Friends of the Forest Preserves hosts numerous events throughout the year designed to connect people of all ages and backgrounds with the natural wonders of the forest preserves in Cook County.
Guided hikes, educational workshops, wellness programs, volunteer workdays, golf outings, fundraisers, cultural programs, and more await you.
Browse our schedule of events below to learn more.
Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing […]
Sand Ridge is a woodland and prairie site with a magnificent nature center attached. Join our volunteer crew for a restoration day to help restore our forest preserves. Meet at the pod northwest of the Nature Center off of the service driveway.
Every Wednesday until September 24th, 2025! Entrance at 134th St., East of Halsted Ave. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be […]
Join us at Whistler Woods for our volunteer days! We will be performing a variety of restoration activities in this woodland and prairie-dominant site. Meet at the end of the parking lot.
Join BGI at one of our upcoming Warbler and Wildflower Walk hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom along with some bird watching. Meeting Location- 459 W State Rte 22 Contact Information: [email protected] or [email protected]
Seeds are the lifeblood of healthy woodlands and prairies. By growing successive generations of species, they help ensure resilient, self-renewing natural areas for years to come. Restoration volunteers hand collect seeds of many different species in Forest Preserve sites along the Chicago River North Branch, then distribute them to other less healthy North Branch sites. […]
Join BGI at one of our upcoming Warbler and Wildflower Walk hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom along with some bird watching. Meeting Location- Oak Knoll Road, Barrington Hills Contact Information: [email protected] or [email protected]
Join the North Branch Restoration Project to restore this oak woodland to its former beauty! This 76-acre site depends on a community of volunteers to remove invasive species, spread native […]
Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing […]
Every Wednesday until September 24th, 2025! Entrance at 134th St., East of Halsted Ave. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be […]
Join Us for a Seed Collecting Adventure! Get hands-on with restoration and enjoy the beauty of the prairie while helping us collect seeds from wood betony, a fascinating native plant. During this beginner-friendly outing, you’ll learn how to identify wood betony in the field, discover fun facts about its unique role in the ecosystem, and […]
Join our annual golf outing as a player and/or sponsor or donate in lieu of attendance. The event is an incredible time supporting a great cause! Ticket includes: Dinner with awards Greens fees and cart Range balls Snacks On-the-course drinks Open-bar reception
Formed by an old loop in the river’s course, lies the Oxbow Prairie. This old oxbow in the Chicago River’s North Branch is a combination of low, wet prairie soils and slightly higher mesic prairie soils. A small open savanna lies on what was once the east bank of the river. The mesic prairie had […]
The Yellow Trail – the trail we will be primarily walking – was rated the best trail in Illinois by Backpacker Magazine. The trails are in great shape and currently the wild geraniums and the woodland phlox are in full bloom! During the walk we’ll cover the following topics, among others: The geologic formation of […]
Nature-based peace circles for people of all ages & ethnicities to connect, celebrate, and build community through art, wellness, & play. June gatherings celebrate our newly forged connection to each other and the natural environment through outdoor Cooking and Camping. This includes identifying and utilizing local plants as both food and medicine. Note that on […]
Come and discover the many habitats in this forest preserve. We’ll see the river flowing through the preserve as we follow alongside its shores. The group will learn about the floodplain, prairie and woodland habitats of Bunker Hill. Wildflowers making their spring debut will be pointed out on the way. Waterfowl in the water and […]
Details for Paint and Sip We will have materials needed, as well as snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to sip on. Event for the whole family.
Details for Paint and Sip We will have materials needed, as well as snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to sip on. Event for the whole family.
Seeds are the lifeblood of healthy woodlands and prairies. By growing successive generations of species, they help ensure resilient, self-renewing natural areas for years to come. Restoration volunteers hand collect seeds of many different species in Forest Preserve sites along the Chicago River North Branch, then distribute them to other less healthy North Branch sites. […]
Nature-based peace circles for people of all ages & ethnicities to connect, celebrate, and build community through art, wellness, & play. Join us for an overnight camping experience at Shabonna Woods in South Holland, IL (just outside Chicago’s south side). This event is for beginning campers and experienced campers alike. Activities will include those experienced […]
Learn how to identify neighborhood birds at Linne Woods. This event is in partnership with BIPOC Birders.
St. Paul Woods is an inviting oak-hickory woodland situated east of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Like many of our native woodlands, it needs management to clear invasive brush and trees to restore the original structure. With increased sunlight, the wildflowers and grasses will once again add to the beauty of the woods. Join […]
Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing […]
Every Wednesday until September 24th, 2025! Entrance at 134th St., East of Halsted Ave. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be […]
Come learn about Porcupine Grass and Leiberg’s Panic Grass (aka Prairie Panic Grass) at Grigsby Prairie this Thursday from 9-11am! We will be learning, collecting, and maybe even spreading some of this seed. No registration required! If you are interested in signing up for the CFC newsletter for weekly event emails here is that link- […]
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Come hang out at Eggers Grove for a fun homeschool meet-up! Every third Thursday of the month from 10am-12pm until June 19, 2025
Join us at Whistler Woods for our volunteer days! We will be performing a variety of restoration activities in this woodland and prairie-dominant site. Meet at the end of the parking lot.
Gentle Flow & Mindful Breath: Unwind and restore balance in this 60-minute, outdoor, gentle yoga class, designed to nurture your body and calm your mind. We’ll begin with a series of slow, flowing asanas (poses) and integrate deep breathing techniques (pranayama) to cultivate inner peace and release tension. This focus on breathwork will help you […]
The Miami Woods Forest Preserve covers 112 acres stretching along the west side of the North Branch of the Chicago River from Oakton Street northward to Dempster Street. It is bounded on the west side by Caldwell Avenue, Waukegan Road and development at the intersection of Waukegan Road and Dempster Street. The land on the […]
Join Spring Creek Stewards as we go on a scavenger hunt for seeds! All are welcome to come, learn, and lead. Contact Information- [email protected] or Ken DeMuth 312-316-5216
Our first member appreciation event of the year will feature refreshments and a guided walk around a gem within the Palos Preserves system, Cranberry Slough. The Member Appreciation Series is an opportunity to connect with the Friends community at some of the best spots across the Cook County Forest Preserves. Please contact [email protected] to RSVP or to join […]
Sand Ridge is a woodland and prairie site with a magnificent nature center attached. Join our volunteer crew for a restoration day to help restore our forest preserves. Meet at the pod northwest of the Nature Center off of the service driveway.
Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing […]
Every Wednesday until September 24th, 2025! Entrance at 134th St., East of Halsted Ave. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be […]
Dan Ryan Woods is an expansive area covering 257 acres of Cook County. The site is home to beautiful woodlands, and flora and fauna that thrive in it. During our volunteer days, you can help preserve these species by removing invasive plants!
Seeds are the lifeblood of healthy woodlands and prairies. By growing successive generations of species, they help ensure resilient, self-renewing natural areas for years to come. Restoration volunteers hand collect […]
Join BGI at our upcoming Seed Leaders Essentials Workshop! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be sharing seed leadership resources and teaching any and all interested in being a part of restoration. Meeting Location- Hill N Dale Farmhouse Contact Information- Please reach out to Northwest Field Organizer [email protected] or Restoration Director [email protected]
Join the North Branch Restoration Project to restore this oak woodland to its former beauty! This 76-acre site depends on a community of volunteers to remove invasive species, spread native seed, and much more. Large pin oaks are a unique feature of this preserve, which is also home to some beautiful spring ephemerals. Visit The […]
Kickapoo Woods is a site with beautiful wet prairies in Riverdale, IL. During volunteer days, you can get up close and personal with nature performing a variety of restoration activities. Meet at the volunteer kiosk.
Join BGI at our upcoming Sketch and Stroll nature journaling hike! All are welcome and free to attend, this will be led by a beginner artist All supplies will be provided but please feel free to bring art supplies that you particularly enjoy. We will be going on a short walk admiring and learning all […]
Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing […]
Every Wednesday until September 24th, 2025! Entrance at 134th St., East of Halsted Ave. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be […]
Formed by an old loop in the river’s course, lies the Oxbow Prairie. This old oxbow in the Chicago River’s North Branch is a combination of low, wet prairie soils and slightly higher mesic prairie soils. A small open savanna lies on what was once the east bank of the river. The mesic prairie had […]