Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve — Attraction in Deer Park

Hiking trails are wide & well maintained with crushed stone, and also crowned above the general terrain, keeping them as dry as possible. The environment varies from deciduous to pine, to prairie and marsh. The trails are well marked and have a fair amount of shade considering it is a marsh primarily. The trail layout, though primarily straight, does have curvature and variation to provide more interest. There is a modest sized pond, roughly centered, but no maintained trail goes directly to it that I'm aware. There is only one parking area. It is off of Cuba road and usually ample, but on weekends or nice fall days it can fill. There are other trailheads but no parking other than off of Cuba road, west of Ela. The only bathroom is at this parking area. Enjoy your hike / run,...

Very nice view of fall colors this week. Great bird watching, water is in the distance though no way to really get close or any bridges on the northwest - entry point side. If you walk far enough you do come to Several longer bridges that are fun but bring a jogging stroller as your younger kiddos won't make it that far. Several figure 8 type loops allow you to make the hike as long or as short as you'd like but eventually you get to a long winding path, with the aforementioned bridges and the only way back is to double back on the same trail. Following all the way south you reach a park but be warned although the playground space looks close it is NOT. It is a very pretty walk and a great way to get in touch with nature with only the occasional freight train to break...

This is a wonderful piece of property. And it is being made that much more valuable by the considerable amount of habitat work, the majority of which is completed. Through fall and winter I have witnessed the necessary burning of invasive plants; and plants which need fire to clear the way for their growth and seed production, as well as the significant cutting and bulldozing. The critters that spring brings back to life, the songbirds who migrate back from their wintering grounds and all manner of native grasses, forbs and mast producing trees will find new life to which they may not previously been accustomed. Question: At some point, might there be an opportunity to stock...