th Street bridge in Romeoville on the east side of the I&M Canal, and links 14.5 miles of continuous pathway, allowing travel from Lemont to Joliet.

A traveling exhibit that focuses on old growth forests and savannas will open Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

The city held a rededication of Joliet’s Gardens and Arbors on 129th Infantry Drive Tuesday, thanks to a $25,000 grant from Canadian National.

The Nature Foundation held its first board meeting in 2014 as the Friends of the Forest Preserve District of Will County. Since then, the nonprofit has raised funds to make education programs, infrastructure improvements possible.

Hidden Lakes Trout Farm in Bolingbrook will be hosting a Trout Season Celebration beginning at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Fall Frolic, running Oct. 6- Dec. 24, will take people of all ages on an adventure across Will County forest preserves.

The Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves in Will and Grundy counties has received $99,439.56 from the state of Illinois for a program aimed at removing invasive species at local sites.

Wear your favorite costume and search for spooktacular natural and super-natural items in the forest at the Spooky Scavenger Hunt at Four River Education Center in Channahon.

Get into the spirit of fall by participating in the Spooky Scavenger Hunt at our Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

It's never too late to plant a tree and other woody plant as long as the hole is pre-dug, according to Nancy Kuhajda, Illinois Extension horticulture educator serving Grundy, Kankakee, and Will Counties.

The Rock River Valley Bike Club is looking to add more volunteers and trail miles to their already impressive system.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is throwing a Pelican Party on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon. Live pelican presentations are scheduled.

Goodenow Grove Campground in Crete is holding a Family Campout from Saturday, Sept. 28, to Sunday, Sept. 29. Forest Preserve District staff will help with setup and be there with entertainment.

The Nature Conservancy held its annual Autumn on the Prairie on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, at the Nachusa Grasslands near Franklin Grove.

Close out summer with a fishing excursion to idden Lakes Trout Farm in Bolingbrook. Two-hour sessions will be offered at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., on Saturday, Sept. 21.

A new kayak rental station is now up and running at Will County’s Lake Chaminwood Preserve in Channahon and is ready to go for the Labor Day weekend.

Armed with a 25-year-old film camera and a 20-year-old roll of 36-exposure film, photographer Alex T. Paschal made it his mission to take 36 individual portraits of people he met at a southern Illinois music festival. Here is the result.

Here is a gallery of film portraits taken by Shaw Local photographer Alex T. Paschal at a southern Illinois music fest – Full Terror Assault – in 2023.

Participants who hike at least seven of 10 designated trails in Will County forest preserves this fall earn a special medallion that can be pinned to a backpack or walking stick.

Tuesdays through Sundays, Sept. 1-29, at Hidden Lakes Trout Farm in Bolingbrook stop by the Tackle Box bait shop to pick up your guide to the scavenger hunt.

Fall offers its own full season of festivals and community celebrations throughout Will County. Check here for listing of special events coming up August through October.

A new paved path connecting the Lake Chaminwood Preserve in Channahon to the I&M Canal State Trail is now open. This new trail section connects via a bridge over the canal.

Explore the habitat of local bat species in Will County and watch bats emerge go out on their nightly hunt at Hammel Woods in Shorewood.

Rise and Shine Paddle will be held the morning of Thursday, Aug. 22. at the Will County forest preserve in Monee Township.

The Will County Forest District Board voted Aug. 8 to acquire 57-acres at cost of $1,037,400 to grow the forest preserve in Channahon.

There are plenty of beautiful locations in northern Illinois where you and your family can enjoy all the benefits of shoreline living

Still time to enjoy summer fun before Will County kids head back to school. These community pools have August open swim hours.

Four blues bands will be performing at Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park in Joliet from 3 to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

As summer reaches its peak, a variety of garden centers and farmstands are available throughout Will County.

Come out to the Plum Creek Nature Center to see these fascinating birds up close and check out monarch and honeybee displays at forest preserve programs.

The concert will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at 201 W. Jefferson St., Joliet.

View nesting herons, egrets and cormorants at Lake Renwick while the rookery is closed for nesting season.

Northwest Illinois is full of many gorgeous state parks, perfect for family-friendly outdoor adventures.