How to check out the nightlife at DuPage forest preserves
Explore DuPage County forest preserves at night with many program offerings from through September.
The schedule includes "Twilight Tuesday" from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Aug. 2 and Sept. 6, at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook.
At the Aug. 2 hike, participants will learn about bats during a hike and talk, and then complete a fun project to attract wildlife to their own backyard. Cost is $8 per person and the program is for ages 6 and older with an adult. Register online or at (630) 850-8110. Toads will be the topic of the Sept. 6 hike.
"These programs offer visitors a glimpse into the night life in the preserves, which are normally open daily from one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset," said Forest Preserve District of DuPage County President Joe Cantore.
"Discover how the preserves come to life with nocturnal wildlife and see the preserves in a whole new light," said Forest Preserve District Commissioner Al Murphy, District 6.
Other evening programs include:
• Wildlife Campout, 6 p.m. Saturday, July 30, to 9 a.m. Sunday, July 31, Willowbrook Wildlife Center, 525 S. Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Bring your camping gear and sleep with your family under the stars. Enjoy spooky stories by the fire, learn about owls and other animals, meet the center's raptors, and hit the trails for a starlit hike. Dinner and breakfast included. Ages 7 and older; younger than 18 with an adult. Cost: $30 per person ages 16 and older; $20 ages 7 to 15. Register online or at (630) 942-6200.
• Fishing After Dark, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, July 30, and Thursday, Aug. 11, at Blackwell Forest Preserve, on Mack Road, Warrenville. Learn how to target species at the peak fishing time - dusk - and enjoy the lake at sunset. Ages 12 and older; younger than 18 with an adult. Free. Register online or at (630) 933-7248.
• Full Moon Hike, 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien, and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook. Enjoy a three-mile hike under a full moon as you take in the sights and sounds of a preserve at dusk. Ages 18 and older. Cost: $8 per person. Register online or at (630) 850-8110.
• Cycling at Sunset, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at Blackwell Forest Preserve, on Mack Road in Warrenville. Bring your bike and headlight, and enjoy the trails at McKee Marsh at sunset and after dark. All ages; younger than 18 with an adult. Free. Register online or at (630) 933-7248.
• Moths in the Moonlight, 9 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, at Mayslake Forest Preserve, 1717 31st St., Oak Brook. Discover the lives of moths and other insects that work the night shift and ways to study them in your own yard. Then enjoy s'mores around the fire. All ages; younger than 18 with an adult. $5 per person. Register online or at (630) 206-9566.
• When Darkness Falls, 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien. Hike the dark woods with a ranger and learn how to use your senses like a nocturnal predator. Ages 6 and older; younger than 16 with an adult. Free. Register online or at (630) 933-7248.
• Night Hike and S'More-gasbord, 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook. Discover nighttime creatures on a self-guided hike, and then try one of our s'more recipes or create your own concoction by the fire. All ages; younger than 18 with an adult. Cost: $7 per person. Register online or at (630) 850-8110.
• Backpacking Overnight, 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, to 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien. Bring your tent and sleeping bag, and learn how to pack for a trip. Then, take a four- to five-mile hike, set up camp and make a backcountry meal before hitting the sack. Ages 12 and older; younger than 18 with an adult. Cost: $75 per person ages 18 and older; $60 ages 12 to 17. Register online or at (630) 933-7248.
• Night Hike by Lantern Light, 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at Blackwell Forest Preserve, on Mack Road in Warrenville. Explore McKee Marsh along a lantern-lit trail on a self-guided hike and enjoy snacks and s'mores around the fire. All ages. Cost: $5 per person. Register online or at (630) 850-8110.
For information on any of the forest preserves or other forest district events, visit dupageforest.org.