Beaubien Woods

Families, anglers and nature enthusiasts will all find things to enjoy at Beaubien Woods. Upon entering the preserve, visitors are greeted by a bright red picnic shelter. From here, a dock extends into 19-acre Flatfoot Lake, an artificial lake created when the highway was built, where a family or group of friends can share laughs over an afternoon of fishing.

The shoreline is dotted with trees, shrubs and wetland plants. The lake is stocked with channel catfish and bluegill-sunfish hybrids and is used extensively by fisherman and for outdoor youth programs. The Field Museum and Calumet Stewardship Initiative organize volunteer days for invasive species removal, cleanup and other restoration activities, and each June the Forest Preserves and many partners host a free family nature festival at the site.