Fall Hike and a Lake at Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve in Wadsworth, Illinois

 

Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve in Wadsworth, Illinois, is Lake County's first preserve. While the preserve's site was originally used for mining, the transformation due to restoration of the habitats has been absolutely amazing. Even though we visited on quite the gray day, we very quickly learned that Van Patten Woods invites visitors to a wealth of nature experiences.

Visiting Van Patten Woods in the late fall treated us to the deep reds and rusts of the oak forest.

Five miles of hiking trails encourage wanderers to explore numerous woodland and wetland views. The trails intertwine a bit making it easy to craft a unique adventure on each visit.

Sterling Lake captivates while offering a range of recreational activities.

An 86-acre lake offers splendid views and a range of nature activities including fishing, ice fishing, and boating. Once a gravel pit, the transformation of the lake to its current thriving status is remarkable. Formerly called Vulcan Lake, the lake was renamed Sterling Lake after a 1960 name-the-lake contest. The name Sterling Lake pays homage to Sterling Township -- the previous name of Newport Township. We could not help but pause for several views of the lake.

Horsetail adds a splash of green in all seasons.

Near the lake, I found one of my favorite plants -- horsetail! Horsetail is evergreen, so it will provide some color during the blander days of winter.

Hiking along the crushed gravel trails, we noted a range of birds, plants, and trees. As late fall settled in, the oaks became the stars of fall color with deep reds, rusts, and caramels. Spectacular! Seeds of milkweeds still lifted off in puffs to new destinations. Trees without leaves revealed nests. We savored a splendid fall hike rich in natural treasures.

As a rather large preserve at 975 acres, Van Patten Woods offers quite a few amenities including a public playground, youth campground, playfield, picnic shelters, and more. The Des Plaines River Trail crosses through Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve. Horseback riding, biking, cross-country skiing, and hiking present quite an array of adventures to be had at this amazing preserve.