Outdoors

It's that time of year. With warm weather months, comes the return of community cruise nights throughout Will County.

The American Red Cross, wants everyone to have a safe summer and offers safety steps to follow.

After unseasonably cool weather delayed openings last week, Joliet area public pools and splash pads are now ready for the summer season.

Hikers and kayakers will find special programs for them at Will County forest preserves this week.

After a 25-year tenure on the Kankakee Valley Forest Preserve Board, Mike Quigley recently retired from the five-member board.

Dade Bradley of Wilmington is the new beekeeper to oversee the observational hive at the Plum Creek Nature Center in Will County.

Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve in Plainfield will be holding a bird viewing program from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The Will County Forest Preserve District is holding an Adult Fishing Derby from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Registration is required.

A planned change in leadership at the Forest Preserve District of Will County takes place Friday when Executive Director Ralph Schultz retires.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has detected the first mosquitoes of the season to be positive with West Nile virus were found over the weekend in Rockford.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is encouraging the public to be aware of ticks to prevent the spread of Lyme disease during these warm weather months.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has reopened the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook following a 15-month, $2 million renovation.

John Fuqua of Plainfield was named the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Volunteer of the Year for his work on Hammel Woods restoration efforts.  

Will County is among five northern Illinois forest preserve districts and two park districts working on a comprehensive bike safety initiative. 

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reminds everyone to leave baby birds and young animals alone when encountering them in the wild.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is celebrating bird season with its annual bird photography competition for all ages.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is inviting people to hit the trails again for the Be a Trailblazer program. Sessions runs from Thursday to Saturday, May 24.

Here are the Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the week of April 21. Online registration is available on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.

The Lombard Garden Club’s lilac sale, the Lilac Village, will be held from noon to 7 p.m. May 8 at Lilacia Park.

With spring here and temperatures slowly warming it is time to get out your bike and head out to these Will County trails.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is inviting adventurers of all ages to take on a new kind of spring challenge – one that blends exploration and history.

Spring trout fishing season kicks off in April. That means the annual Kids’ Fishing Day sponsored by the Northern Illinois Anglers Association is nearing.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville will host a spring exhibit that highlights pollinators beginning Wednesday.

A Wellness Workshop –Wellness Workshop – Our Place in Nature: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at the Sugar Creek Administration Center, Joliet.

Beginning Wednesday, a portion of the Rock Run Greenway Trail in Joliet is scheduled to close for several months.

The Village of Channahon announced Monday that construction on the I&M Canal Gateway Project at 25450 W. Eames St. is beginning this week.

As spring creeps closer and closer, gardeners start to get the itch to go outside and start digging in the dirt.

Forest Preserve District of Will County programs offer plenty of family fun for spring break outings in March.

Tracy Chapman of Shorewood has been named incoming executive director by the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Board of Commissioners. 

Join a naturalist for a hike to find wildflowers and hear stories of how these beauties were named on Thursday, March 20, at the Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Will County.

March is Women’s History Month and the Forest Preserve District of Will County will be hosting events to celebrate.

The March session of the Will County forest preserve district’s monthly Wellness Series will feature a presentation from The Conservation Foundation on its NatureRx initiative.

As tickets for spring and summer concert tours, festivals and sporting events begin to go on sale, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul cautioned about ticket scams.

Learn the do’s and don’ts for birdhouses and bird feeders at a Forest Preserve District of Will County webinar Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Join the Forest Preserve District of Will County for Fossil Rock Weekend at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center.

Enjoy a day on the slopes and trails at these downhill and cross-country skiing locations in the suburbs and northwest Illinois.

Learn why. when and how the Forest Preserve District of Will County uses fire as a tool for conserving and restoring the habitats from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County will host a Mutts and Mugs program from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, at Forked Creek Preserve near Wilmington. A 2025 dog park permit is required to attend.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County will host a Mutts and Mugs program from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, as a social event for dogs and dog owners.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s annual celebration of bald eagles will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

Mark your calendars now with the dates of Forest Preserve District of Will County’s events and programs in the new year.

Bicyclists left the former Green River Cyclery on Wednesday, Jan. 1, and rode the bike path to Lowell Park and back before meeting for lunch.

Outdoor ice rinks are a great way to have fun, fit in some physical activity and enjoy fresh air this winter.

Fight cabin fever with anticipation of theater productions under the stars in just a few months, presented by American Players Theatre and Peninsula Players.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Healing with Nature series features six Will County residents and their stories.

There are some steps to try to get perennial potted plants through the tough winter months and enjoy them again come spring.

The primary objective is to provide unique recreational amenities for the southwest region of the Plainfield Park District.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County will close all of its visitor centers after 12 p.m. on Tuesday and all day on Wednesday, for the Christmas holiday. All preserves, including dog parks, will be closed on Wednesday. .

Forest Preserve District of Will County gift shops are stocked with unique gifts for the holiday shopping season and Museum Store Sunday on Dec. 1.

Choose curling, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and snowmobiling to make winter weekends a blast.