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Location: Darien, Illinois (DuPage County) A trail map is available on DuPage County Forest With the onset of spring as our horses are shedding their winter coats (and we end up wearing much of it) our thoughts turn to the trails. Waterfall Glen is another beauty in south DuPage County in Darien. This is a perfect spot for an early spring ride when many places often close the trails due to wet conditions. The trailhead at the entrance to Argonne National Labs is easy to reach and is well marked. There are other preserve entrances off of other streets, but the parking will not accommodate horse trailers. I found the trails to be well marked and a nice map is available at the trail head. Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve has a total of 2,689 acres and circles Argonne National Lab; the trail provides a nice long (9.6 mile) ride on a limestone path and the parking is on blacktop. The main trail is an eight-foot-wide crushed-limestone multipurpose trail. In addition, there are many unmarked mowed-grass trails and footpaths that dissect the preserve. This early in the year though, I would stick to the main limestone trail. Be advised, in the summer months this is a busy place with lots of hikers and bikers. But this time of year it won’t be as crowded and you and your horses can enjoy a leisurely ride. The first time I was down there was in the fall after school had started and there were a couple of field trip groups, but all in all it was fairly quiet, especially the further I got from the trail head. For some reason, large groups of walkers/hikers seem to really get my mare’s attention quickly and she passes them with great caution–like she’s never seen people before or what? Who knows what goes through their heads? You can make the loop in either direction–it’s just one big circle. No getting lost down there! There are several street crossings but they are well marked and I found the drivers are apparently used to seeing horses and I found them all to be courteous and respectful as we made our way across. Not much galloping up the grassy hillside here guys, but it is a very pretty ride nonetheless. I was really glad I finally got down there to explore it. The terrain is quite varied; wetlands, waterways, woods, some open prairie. At one point there’s a nice lookout over the Des Plaines River. It’s mostly flat with some rolling hills in the woods, nothing terribly strenuous for a horse that’s been on vacation most of the winter and may not have his legs back yet. You will definitely want to take the side trail that meanders down to the actual waterfall. It’s a pretty place to take a break. May I take this opportunity to remind you all, if your trailer has been sitting quite a bit this winter, please remember to get your tire pressure checked, take a look under those mats at your floor and make sure the brakes are working properly before loading up and taking off on the first warm day! Be safe and happy trails!
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