Where to Walk

A downtown river walk along the West Branch DuPage River with brick paths, bridges, fountains, public art, and connections to Riverwalk Park. The City describes 1.75 miles of brick paths, making this a practical walk to pair with downtown errands or a longer unhurried stroll.

Time

Flexible; 1.75 miles of brick paths (walking time not published).

Cost

No admission fee listed on the reviewed official Riverwalk pages.

• The City of Naperville describes 1.75 miles of brick paths along the West Branch DuPage River.
• Naperville Park District says the Riverwalk permits walkers and runners, including strollers and wheelchairs; bicycles, skateboards, scooters, and other wheeled transportation vehicles are not allowed.
• Dogs are welcome when leashed and their waste is picked up.
• Use the Park District printable or virtual Riverwalk map for wayfinding and seasonal restroom information; no full route-grade specification was found in the reviewed official sources.

A ticketed 1,700-acre arboretum with a particularly well-documented accessible network near the Visitor Center and longer wood-chip, gravel, and mowed hiking trails beyond it. Choose the Meadow Lake Trail for a measured paved loop or combine the named main loops for a longer hike.

Time

Meadow Lake Trail: 0.55 mile, estimated 25–45 minutes; longer loops range from 0.27 to 1.57 miles and can be combined.

Cost

Ticketed general admission; use the official live admission page for current pricing. Parking is included with admission.

• The official trails guide documents 16 miles of paths and trails; many farther-out trails use wood chips, gravel, or mowed surfaces.
• Meadow Lake Trail is a 0.55-mile paved-asphalt path with a typical 3% grade and 8% maximum grade; the operator estimates 25–45 minutes.
• The Accessibility Guide says paths near the Visitor Center are paved and accessible, but many wood-chip trails farther out are not usable by wheelchairs and strollers.
• Marked accessible parking is available at P-1 and P-21; accessible restrooms are listed at the Visitor Center and Children's Garden.
• Pets are not permitted except on select Dog Admission Days; service animals, including those in training, are welcome.

A landscaped gardens-and-grounds destination with paved main paths and accessible small-pebble garden paths. It suits a self-paced walk with benches, a no-charge wheelchair loan subject to availability, and tram assistance between select attractions when the McCormick House is open.

Time

Flexible; a published walking-loop distance was not found on the reviewed official pages.

Cost

Vehicle admission/parking is charged and varies by day or event; use the official admission calendar. As of 2026-08-30, Cantigny lists 2026 weekday/weekend and special-event vehicle rates.

• Cantigny says all of its buildings and pathways are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
• Main paths are paved; many garden paths use small pebbles that Cantigny describes as fully wheelchair and stroller accessible.
• Wheelchairs may be borrowed at no charge from the Visitors Center kiosk, subject to availability and checkout terms; benches are located throughout the grounds.
• Non-service dogs are allowed on designated Paws in the Park Mondays from March through October and occasional dog-friendly events; leashes are required and retractable leashes are prohibited. ADA-defined service dogs are welcome whenever the park is open.
• Hours, access, and vehicle pricing are seasonal and event-sensitive; consult the live official Hours & Fees page and calendar before traveling.

A large, natural-surface preserve for a destination-length walk through prairies, savannas, and oak-maple woodland, with Rocky Glen waterfall and a Sawmill Creek bluff overlook. Use the short Rocky Glen spur for a compact stop or the 9.5-mile Main Trail for a longer outing.

Time

Choose the 0.2-mile Rocky Glen Trail, 1.1-mile Tear-Thumb Trail, 2.5-mile Centennial Regional Trail, or 9.5-mile Main Trail; walking times are not published.

Cost

No admission fee listed by the operator; separate permits may apply to listed activities.

• The official trail map lists Main Trail at 9.5 miles of limestone, Rocky Glen Trail at 0.2 mile limestone, Tear-Thumb at 1.1 miles of turf, and Centennial Regional Trail at 2.5 miles of asphalt.
• The map describes terrain as gently rolling to hilly with some steep sections; no operator statement supports treating the trail network as stroller or wheelchair accessible.
• Dogs are allowed on leashes under 10 feet.
• Accessible flush restrooms at the waterfall lot close in fall/winter and reopen in spring when temperatures remain above freezing; accessible portable toilets serve the area in fall/winter and other preserve locations year-round.
• The preserve is open one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset. Use the current official map and onsite notices before setting out.

An 887-acre preserve for an adjustable lake-and-woodland walk. Use the 0.8-mile Lake Trail for a short route or add the 2.7-mile Danada–Herrick Lake Regional Trail and limestone spurs for more distance.

Time

Routes range from the 0.4-mile Bluebird Trail to the 2.7-mile Danada–Herrick Lake Regional Trail; walking times are not published.

Cost

No admission fee listed by the operator; separate permits may apply to listed activities.

• The official trail map lists Lake Trail at 0.8 mile limestone/asphalt; Danada–Herrick Lake Regional Trail at 2.7 miles limestone/asphalt; Green Heron at 1.9 miles limestone; Meadowlark at 1.0 mile limestone; and Bluebird at 0.4 mile limestone.
• Dogs are allowed on leashes under 10 feet.
• Accessible flush restrooms are at the east end of the main lot, with accessible portable toilets elsewhere; this restroom information does not establish accessible trail grades or surfaces.
• The main entrance is on the south side of Butterfield Road; the operator's page provides a directions link and a secondary lot on Herrick Road.
• The preserve is open one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset.

A flexible Salt Creek and woodland walk with historic Graue Mill and the Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center nearby. Mix short limestone/asphalt loops with the 2.3-mile Night Heron Trail or 1.2-mile Riverbend Trail, subject to posted project closures.

Time

Choose 0.2-mile spurs, a 0.3-mile loop, the 1.2-mile Riverbend Trail, or the 2.3-mile Night Heron Trail; walking times are not published.

Cost

No admission fee listed by the operator; separate permits may apply to listed activities.

• The official map lists Night Heron at 2.3 miles limestone/asphalt, Riverbend at 1.2 miles limestone/asphalt, Monarch at 0.2 mile limestone/asphalt, Oriole at 0.2 mile mixed, and North Island Loop at 0.3 mile limestone.
• Dogs are allowed on leashes under 10 feet.
• Accessible flush restrooms by the main lot near the nature education center are open year-round; accessible portable toilets near Graue Mill operate mid-April through mid-November. This does not establish an accessible trail network.
• The current preserve page warns that habitat-improvement work can cause temporary trail closures; read posted signs and the official page before travel.
• The preserve is open one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset.

A broad western DuPage preserve with rolling terrain, McKee Marsh, Silver Lake, Mount Hoy, and several trail lengths. It connects to the Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch and West Branch DuPage River Trail, so walkers can choose a compact loop or a longer linear route.

Time

Choose 0.4- to 1.3-mile named trails or the 4.0-mile West Branch route; walking times are not published.

Cost

No admission fee listed by the operator; separate permits may apply to activities such as the off-leash dog area.

• The official map lists West Branch at 4.0 miles limestone/asphalt; Bobolink at 1.3 miles limestone; Catbird at 0.8 mile turf; Nighthawk at 0.4 mile limestone; Cenacle at 0.6 mile limestone/asphalt; and Egret at 0.6 mile turf.
• The map confirms links to the West Branch DuPage River Trail and Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch.
• Dogs are allowed on leashes under 10 feet; the separate off-leash area requires a Forest Preserve District permit.
• Accessible flush restrooms are at the north shelter, with accessible portable toilets elsewhere; no systemwide accessible-trail statement was found in the reviewed official sources.
• As of 2026-08-30, the preserve page warns of intermittent traffic impacts, detours, and temporary closures along Mack Road during maintenance-campus work.

A compact reservoir walk with a clearly documented 1.2-mile asphalt loop, suitable when you want a predictable paved route rather than a remote footpath. The official map calls it ideal for walkers, and the Forest Preserve’s winter hiking guide specifically names it as a good stroller choice when the plowed route is available.

Time

1.2-mile Loop Trail; the official map describes it as a great 20-minute lunchtime loop.

Cost

No admission fee listed by the operator; separate permits may apply to listed activities.

• The official trail-map PDF lists a 1.2-mile asphalt Loop Trail and calls the asphalt trail ideal for walkers, joggers, in-line skaters, and bicyclists.
• The Forest Preserve's official winter-hiking article identifies the then-described 1.1-mile asphalt route as plowed and a great trail for someone using a stroller; the current map's 1.2-mile distance is used above.
• Dogs are allowed on leashes under 10 feet.
• Accessible flush restrooms are on the west side of the parking lot; that fact does not itself establish a fully accessible route.
• The entrance is on the north side of Lake Street, 0.25 mile east of Glen Ellyn Road; the preserve is open one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset.