Mokena: Nature Trails and Regional History

Hickory Creek Preserve has an entrance on LaPorte Road in Mokena. Its habitats include forest, prairie, savanna, and wetlands. A nature trail, historic trail connections, and buildings at the Yunker Park Site give you different points of reference for choosing places to visit during your stay.

Nature and Seasonal Activities

The 1.16-mile nature trail at the LaPorte Road entrance is suitable for hiking and running. In winter, cross-country skiing is another activity, and snowshoeing is also possible there. The activities mentioned vary by season: hiking and running are available, while cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are winter options. The trail’s length and the four habitat types each provide a distinct point of reference for the preserve—one for planning your route, the other for the landscape you’ll find there.

Hickory Creek Preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset, except on Christmas Day. Seasonal conditions may affect access. If you’re planning your visit around a particular activity, check current access conditions in advance.

Trails and Their History

The first section of the Old Plank Road Trail opened in 1997. It ran from Western Avenue in Park Forest to Hickory Creek Preserve in Mokena and was built on a disused railroad right-of-way. This gives the trail a specific historical connection in addition to serving as a route: its first section used a former railroad right-of-way and connected two named places.

A trail connection in Mokena links the Old Plank Road Trail to the western section of the Hickory Creek Bikeway. This section is paved and 3.75 miles long. The two length figures refer to different trails: the nature trail at the LaPorte Road entrance is 1.16 miles long, while 3.75 miles refers to the western bikeway section. Comparing the routes this way lets you match each length to the right trail, rather than reading them as measurements of the same route.

History at the Yunker Park Site

The McGovney-Yunker Homestead at the Yunker Park Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 for its significant contribution to the region’s history. The homestead includes several original agricultural buildings. The designation and the preserved buildings offer two distinct historical points of reference: the listing situates the site within the region’s history, while the buildings show the homestead’s agricultural character.

Several community-wide events are also held at the Yunker Park Site. If you’d like to plan your trip around a particular event, check its date in advance.

Another Park Offering

Mokena Park District’s skate park is located in Grasmere Park. It is intended for use by skateboarders and roller skaters. This offering is clearly different from the nature and biking trails: skating is the focus here, while the preserve offers activities on a nature trail and seasonal winter sports. Together with the historical connections at the Yunker Park Site, this shows how varied local destinations can be without combining them into a single outing.

Discover more destinations: Joliet, Channahon, Romeoville, Crete, Monee, Bolingbrook

View the broader travel overview: Will County.