Belleau Woods Forest Preserve, Wheaton, IL

Belleau Woods Forest Preserve occupies 87 acres of rolling woodland and restored prairie in western Wheaton, offering residents direct access to five miles of crushed-stone trails that wind through mature oak-hickory forest and open meadows. The preserve’s central picnic shelter and adjacent parking lot make it easy to reach trailheads for morning runs, after-work bike rides, or weekend bird-watching along the DuPage River corridor. A short connector path links the preserve to the Illinois Prairie Path, allowing cyclists to travel east into downtown Wheaton or west toward the Great Western Trail without driving. Seasonal wildflowers, fall color, and consistent wildlife sightings—white-tailed deer, red-tailed hawks, and migrating warblers—provide year-round scenery visible from many nearby residential streets. Families appreciate the preserve’s playground and open turf areas, while dog owners use the designated on-leash walking loops. Because the preserve sits within two miles of Wheaton’s Metra station and a cluster of grocery stores and schools along Roosevelt Road, residents can combine outdoor recreation with daily errands on foot or by bicycle.