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| Amenities |
| Drinking Water |
| Horse Trailer Parking |
| Picnic Shelters |
| Picnic Tables |
| Public Parking |
| Toilets |
| Trails |
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Half Day |
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Trail sign testing underway
Forest Preserve planners are testing a new wayfinding system there through November. Color-coded trail markers and map signs help distinguish trail routes and orient trail users within the preserves. The system is designed to improve safety and convenience. It will also aid in reporting preserve and trail maintenance needs. If the test run is deemed successful, the system will be expanded to other forest preserves.
Half Day and Wright Woods were chosen to pilot the project because of their popularity and because they share many interconnecting trails that can be confusing to navigate.
Visitors are invited to provide feedback via a survey card available at the sites' information kiosks or through a brief online survey. Additional comments can also be sent to ksittler@LCFPD.org.
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Road work: We are currently working to resurface roads and parking areas at Half Day Forest Preserve. The preserve remains open as usual, but some road segments or parking areas will be inaccessible. Project completion is expected by the end of the year.
About the preserves
Half Day and Wright Woods forest preserves are peaceful oases among the bustling suburbs. These quiet, clean and safe preserves are linked by a footbridge spanning the Des Plaines River. Their combined 750 acres offer some of southern Lake County's most scenic outdoor recreation opportunities. Facilities at Half Day are designed for gatherings both large and small, while those at the more fragile Wright Woods are best-suited for small groups.
The Des Plaines River Trail (DPRT) passes through both Preserves. Its gravel base is perfect for hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. Half Day has other trails that branch off the DPRT and are open to hikers, bicyclists and cross-country skiers. |
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| Location |
| Half Day Forest Preserve is in southeast Lake County near Vernon Hills. |
| The entrance and parking area are located on Route 21 (Milwaukee Avenue) at the light for Woodlands Parkway - south of Route 60 (Townline Road) and just north of Route 22 (Half Day Road). |
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| History |
In the early 1960s, these acres were some of the first acquired by the Lake County Forest Preserves. The old farm fields west of the river remained fallow for many years until Half Day was developed in the late 1980s. The Preserve was named for Chief Half Day of the Potowatomi. |
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| The Natural Scene |
Half Day provides the opportunity to see the powerful impacts of water and fire. Prior to settlement by the Europeans, wildfires regularly swept eastward across Lake County, and were frequently stopped by the Des Plaines River. As a result, Half Day supports the oaks and prairie plants that thrived under fire’s influence. Though many natural areas at Half Day were degraded by farming, some survived and others are being restored.
In spring, the bridge between Half Day and Wright Woods is a popular place to spot migrating songbirds like the yellow-throated warbler or Baltimore oriole. Later in the summer, look for nesting field birds in the restored prairie. Eastern bluebirds, tree swallows and red-tailed hawks are commonly seen here. |
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| Contact Information |
Half Day
S Milwaukee Ave at Woodlands Pkwy
Vernon Hills,
IL
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