Pratt's Wayne Woods Forest Preserve
Location
Located west of Route 59 on the west side of Powis Road, north of Army Trail Road and south of Stearns Road. To reach the model airplane field and off-leash dog area, follow the special-use area road on the east side of Powis Road across from the main entrance.
Preserve Maps
- Pratt's Wayne Woods Forest Preserve map (963 KB PDF)
- Pratt's Wayne Youth Campground map (193 KB PDF)
- Pratt's Wayne Woods Trail map (555 KB PDF)
Pratt's Wayne Woods Forest Preserve is the largest in DuPage County. Located in the county's northwest corner, the preserve's 3,839 acres combine with Illinois Department of Natural Resources land to the north to form a continuous 4,000-acre stretch, a scarce resource in a growing urban area. The savannas, marshes, meadows and wetlands of Pratt's Wayne Woods offer a myriad of nature-loving opportunities and recreational excursions.
Preserve History
The area now known as Pratt's Wayne Woods first took form in 1965 with a donation of 160 acres by the state of Illinois. Thanks to the efforts of George Pratt, a township supervisor and a preserve commissioner during the 1960s and 1970s, the Forest Preserve District began to purchase additional lands that comprise Pratt's Wayne Woods today.
The first private land owner of this area was Mark Wentworth Fletcher, a surveyor who made his living in Geneva, Dundee, Elgin, St. Charles and Wayne. Fletcher purchased 320 acres from the federal government on February 18, 1846, and built a farmhouse along Dunham Road.
After Fletcher's death in 1900, the land changed ownership a few times before Mark Morton purchased it in 1926. One of the founders of the Morton Salt Company, Morton excavated the farm's southwest corner for sand and gravel. Land that was not used in the mineral operations was farmed for grain and corn up until a few years before Morton's death in 1951.
The land was later purchased by Franz Palm, who transformed the area into a hunting and fishing lodge. The Palm family had originally intended their park to be their retirement place; however, the state of Illinois had other plans. The state purchased the original 320 acres with the intention of creating a state park. Once this idea was abandoned, George Pratt convinced the District to purchase the quarry area for a forest preserve. In 1974, Pratt expanded the preserve by selling his adjacent 250-acre Maple Spring Farm to the District.
Since the early 1900s, the complex of wetlands in Pratt's Wayne Woods' Brewster Creek area have been artificially drained by a system of buried clay pipes. The Forest Preserve District is now removing these drain tiles to restore this vital habitat, which over the years has become home to several threatened and endangered plant and animal species.
Natural History
Pratt's Wayne Woods is located on the outwash plain of the West Chicago Moraine. Made up largely of wetlands, this landscape combines calcium-rich water with wet sandy soil to support unique varieties of plant life more commonly seen near Lake Michigan. The savanna, with its widely spaced black, bur and white oaks, is dotted with spreading dogbane, pale-leaved sunflower and smooth yellow violet wildflowers.
Pratt's Wayne Woods' numerous wetlands provide a lush environment for waterfowl including egrets, great blue herons, wood ducks and state-endangered sandhill cranes. Beavers, coyotes, foxes, white-tailed deer, red-tailed hawks, screech owls and numerous other mammals and birds also inhabit the preserve's wild acres. In the marsh areas of Brewster Creek, Norton Creek and Fern Meadows, explorers can view great Angelica, marsh marigolds, shooting star and dune ladies' tresses among the more common spotted joe-pye weed, wild strawberry, black-eyed Susan and tussock sedge.
Outdoor Recreation
Trails
Hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers and horseback riders can explore more than 8 miles of trails. In addition, close to a mile of the Elgin branch of the Illinois Prairie Path runs through the western portion of the preserve, making this an ideal location to start or conclude a day's outing. Hikers and bikers can park in the lot off Powis Road and take the West Trail west of Pickerel Lake to access the Prairie Path.
Horseback Riding
Horseback riders are welcome to enjoy the many miles of trails available at Pratt's Wayne Woods. Because these are multipurpose trails, riders should restrain their horses when riding around corners to avoid colliding with other trail users. Pratt's Wayne Woods is host to the Wayne-DuPage Hunt Club, which has been riding in the area for more than 100 years and organizes equestrian events at the preserve. Many horse jumps are located throughout the preserve, but these should not be attempted by novice riders. Horseback riding in developed picnic areas and campgrounds is prohibited. Horse trailers must be parked in the gravel parking area off the special-use road across from the main entrance on the east side of Powis Road.
Picnicking
Picnicking opportunities are abundant at Pratt's Wayne Woods and include a picnic area and a 100-person-capacity reservable shelter with a large grill. Ground fires are not allowed, but visitors are welcome to bring their own grills and use the hot-coal disposal containers by the parking lot. Permits for the reservable shelter must be obtained at least three business days in advance; call Visitor Services at (630) 933-7248.
Fishing
Anglers will find Pratt's Wayne Woods' four lakes offer 38 acres of the finest fishing in the county. Pickerel Lake, Catfish Pond, Horsetail Pond and Beaver Slough are all former gravel pits that are stocked periodically with channel catfish and largemouth bass. Bluegill, crappie, flathead catfish and sunfish can also be found in these waters. Anglers can enjoy the limestone shoreline or can take advantage of the two piers on Pickerel Lake. Boating is not allowed on the lakes.
All persons 16 and older (except legally disabled persons) are required to have in their possession a valid Illinois sport fishing license. All anglers must follow District and state regulations.
Special-Use Areas
Model-Airplane Field
Model-airplane owners can fly their crafts in the designated special-use area located on the east side of Powis Road. This oval-shaped field provides an excellent flying area for hobbyists. All model-aircraft flyers are required to have a District permit in their possession when using these areas; call Visitor Services at (630) 933-7248 for more information.
Off-Leash Dog Area
Dogs with Forest Preserve District off-leash dog-area permits can enjoy Pratt's Wayne Woods' 23-acre off-leash area, which is located south of the model-airplane field. Owners must have their dogs' permits in their possession when in the off-leash areas. Call Visitor Services Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at (630) 933-7248 for permit applications and information. Rules for the area are posted at the preserve. Dogs must be leashed in all other sections of the preserve.
Youth-Group Camping
Pratt's Wayne Woods offers two camp sites to organized youth groups. Each site holds up to 25 campers and has a fire ring. Firewood is provided at each area; latrines are located adjacent to the campground, and water is available across the road.
Open year-round, the camping areas are set aside for use by youth groups. Youth groups are defined as recognized, nonprofit organizations. Only members of these groups, with their accompanying leaders, may camp in these areas. Camping permits and adult supervision of one leader over 21 years of age for every 10 children are mandatory for campsite use. For further information and permits, call Visitor Services at (630) 933-7248.
Accessibility
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is committed to making its facilities accessible to all visitors. At Pratt's Wayne Woods, some trails, the model-aircraft field and both fishing piers are barrier-free.
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