Your Forest Preserves

Fourth Lake

Named for the lake it borders, Fourth Lake Forest Preserve features a scenic peninsula with exceptional views of Fourth Lake, three ponds, and an expansive grove of pines and spruces. A thick group of mature oaks overlooks the lake and surrounding marsh. The site also features a large natural wetland and a fen.

A mowed parking area, fishing on Fourth Lake, and a half-mile mowed trail for hiking and cross-country skiing are among the amenities offered here. The trail follows the eventual route of the Millennium Trail near the eastern shore of Fourth Lake.

Listed on the Natural Areas Inventory, which identifies high-quality natural areas statewide, acquisitions at Fourth Lake began in 1983. Some of the land here was donated.

Originally slated as out lots for the Venetian Village subdivision, the land was considered unsuitable for building because of the site's wetland. In addition, a wide drainage ditch ran through the middle of the land.

Fourth Lake and its fen ecosystem are home to a variety of state-threatened and endangered plant species and could provide habitat for the American bittern and various rails.

Fens are rare, often sloping, wetlands that occur where mineral rich alkaline groundwater comes to the surface. Unlike bogs, fens have higher nutrient and mineral levels and sustain a more diverse plant and animal community. Fens are often covered by grasses, sedges, reeds and wildflowers.

Considered a swale, rather than a kettle ecosystem, the fen is situated between two ridges of the Valparaiso Moraine. The fen drains south into Fourth Lake, which drains eastward via Mill Creek to the Des Plaines River.