What can you see?
Take a tour of the Lake County Forest Preserve overlooks and you may just see something unexpected.
There are 44 overlooks within our preserves, including the observation platform at Spring Bluff Forest Preserve (picture above) in Winthrop Harbor. The overlooks are strategically placed along trailside locations that provide scenic viewscapes or bird-watching opportunities. Use the maps and images below to discover some of the advantages that these overlooks provide the forest preserve patron.
Where are the forest preserve’s 44 overlooks? Well, they are spread out among 21 different preserve.
Here’s a chart showing which preserves have the most and least overlooks:
Another 22 preserves do not have any designatd overlooks or viewing platforms.
How many overlooks have you taken in the view from?
Do you know which preserve this view is from (hint: it is not a designated overlook)?
Scroll through the rest of the story to view the forest preserve overlooks and find the answer to the question above.
Grassy Lake
Let’s start with Grassy Lake first, since it has the most overlooks.
Looking north from atop the kame overlook
Take in spectacular views of the Fox River from the three overlooks that sit on top of the Grassy Lake kame, a remnant from the last ice age.
Looking northwest over the Fox River
Fort Sheridan
Fort Sheridan is one of only a few places in Lake County that offer free public access to Lake Michigan and an awe-inspiring lake overlook perched on a 70-foot-high bluff.
Lake Michigan Trail overlook
Other overlooks are found on the Hutchinson Trail near the lakeshore and along the birding trail loop that offers great wildlife spotting opportunities.
Hutchinson Trail overlook near lakeshore
Ethel's Woods
This preserve offers four overlooks of the restored North Mill Creek.
View of the restored North Mill Creek from one of Ethel’s Woods new overlooks.
When the Lake County Forest Preserves acquired the property, the banks of Rasmussen were eroded with steep drop-offs. The basin was a mucky mess and Rasmussen ranked next to last in water quality among 162 lakes in Lake County. Dams are barriers to nature's cleansing process. The dam was removed and the lake was slowly drained to allow a new stream channel and floodplain to be constructed, ultimately returning the landscape to a more natural state.
View the drone video below for bird’s eye view of the restoration and public access projects.
Welcome to Ethel's Woods
Let’s take in a few more views of preserve overlooks…
Finally, the answer to the question from earlier in the story.
Do you know which preserve this view is from (hint: it is not a designated overlook)?
If you answered, Gander Mountain, you are correct! Not an official overlook, but sitting at 957 feet above sea level, it has the highest view point in Lake County.
Hover over the pin to view the picture of the Geodetic Survey marker for highest elevation in Lake County.
More Resources
If you are in the mood for more learning about the forest preserves, check out the website and nature blog below.
