Bechtold Park — Attraction in Sycamore Township

★☆☆☆☆ Popularity ★★☆☆☆ Size/Location ★★★★★ Terrain ★★☆☆☆ Scenery ★★★★☆ Accessibility ★★★★★ Amenities ★★★★☆ Condition ★★★★☆ Safety Date visited: 09/14/2023 A few weeks ago, my meandering explorations in the Kenwood area led me to Bechtold Park. On that tranquil afternoon, the park stood as an oasis of calm amidst the stillness of the community, inviting me to explore its grounds. As I pulled into the park's expansive parking lot, I couldn't help but notice the scarcity of vehicles. It became apparent that this park was a cherished retreat for those seeking solace and respite from the demands of daily life, as a handful of individuals had sought refuge beneath the park's shelter, basking in the shade and tranquility it offered. This park boasted all the hallmarks of a quintessential American park, complete with a plethora of amenities designed to cater to diverse interests. Shelters, thoughtfully placed benches, restrooms, convenient drinking fountains, sport fields, and even a swimming pool were at the disposal of visitors. It was evident that this park was designed with the comfort and enjoyment of the community in mind. Setting off on the paved trail that meandered through the park, I crossed paths with fellow walkers and even encountered a dedicated jogger, all sharing in the serene beauty of the surroundings. What added an unexpected touch of charm to my visit was the sight and sound of a talented guitarist practicing beneath the comforting shade of a tree. Although he was engrossed in his own melodies and not performing for an audience, his presence lent a harmonious and artistic flair to the otherwise quiet park. However, amid this peaceful ambiance, a minor discomfort arose as I noticed a group of teenagers loitering around the parking lot, their intermittent glances in the direction of park-goers creating an uneasiness that lingered. This brief episode prompted me to curtail my leisurely walk earlier than intended. Overall, my visit to this park was a generally pleasant experience, characterized by its peaceful ambiance and well-rounded amenities. I would certainly recommend it, particularly if you find yourself seeking a change of scenery or a new experience. It's worth noting that the park hosts regular events, which may provide an excellent reason to explore its offerings further and perhaps encounter a...

Edit 6/2025: Thank you Sycamore Township for continuing to remove invasive honeysuckle; your efforts are paying off! Saplings are emerging, especially in sunnier areas of the trail. There is still work to go as far as removal of wintercreeper and lesser celandine are concerned. If successful, we'll be rewarded with re-emergence of trout lily (there's a bunch hiding under that wintercreeper, but we never see it bloom) and maybe if we're lucky, the trillium patch in the park will expand.

3 years ago, Bat houses were placed in 3 areas, the walkway was repaved, shelters got new roofs, and 2 new playgrounds were installed. A native plant patch was added later as well with a bee house, it's looking really good this year!

Portapotties were added to a couple areas of the park as well. A new water fountain was added with a pet fountain and a water bottle filling station. Great work Sycamore township! Thank you!

For a little while this year, there was a problem with folks allowing their pets to walk off-leash. I witnessed some people bringing their pets on leash and then removing the leash when there are lots of people and dogs around. Not cool.

It appears to be better now (or maybe it was a temporary thing during the holidays with visitors in town). Hoping that issue doesn't come back. There are maybe 2 off-leash pets I frequently see that are properly trained and don't go near anyone else while they're playing in the field, and those are fine. It's the other ones that are too reactive or have poor recall for off-leash that are...

Omg this is the place where my nephew's team meets for softball practice and for the City to have small children out there for hours at a time knowing that they are out there and don't have any of the restrooms open, NONE! They have these nasty porta potties that are disgusting and you can tell they're never clean and it's disgusting, it is unsanitary and it should just not be like that. People pay good tax money to have clean facilities for their children at parks, not porta-potties. Clean restroom facilities not what I saw, what I saw was outrageous!! I was so angry!😠 Those things are too big for children there was feces everywhere on the walls like who's going to use that? No, this is unacceptable you know that there are children out there at this time of year who use that Park or at least that part for their softball practices, open the freaking...