Riverside Hollow Park, McHenry, IL

Riverside Hollow Park occupies a 42-acre site in west McHenry, bordered by the Fox River on its eastern edge and the McHenry County Conservation District’s trail network on the west. The park includes a 1.8-mile paved multi-use trail that links to the 40-mile Fox River Trail, giving residents a direct route for walking, running, and cycling without entering city streets. Two playgrounds with rubberized surfacing, a 9-hole disc-golf course, and four reservable picnic shelters sit near the main parking lot, while a dog-exercise area occupies the northern section. The riverfront section offers a small launch for kayaks and canoes, and a 60-foot fishing pier extends into a backwater slough known for bluegill and largemouth bass. Mowed turf fields support youth soccer and lacrosse practices, and mature oak-hickory woodland covers the park’s southern bluff, providing shade along the trail and seasonal color. The park is three minutes by car from Route 31, four minutes from downtown McHenry’s grocery stores and library, and ten minutes from Veterans Memorial Park and the McHenry Country Club golf course.

Playground