Maple Grove Forest Preserve by Patricia Hayden
This month I visited the Maple Grove Forest Preserve in Downers Grove. At this site, there are two main trails (with parks at both ends) to explore and a variety of secondary trails.
The main entrance for the Maple Grove Forest Preserve is on the north side of Maple Avenue between Dunham Road and Belmont Road in Downers Grove. There is also a second parking lot on the north side of Gilbert Avenue about ¼ mile east of Lee Avenue. When turning into the main entrance, it’s a short drive to the parking lot. There are handicapped spots available as well as a portable washroom, informational postings about the area, and picnic tables.
It was warm and sunny as I started my walk on Maple Trail, but just a few minutes into the walk, I was surrounded by trees that provided a pleasant shade for nearly the entire trail.
Maple Trail is a limestone path that’s approximately a ½ mile in length. There are a few benches along the trail as well as a few small inclines. This is not a looped trail, so as I walked I planned to turn around at the end of the trail and head back the way I came.
The parking lot was fairly full when I arrived and I encountered a handful of people on the trail – runners, walkers, and dog walkers, but for the most part it was a very peaceful setting. On the trail I saw Joe-Pye weed, Bellflowers, Jewelweed, and of course a huge variety and quantity of Maple trees. I made a note to come back in the fall as I would imagine the colors would be stunning.
As I continued on Maple Trail, I came to a fork and veered left. Continuing on, I came to a bridge and crossed it. There are signs that because the bridge is very narrow, only a few people can cross it at a time. I walked a bit further and came to the end of the trail where I saw a baseball field as well as a picnic shelter in the distance.
I turned around and made my way back along Maple Trail. It was starting to warm up so I decided not to do the loop around the other trail, Trout Lily Trail. My understanding is that is also a ½ mile in length and consists of turf as opposed to the limestone on Maple Trail. I believe if I come back in the fall, I would do the Trout Lily Trail as well as explore some of the many secondary trails.
More information about the site can be found here: https://www.dupageforest.org/places-to-go/forest-preserves/maple-grove.
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.