Maxwell Park — Attraction in Normal

Update: We still go to this park quite frequent with our now 4 yo and he still finds enjoyments in the playground. We dont have an issue now with the fact that it's not fenced in but something to consider when taking your children there as it is next to a little bit of a busy street there is a gap so it's not directly in front of the street but again to be mentioned especially if you have a runner as we do. Also note the bathrooms are locked there but there is a port a potty. As for busy times we go there is maybe a few kids there nothing crazy maybe like 7 at most I want to say. Otherwise I find it to be pretty peaceful and a nice area.

I really liked this park for our 2 yr old there is alot for him to do. From 2 different playground areas, a merry go round which I haven't seen in forever, swings and lots of area to just run and have fun. There is a nice little picnic area that's covered with bathrooms available. I have to say the only thing I was worried about is how close it is to the street a fence around the area would be nice but other than that it's def a park I can see us taking our LO to over...

Maxwell is part of a kind of campus of parks & rec spaces between Parkside middle school and Normal West high school. There is a nice easy disk golf course (18 hole) with convenient parking and few threats of a lost disk (one basket is backed by a stream, and the hole immediately after that runs adjacent to that stream as well). There is also a walking/running/mountain biking trail in the woods that borders this section of the course. The wooded area has a network of trails through it but the perimeter is probably 3/4 mile at most. These trails have recently been cleaned up from overgrown vegetation and corn that was washed down in the spring storms. To the east there are pavilions with parking, along with water fountains. That's also where tennis and basketball courts, two children's play sets (on wood chips) with swings, slides, tunnels, etc. are located. A big open field on the corner of Gregory and Parkside is large enough for any number of pick up sports. Just north of the Gregory parking lot are horseshoe pits...

Maxwell Park brings back many memories for me since my daughter ran many cross-country meets from middle school through senior year. Nestled in between Parkside Junior High and I-57, Parkside is also adjacent to baseball fields on campus and to baseball fields just north of the park. For those not watching a cross country meet, you can take some time hiking on some of the trails, playing a round of disc golf, playing basketball, on the playground or on the baseball fields. There's something for...