Meacham Grove Forest Preserve
Location
Located on the west side of Circle Avenue about one-quarter mile north of Lake Street.
Preserve Maps
- Meacham Grove Trail map (290 KB PDF)
Outdoor Recreation
Trails
The 251-acre Meacham Grove Forest Preserve in Bloomingdale features a trail system that crosses diverse habitats. The system can be accessed from the 30-car parking lot located on Circle Avenue. The parking lot area also includes drinking fountains and picnic tables.
A 1.1-mile multipurpose trail loops around the lake and adjacent wetlands. This stretch provides an excellent opportunity to observe great egrets, great blue herons and a variety of swallows and also supports a variety of native wildlife including beavers and dragonflies. From here, trail users can also access a 0.5-mile multipurpose trail that winds through a diverse wetland and woodland.
The trail leads west and crosses Bloomingdale-Roselle Road via a pedestrian bridge. Here, on the west side of Meacham Grove, a 0.6-mile looped path for foot traffic heads north before bending back into the gravel trail on the western portion of the property.
Fishing
Just west of the parking lot is Maple Lake, a 32-acre fishing lake with a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake is stocked with largemouth bass and channel catfish and also offers bluegill and crappie. All anglers 16 and older (except legally disabled persons) are required to have valid Illinois sport fishing licenses in their possession and must follow District and state regulations.
Preserve History
The Potawatomi Indians were the sole inhabitants of the area that is now Bloomingdale until 1830, when European settlers arrived. From the mid-1800s through 1880, Lyman Meacham and his brothers owned 1,200 acres, consisting mainly of woodlands that were essential in the construction of homes and fences. In 1920, the Forest Preserve District acquired 40.59 acres of land that were previously owned by the Meachams and created Bloomingdale Grove Forest Preserve. Parcels were acquired through the 1990s. The preserve was renamed Meacham Grove in 1976.
From the mid-1970s through the 1990s, the District completed many developments, including capping and re-grading an abandoned landfill, draining and enlarging the former-quarry-turned-fishing lake into the current Maple Lake, and creating over two miles of scenic trails. In 1996, the District created an embankment along Spring Brook and a spillway dam for the Maple Lake Reservoir. These structures store floodwaters for the surrounding communities.
Accessibility
For special accessibility needs or concerns, please contact the District's ADA coordinator at (630) 933-7683 or TTY (800) 526-0857 at least three business days in advance of your visit.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5000, Wheaton, IL 60189-5000
email: forest@dupageforest.com (630) 933-7200 Fax: (630) 933-7204 TTY: (800) 526-0857