Fall colors emerging in DuPage forest preserves
The clock's already ticking for folks who want to get out and enjoy the fall colors in DuPage County forest preserves.
"Fall colors generally peak around Oct. 15 in DuPage County's forest preserves, but that can vary from year to year," said district plant ecologist Scott Kobal. "The intensity and amount of color we'll get is hard to predict, but I think we're on the right track for a good year."
The woods at Maple Grove Forest Preserve in Downers Grove are known for intense colors. The preserve is composed mostly of black, silver and sugar maples, which develop into golden tones that seem to shine from every leaf in the forest. A winding 1.1-mile trail offers a pleasant stroll and also passes through an oak savanna.
The scenic overlook at Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville offers a view of fall colors from almost 200 feet above the surrounding forests. The overlook is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 26. Visitors can drive to the parking lot at top via an access road, located off Greene Road south of 79th Street.
For a more down-to-earth experience, the forest preserve also offers more than 9 miles of trails through a variety of habitats.
At Meacham Grove Forest Preserve in Bloomingdale, in the 40-acre grove on the west side of the preserve, - designated an Illinois State Nature Preserve - stately maples, oaks and hickories often display bold colors while broad-leaved goldenrods and Drummond's asters show off bright flowers from the forest floor. Three miles of trails traverse the preserve.
Forest preserves such as Blackwell in Warrenville, Churchill Woods in Glen Ellyn, Danada in Wheaton, Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook, Herrick Lake in Wheaton, West DuPage Woods in West Chicago and Waterfall Glen in Darien are also notable locations for beautiful foliage.
Printable maps for these and other forest preserves are available on the district's website, dupageforest.org. Visitors may also request a trails guide that features 24 of the most popular locations by calling Visitor Services at (630 933-7248 or emailing forest@dupageforest.org.