Cricket Creek

Revised forest preserve hours: Open one hour after sunrise until sunset

The 208-acre Cricket Creek Forest Preserve in Addison offers fishing, picnic sites and the Forest Preserve District’s only model-boating lake. It features nearly two miles of crushed limestone trails and serves as an important link in the 30-mile Salt Creek Greenway Trail.  

Natural Scene

Cricket Creek contains the county’s first wetland mitigation bank, a restoration site funded by developers to replace previously destroyed wetlands. The habitat attracts a wide variety of native wildlife, including a variety of bird species such as great blue herons and ducks, and various amphibians.

Driving Directions

The main entrance is on the north side of Fullerton Avenue, one block east of Villa Avenue and south of Lake Street (Route 20). To reach the parking lot for the model-boating lake, take Fullerton Avenue to the Route 83 frontage road and go south 0.25 mile. The entrance is on the right.

Trails 

Over 3 miles of trails — including 2.4 miles of the 30-mile Salt Creek Greenway Trail —  wind through the preserve and around the lakes and are ideal for hiking, biking, jogging and cross-country skiing.

Picnicking

Cricket Creek has several picnic tables and grassy areas where you can spread a blanket. Ground fires are not allowed, but you can bring grills. (The preserve has hot-coal containers for charcoal.)

Groups can also reserve a 50-person picnic shelter. Details are on our Picnicking page.

Fishing

You can fish for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish and bluegill at the 9-acre Green Lake, 3-acre Stonewort Pond or 5-acre Riverbend Pond. If people with model boats are using Riverbend Pond, though, please fish at one of the other two lakes.

Anglers 16 or older who are not legally disabled must carry valid Illinois fishing licenses. Lake maps and regulations, including creel limits and minimum lengths, are on our Fishing page.

Boating

You can access Salt Creek via the canoe launch at Cricket Creek. 

Model-Boat Area

If you enjoy model boating, you can use your craft on Riverbend Pond but must have a valid Forest Preserve District permit in your possession.

History

The land was prairie until the late 1930s, when it started to transform into agricultural fields dotted with homes. The Forest Preserve District acquired the first 40 acres in 1974 and made subsequent purchases through 2016, eventually transforming a flood-prone housing development into a beautiful forest preserve.