St. James Farm opens for winter visitors

DuPage Forest Preserve District submission

For the first time since the site’s opening, the DuPage County Forest Preserve District invites visitors to explore St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville in winter.

More than three miles of trails lead visitors on foot, bicycle, snowshoe, cross-country ski and horseback through this 612-acre forest preserve, which also features a pond with largemouth bass, bluegills and catfish for catch-and-release fishing.

“St. James Farm officially started operating year-round in May, but this is the first time the new schedule will allow visitors to get a winter perspective of this scenic preserve,” manager Wayne Zaininger said.

Zaininger recommends a few seasonal highlights, such as bird-watching in the 100-acre woodland, which visitors can reach via the 1.6-mile Red Trail, and enjoying landscapes only winter can offer.

Like most DuPage forest preserves, St. James Farm is open daily from one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset. Preserve access is free and is available from the main entrance on Winfield Road. Trail users may also enter from the Illinois Prairie Path near the trail’s underpass at Butterfield Road. The turf parking lot and entrance at Hoy Avenue are closed for the season. More information and a map are available on the district’s website, dupageforest.org, under “Places to Go” and “St. James Farm.”