The 15-acre Goodrich Woods in Naperville is an oak woodland bisected by a meandering stream. It features trails and interpretive signs and is near the West Branch DuPage River Regional Trail, which parallels Washington Street. It has two wooden footbridges that cross the stream and a gravel parking lot.
Several regionally rare plants grow at Goodrich Woods, such as yellow trout lily, pagoda dogwood and toad trillium. A variety of birds forage and nest here, too, including state or regionally rare red-headed woodpeckers, yellow-billed cuckoos, broad-winged hawks and wood thrushes. Ecologists have recorded mourning cloak butterflies, ebony jewelwing damselflies and 17-year cicadas among the site's hundreds of invertebrates.
Goodrich Woods is on the south side of Hobson Road between Washington Street and Naper Boulevard.
A 0.5-mile wood-chip loop takes you through 14 acres of woodlands and over two wooden footbridges, which cross the meandering creek that cuts the preserve in half. Remnants of the original homesite are at the trailhead.
In presettlement times, the preserve contained open woodlands with meadows along today's Hobson Road. The Forest Preserve District purchased the main parcel in 1926 and an adjacent parcel in 2015. The Naperville Park District managed the site until 2016.
Natural Scene
Driving Directions
Trails
History
The preserve is open daily from one hour after sunrise until one hour after sunset. Dogs must be on leashes under 10 feet long, and alcohol is prohibited. Read our Rules & Regulations.
3S580 Naperville Road
Wheaton, IL 60189
Visitor Services
Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 630-933-7200
Email: forest@dupageforest.org
Police: 630-933-7240
Email: police@dupageforest.org
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