Weather cancellation: Programs will run as scheduled to be outdoors during seasonal weather, including rain, snow and cold. Please dress accordingly. Programs will not be moved indoors in cases of inclement weather. If the National Weather Service issues a severe weather warning or if your school district or Forest Preserve District designates a snow day, the program will be cancelled. There is no fee for cancelling due to severe weather. We will attempt to reschedule based on availability.

All other cancellations: Payment is due two weeks prior to your scheduled program. No refunds are offered for cancellations or changes in headcount made fewer than two weeks prior to the program date or absent students on the program date. If you need to reschedule, please contact the registration specialist at 630-933-7247 as soon as possible, and we will do our best to accommodate your preferred dates.

Qualifying refunds will be processed within 30 days of the actual cancellation.

The Forest Preserve District accepts school program registrations for the upcoming academic year beginning Aug. 3. To request a program, please complete and submit an online program request form. All reservations must be requested at least three weeks prior to any program date in the academic year, which is Sept. 1 through May 28. Completed registration forms will be booked on a first come, first served basis. Programs book quickly, so we encourage advance registration. Payment is due two weeks prior to your scheduled program. No refunds are offered for cancellations or changes in headcount made fewer than two weeks prior to the program date or absent students on the program date.

If you have questions at any time during the registration process, please call the registration specialist at 630-933-7247 for assistance.  

Yes! We encourage you to have lunch at a forest preserve and to continue the immersive outdoor experience with your students. If you plan to eat lunch onsite and/or require a picnic shelter reservation, please indicate this on your program request form. Picnic shelter reservations are free for school groups that book a program. Our picnic shelters are open-air and outdoors, and we recommend dressing for the weather and packing lunches to accommodate the least amount of waste as possible.

Yes! There are many ways to extend your time here at a DuPage forest preserve.

Following your program, you can lead your group on a self-guided hike. We’ll provide you with trail maps, and you can stay as long as you’d like. (You may also schedule a self-guided discovery at several forest preserves year-round to experience different habitats to enhance your students' learning.

You can do two programs on a single day. We recommend scheduling a morning program followed by lunch and then taking an afternoon program. Many of our programs can be combined in this way, season permitting.

Please ask the registration specialist about additional details and indicate other questions you may have on the program request form.

If you’re interested in extending your time at a forest preserve, our registration specialist will be happy to discuss your options. (Extended programs are dependent on staff and space availability. If you’d like an extended program, please book as early as possible.)

Yes! We want to connect all students in DuPage County to nature, and we offer financial assistance to all schools with Title I designation. The per-pupil cost per program is reduced from $10 to $5 and $5 to $2.50. If you qualify, please include this information when you register.

Additionally, the Forest Preserve is proud to partner with the Friends of Danada to offer an endowed heritage program - Down at the Farm - at Danada Forest Preserve for no cost to schools.

The Forest Preserve District is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every student can participate in a meaningful and rewarding program experience or Preserve visit. To support this commitment, a variety of adapted equipment and inclusive supports are available for your group while participating in a District program or visiting a Preserve. Group program registration forms have a place to indicate support needs. You may also contact the Accessible Recreation Coordinator directly with any accessibility questions, concerns, or accommodation requests at jstubbeman@dupageforest.org.

To help us plan for inclusivity, please communicate accessibility needs when you reserve your program, or at least 72 hours prior to a program or visit, as this will help inform site and activity selection.

For more information or other inquiries, please call our registration specialist at 630-933-7247 for assistance. Our staff will be more than happy to assist and point you in the right direction.