Graue Mill and Museum is the only still-operating water-powered grist mill in Illinois. Here in Dupage, history also comes to life through traditional crafts: programs on milling, spinning and weaving illustrate life between 1850 and 1860. If you are interested in historical work techniques, these hands-on activities are at the heart of the experience.
Woodland Trails and Landscapes
The forest preserves of DuPage County include more than 175 miles of trails, ranging from little-used footpaths to wide limestone and asphalt trails. This lets you take the character of each trail into account when planning, rather than focusing only on the total mileage. The interactive map provides information for each trail on parking, directions and amenities.
At the Morton Arboretum, 16 miles of trails and paths wind through woodlands, gardens and prairies; the entire arboretum covers 1,700 acres. Blackwell offers a different kind of landscape: Its gently rolling terrain includes oak and hickory woodlands, prairies, grasslands and wetlands that attract a variety of native wildlife.
The DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center cares for and provides medical treatment to injured, orphaned and sick native wildlife. The Coyote Loop at the center is 0.5 miles long and includes six interpretive stations about native flora and fauna. The center opened in January 2026; trail details may change. Check the latest information before visiting.
Farms and History to Discover
Kline Creek Farm brings to life a working farm in the 1890s. Restored farm buildings and historically costumed interpreters who operate the living-history farm using period tools and techniques make this focus tangible. Depending on the season, staff and volunteers plant heirloom vegetables, milk cows, tend the orchard, work in the wagon shed workshop or harvest ice from Timber Lake.
Naper Settlement is a 13-hectare outdoor history museum with historic buildings, exhibits and history demonstrations. The Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center displays the 13,000-year-old skeleton of a woolly mammoth. For a different perspective on regional history, the HO-scale model railroad at the DuPage County Historical Museum features more than 2,000 feet of track depicting railroads and landmarks of DuPage County.
Cantigny brings together gardens and trails with the Robert R. McCormick Museum, the First Division Museum, a visitor center, an education center and a golf course. It is certified as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and offers organized birdwatching walks. Gardens and museum visits are complemented here by a clearly designated focus on nature.
Mayslake and St. James Farm
Mayslake covers 90 acres, including 13 acres of wetlands, 9 acres of lakes and ponds, and 15 acres of savanna and restored prairie. The site also includes a fully fenced off-leash dog area with more than 4 acres of mowed lawn and a double-gate system. Check the dog area's permit and operating details before visiting.
In 1919, Francis Stuyvesant Peabody commissioned Chicago architect Benjamin Marshall to design Mayslake Hall, a Tudor Revival mansion. The Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A notice dated September 5, 2026, says that Mayslake Hall is closed for master plan work; check its current status before visiting.
At St. James Farm, a farmhouse with a gable-and-wing design survives from a late-19th-century farmstead complex; it is considered one of the last of its kind in DuPage County. The trails pass through the preserve's natural areas and can be used by hikers, cyclists, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. The natural areas include more than 100 acres of woodlands, prairies and wetlands within the overall 595-acre site.
More Ways to Explore Nature
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County includes 60 forest preserves and five educational facilities offering opportunities for recreation, conservation and education. Unless otherwise posted, fishing is permitted in all lakes and ponds in the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, as well as in both branches of the DuPage River, Salt Creek and its tributaries. Check current regulations and posted restrictions before fishing.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Roselle, Addison, Downers Grove, Itasca, Lombard, Naperville, Villa Park, Oak Brook, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Wheaton, Wood Dale, Lisle, Glen Ellyn, Bensenville, Warrenville, Medinah, Glendale Heights, Darien, Elmhurst, Westmont, Woodridge.
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