Enjoying a Rehabilitated Stretch of the West Branch DuPage River at Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve

 

Admiring a Beautiful Preserve on the West Branch DuPage River in Warrenville, Illinois

Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve represented one small section of a string of DuPage County Forest Preserves that we somehow skipped until the sun last Sunday beckoned us out. We soon discovered a lovely forest preserve along the West Branch DuPage River which had been restored.

The rocky river and limestone remnants of a former dam charm.

A mill once stood at the preserve's Batavia Road parking lot and a dam on the river harnassed the river's power for the mill. The dam was removed in 2012 to restore the environment yet you can still see the limestone abutments. We enjoyed the rockiness of this section of the river. Gazing upon the beauty of the river, we knew that we would enjoy this preserve. We are grateful that conservation has been restoring the preserve creating a natural treasure to explore.

A footbridge crosses the West Branch DuPage at Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve.

We first explored a bit of a path along the river reading historic markers and scouting for wildlife. An angler fished quietly nearby. From this spot, we could see a graceful footbridge crossing the river. This bridge would soon lead us to the short network of trails at the preserve.

The West Branch DuPage River meandered around a curve on a Sunday afternoon.

Hiking Through Rolling Woodlands

The preserve consists of rolling woodlands and fragile fens. Some sections were marked off for restoration. At least one creek meandered through the preserve near the trail. Overall, the woodlands full of maples, oaks, and black walnut trees were quite peaceful and the bed of a cornucopia of brown leaves exhibited warm hues in the sunlight.

The woodlands were full of birds including nuthatches, chickadees, and downy woodpeckers. We spotted mallards swimming in the river. We would love to return in the warmer months to look for more wildlife in different seasons.

A creek winds through the rolling landscape of Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve.

The preserve connects to the Illinois Prairie Path which connects to Danada, Blackwell, Herrick Lake, and St. James Farm. So, there is plenty of space for outdoor exploring right in the area. The Illinois Prairie Path is the first successful rails-to-trails conversion in the US and consists of 61 miles of trail.

Overall, we enjoyed quite a peaceful walk along the rolling trails of Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve. The wonderful winter sun that we had been looking for over the past few weeks welcomed us to a lovely spot right along the West Branch DuPage River.