Hickory Creek Forest Preserve, New Lenox, IL

Hickory Creek Forest Preserve spans 1,487 acres across Will County, with the New Lenox section providing direct trail access from several residential neighborhoods. The preserve features 12 miles of multi-use trails maintained for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding, including a crushed-limestone path that runs parallel to Hickory Creek. Anglers can fish at two designated ponds stocked annually by the Forest Preserve District, while birders frequent the oak-hickory uplands where spring warbler migrations peak in May. Picnic shelters, restrooms, and a playground are located at the 167th Street entrance, and the adjacent parking lot accommodates horse trailers. The preserve sits less than three miles from the New Lenox Metra station on the Rock Island District line and is bordered by U.S. Route 30, giving residents quick connections to downtown Joliet or Interstate 80. Seasonal mowing keeps the tallgrass areas open, offering unobstructed views of the creek valley and distant wooded ridges.

Camping Cross-Country Skiing Hiking Paths Picnic Area