Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve

Came here to do a maternity photo shoot and the location certainly didn’t disappoint!! We chose Waterfall Glen because it is an equine-friendly location. I’ve been here before and had a vision of what I wanted to capture in these photos. If you’re an equestrian, I highly recommend riding these trails. They are lovely!

First time out to this trail, after many great reviews and doable travel time- it was easy access off I-55 and 294S, 30 mins from the city on a Saturday afternoon. The trails are gravel, ideal for running, walking and cycling, lots of people enjoying the trails, but it didn’t feel crowded at all. There was a lot of direct sunlight overhead the first 2 miles then after that you head through a more shaded part, huge beautiful old oak trees and dense foliage. There is a waterfall but it’s 6 miles in from the original loop, if you park at the Frontage road lot- or Trailhead parking lot off of I-55. There is also a Lamont Rd parking lot, which would be about 3 mile start from the waterfall- definitely trying that next time. A nice getaway from the city, quiet peaceful nature and blue skies.

I have ran many times here. I always like running here, but it was honestly a bit better a couple years ago. They cut down a lot of trees that provided shade so in the summer it gets hot on some of the stretches. Overall though this is a great place to run or walk and the scenery is really enjoyable. The 9 mile loop is perfect to run and I would recommend checking out the waterfall. It was a lot bigger than I expected.

The hiking trails are excellent. The main loop is a 9.5 mile trail. The hike has plenty of shade and consists of forest, prairie, and marshland. The trails are well maintained. The waterfalls are average. They are probably the best waterfalls you can find this close to Chicago. However, there are much better waterfalls in Starved Rock and Matthiessen. Great park all around.

One of my favorite places. During the summer, it can get quite busy and crowded, but in the early morning or later, it isn't as bad. Also, once you go further down the path away from the waterfall, it isn't as congested. If you want to see the falls ragging, make sure there has been rain as it can dry up pretty quickly and not be as dramatic.