Return to Pioneer Park Forest Preserve by Patricia Hayden
This month I revisited Pioneer Park Forest Preserve in Naperville. This is the site I visited last month and declared “I will plan to return to the site in the future and head left on the trail to see those sites” and that is what I did!
As a reminder, the entrance to the Pioneer Park Forest Preserve is on the east side of Washington Street about .25 mile north of Hobson Road. When you turn into the entrance, you’ll see a good-sized lot with available handicapped parking. There are also some beautiful Northern catalpa trees by the parking lot that I failed to notice last month!
Like last month, I started my walk on the smooth, paved trail by the washroom facilities and a small picnic shelter and came to the split where I could go left or right. This time I chose left at the field of Butterweed and began my walk. It was another very good weather day and the trail was filled with bikers, walkers, and runners.
Walking along the west branch of the DuPage River I spotted Common burdock, Ohio spiderwort, and Field pennycress. I also saw several trees with plaques at their base. The plaques display the type of tree as well as the name and rank of war veterans. I also saw a sign that provided information about the wetland restoration that took place at the site.
As I walked the trail, I saw many trees with cages around their base which I believe is to protect them from animals damaging the trunks. Then as I came to the end of the trail, I saw the Gartner Avenue bridge carrying traffic over the DuPage River.
More information about the site can be found here: https://www.dupageforest.org/places-to-go/forest-preserves/pioneer-park.
This post is part of the “Take a Hike” series by Patricia Hayden. To learn more about this blog and see information about all other featured hikes click here.
To make it even more fun, we’re launching the Take-A-Hike Challenge!
The challenge is open to everyone. From May through October 2025, simply take the month’s featured hike whenever your schedule allows. Capture a photo of one of the points of interest mentioned in that month’s column, then either:
Post your photo on the Greater DuPage Wild Ones Facebook page, or
Email it to [email protected].
Each hike you complete will be recorded in our challenge log. All participants will be recognized at our Seed Exchange in November!
We hope this inspires you to lace up your shoes, hit the trails, and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.