Hawthorne Preserve Park, Lockport, IL

Hawthorne Preserve Park in Lockport, Illinois, covers 35 acres of open space with a 1.2-mile paved loop trail that connects to the I&M Canal State Trail. The park includes a 9-acre detention basin that functions as a seasonal wetland, attracting waterfowl and shorebirds throughout the year. Two playground structures, one for ages 2-5 and another for ages 5-12, sit near the parking area on 163rd Street. A picnic shelter with six tables and charcoal grills is available for reservation through the Lockport Township Park District. The park’s location at the southern edge of the Dellwood subdivision places it within a half-mile of the Lockport Metra station and the downtown commercial district along 9th Street. Mature oak and hickory trees line the northern and eastern boundaries, providing shade along the trail and buffering adjacent residential lots.

Playground