Nature and History in DuPage

In DuPage, outdoor experiences and engaging historic sites sit side by side: you’ll find trails through forests, prairies and wetlands, as well as an operating water-powered grist mill and museums with very different areas of focus. This makes it easy to plan a stay around outdoor activities and cultural and historical discoveries.

Trails and Landscapes

The forest preserves of DuPage County include more than 175 miles of trails. Options range from quiet footpaths to wide limestone and asphalt trails. An interactive map provides information for each trail on parking, directions and amenities—helpful when you want to plan your outings in advance.

Blackwell reveals another side of this landscape: the grounds are gently rolling and include oak and hickory forests, prairies, grasslands and wetlands. These habitats attract a variety of native wildlife. At the Morton Arboretum, you can explore 1,700 acres; 16 miles of trails and paths wind through wooded areas, gardens and prairies. Both destinations combine natural areas with trails, but their landscapes are quite distinct.

Mayslake and St. James Farm also offer different experiences. Mayslake covers 90 acres, including 13 acres of wetlands, 9 acres of lakes and ponds, and 15 acres of savanna and restored prairie. The grounds also include a fully fenced off-leash dog area with more than four acres of mowed lawn and a double-gate system. Check permit and operating information before visiting. St. James Farm covers 595 acres, more than 100 of which are woodlands, prairies and wetlands. Trails wind through the preserve’s natural areas and can be used by hikers, cyclists, horseback riders and cross-country skiers.

At the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center, the team cares for and provides medical treatment to injured, orphaned and sick native wildlife. The 0.5-mile Coyote Loop at the center has six interpretive stations about native flora and fauna. Trail details may change, so please check the latest trail information in advance.

Unless otherwise posted, fishing is permitted in all lakes and ponds of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and along both branches of the DuPage River, Salt Creek and its tributaries. Check current regulations and posted signs before fishing.

Mills, Farms and Museums

Graue Mill and Museum is the only operating water-powered grist mill in Illinois. Its programs on milling, spinning and weaving illustrate life between 1850 and 1860. At Kline Creek Farm, restored farm buildings and historically costumed interpreters bring life on a working farm in the 1890s to life. The interpreters work with period tools and techniques. Activities vary by season: staff and volunteers plant heirloom vegetables, milk cows, tend the orchard, work in the wagon shed workshop or harvest ice from Timber Lake.

Other formats offer further insights into history. The 13-hectare open-air museum Naper Settlement features historic buildings, exhibits and historical demonstrations. The Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center displays the skeleton of a 13,000-year-old woolly mammoth. The DuPage County Historical Museum, meanwhile, features an HO-scale model railroad: more than 2,000 feet of track depict DuPage County railroads and landmarks.

Architecture and religious heritage are also part of the historical picture. St. James Farm preserves a gable-and-wing farmhouse from a late-19th-century farmstead complex; it is considered one of the last of its kind in DuPage County. The Portiuncula Chapel is a replica of the original in Assisi, Italy. Mayslake Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1919, Francis Stuyvesant Peabody commissioned Chicago architect Benjamin Marshall to design the Tudor Revival mansion.

As of the notice dated September 5, 2026, Mayslake Hall is closed for master plan work. Check the latest status before planning a visit.

A Broader Look at Nature and Culture

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County includes 60 forest preserves and five educational facilities. Together, they offer opportunities for recreation, conservation and education. Cantigny adds gardens and trails, the Robert R. McCormick Museum, the First Division Museum, a visitor center, an education center and a golf course. The site is also a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and offers organized bird-watching walks.

The range extends from trails through open and wooded landscapes to mills, farms and museums. Those focused on nature can compare trail lengths and landscapes, for example; those interested in cultural history can choose from mill programs, living history and a variety of museum topics.

Discover More Places

Discover more destinations: Villa Park, Oak Brook, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Wheaton, Wood Dale, Lisle, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Naperville, Roselle, Itasca, Bensenville, Addison, Downers Grove, Warrenville, Medinah, Glendale Heights, Darien, Elmhurst, Westmont and Woodridge.

For the broader travel overview: Illinois.