Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area — Attraction in Wheeling

I was terribly disappointed on my walk through one of my favorite woods. I've come here often. Today, most of the river was dried up and littered with fallen limbs-extremely unkempt. Yes, I'm aware one expects a natural look/habitat here. There weren't enough signs at crossroads as to which way back to the Reception (Welcome) Center. Even though it hasn't rained in some time and I was now far from the river, the mosquitos were abominable. Is it against policy to spray or do anything to reduce that population? I was also very disappointed not to see many flowers except around the Welcome Center, even in areas that had alot of sun. My fond memories of this place certainly didn't live up to my expectations, on this my last...

Absolutely beautiful. Chose this forest preserve on the fly since the one near us was still closed. What a pleasant surprise! There's plenty of parking and a great welcome center. The lady working there was super nice and showed us some ideas where to go on the trails. The trails themselves have plenty of little paths to meander. Try taking the path that follows the river as you'll come across a few cabins to explore and also some cool boardwalks along the river. Just remember to bring some hiking shoes or boots because it can be...

My daughter and I went to Ryerson woods tonight to go for a walk at sunset on a winter evening. The one warning I would give is that both the parking lot and some parts of the paths were icy, which wasn't surprising due to the weather but we did need to walk cautiously sometimes. The paths looked well maintained and the preserve not crowded at all. During our hour walk we saw two people. There are other things we would like to see during the warmer months. If you are looking for a leisurely nature walk, I would highly...