Lake County Forest Preserves

As warm weather draws more visitors outdoors, the Lake County Forest Preserves is reminding the public to prioritize safety while enjoying the trails.

On March 12, the Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of two land parcels: 55 acres in Fremont Township and 34 acres in Antioch Township.

The Lake County Forest Preserves Ranger Police presented Sgt. James Harrison with an honorable mention award recently for his exceptional bravery and quick thinking.  

For the third year, the Bess Bower Dunn Museum in Libertyville is holding a food drive during spring break. Visitors will receive free admission with the donation of at least one nonperishable food item or toiletry per person.

The Lake County Forest Preserves is hosting a job fair from 2 to 6 p.m. March 10 at the Greenbelt Cultural Center, 1215 Green Bay Road in North Chicago.

Managed by the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves, the Every Acre Strong endowment will generate approximately $800,000 annually to fund ongoing care of the Forest Preserves' restored lands. 

“Threads of Time: Quilts and Textiles” special exhibit opens Friday, Feb. 14, and runs through May 4 at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville.

The 42nd annual Profiles in Excellence event takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. Feb. 2 at Greenbelt Cultural Center, 1215 Green Bay Road in North Chicago.

On Wednesday, Jan. 15, the Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of additional land to expand Raven Glen Forest Preserve in Antioch and finalized an agreement with the Village of Gurnee.

Two Lake County Forest Preserves police officers were honored Jan. 15 for extraordinary dedication in finding a missing man.

“Words of the Woods,” the Lake County Forest Preserves’ award-winning podcast about nature and history, debuted its third season on Dec. 4.  

Experience the magic of winter in the Lake County Forest Preserves.  From ice skating and sledding to peaceful cross-country skiing, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

The Lake County Forest Preserves’ Horizons magazine recently received four prestigious awards from two esteemed competitions.

Discover more ways to connect with nature using Expand Your Experience, the new official map and guide to Lake County’s forest preserves.

The 10th annual Lake County History Symposium takes place virtually on Zoom from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 9 and 16.

Join the Forest Preserves Ranger Police for a snowmobile safety course from 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Operations and Public Safety Facility, 19808 W. Grand Ave., Lake Villa.

Drop off your tree at one of eight marked sites across Lake County, open daily from 6:30 a.m. to sunset through Feb. 1, 2025.

At a special meeting Dec. 2, the Board of Commissioners elected Jessica Vealitzek (District 10) to serve as president of the Lake County Forest Preserves. The Board also elected Gina Roberts (District 4) to serve as vice president.

Starting Nov. 3, you can enjoy nature after dark by exploring two Lake County forest preserves with illuminated trails.

The Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners approved the 2025 fiscal year budget during their Oct. 9 meeting.

At its Oct. 9 meeting, the Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of about 13.2 acres to expand Greenbelt Forest Preserve in North Chicago.

The Lake County Forest Preserves is holding its popular OAKtober Native Tree & Shrub Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 6 at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville.

Festival de Cultura, Comida y Vida takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 29 at Nippersink Forest Preserve in Round Lake.

As the days cool down, the Lake County Forest Preserves has organized a lineup of entertainment for SeptOberfest at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville.

The Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners recently approved the purchase of about 41 acres in Antioch Township, known as the Fogel property, at a regular board meeting.

The Lake County Forest Preserves invites you to tackle seven unique challenges in its 26th annual Hike Lake County program.

Afrofest is taking place from noon to 8 p.m. Aug. 17 at Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago. The event is a vibrant celebration of African culture and heritage. 

Award-winning gospel group Nate Martin & SIGN (Singing in God’s Name) is the headliner at this year’s free Gospelfest event at Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago.

The Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of 18.2 acres to expand Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve in Lake Forest at a special board meeting July 9.

Two members of the Lake County Forest Preserves team recently earned national recognition.

Inspired by these intriguing insects, the Lake County Forest Preserves teamed up with Harbor Brewing Company in Lake Villa to celebrate the cicadas’ 2024 arrival with a new craft beer.

Nine concerts will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, June 11 through Aug. 6, at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville.

The Beer Garden at Independence Grove, featuring scenic views and craft brews, reopened for the season.

World-renowned National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore is the featured speaker at a May 17 gala benefiting the Lake County Forest Preserves.

The Lake County Forest Preserves has adopted cutting-edge technology designed to enhance communication and accessibility for visitors to their website.

The Lake County Forest Preserves is hosting a job fair from 2 to 6 p.m. March 11 at the Greenbelt Cultural Center, 1215 Green Bay Road in North Chicago.

Relish Events at Independence Grove, located within the Libertyville forest preserve, now serves as the on-site caterer for special occasions and operates the outdoor café.

Two Illinois organizations committed to advancing parks and recreation recognized the outstanding contributions of the Lake County Forest Preserves with four esteemed awards for excellence in public communications and design.

“Managing Healthy Landscapes” opens Feb. 10 at the Dunn Museum, 1899 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville.

The 41st annual Profiles in Excellence event takes place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at Greenbelt Cultural Center, 1215 Green Bay Road in North Chicago.

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods is partnering with Old Town School of Folk Music to bring free bilingual music programming for youth to Brushwood Center every Saturday.

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods is presenting “Enriching Life,” the botanical artwork of internationally renowned botanical artist Heeyoung Kim and the Brushwood Botanical Artists.

The Chicago Wilderness Alliance has recognized the Lake County Forest Preserves with two prestigious awards.

Don’t send your holiday tree to the landfill. Donate it to the Lake County Forest Preserves, and they’ll recycle it into wood chips for trails and landscaping in your forest preserves.

The ninth annual Lake County History Symposium takes place virtually on Zoom from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 4 and 18.

The Lake County Forest Preserves offer a winter wonderland of activities, featuring everything from the graceful glide of ice skating to the exhilarating rush of sledding and the serene journey of cross-country skiing.

Visitors can explore the bones and fossils belonging to the giant creatures that once roamed the Earth. Six full dinosaur skeletal molds, including a Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor, can be viewed and touched

The Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners approved the fiscal 2024 budget at its Oct. 11 meeting.

The Lake County Forest Preserves earned a prestigious award in the Best Green Practices category of an Illinois Association of Park Districts contest.

Dinosaurs will visit the Bess Bower Dunn Museum in Libertyville with the opening of a special exhibition, “Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed.”