Location: Darien, IL. The parking lot at Bluff Road and Cass Ave is about a half a mile from the waterfall.
Phone: 630-933-7200
Parking: Free.
Bathrooms: It’s a forest preserve so they’re pretty rustic. There was a port-a-potty near the parking lot. No changing tables.
Handicapped/stroller accessibility: Not so much. It’s dirt (or possibly mud, depending on when you go) trails and it’s very hilly. A jogging stoller might be okay if you needed to have one, but I wouldn’t try anything else. We walked with Dexter in a Moby wrap most of the time and Cooper walking or riding on John’s shoulders.
Activities: Hiking, jogging, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing are permitted on the trails. There are several areas for picnicking, fishing areas, a model-airplane field, an orienteering course, and a youth-group camp.
We walked through the forest preserve to the waterfall and back.
We paid: Nothing
Our experience:
We were in the area and looking for a quick activity to do before heading home and this was perfect. It was pretty chilly so we were only there about an hour, but we easily could have spent half the day if the weather was nice. I can’t wait to return when Spring hits & it becomes colorful again.
My suggestions:
- Don’t even think of bringing a stoller unless it’s a jogging stroller
- Bring insect repellent if it’s warm. John took the kids in the early fall and there were swarms of mosquitos everywhere.
- Wear comfy shoes and be prepared to carry the little walkers. The trails are hilly and uneven and it’s a bit of a hike.
