Wampum Lake Woods

Wampum Lake Woods is part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County and features accessible picnic shelters, making it a welcoming spot for inclusive outdoor gatherings and recreation. Wampum Lake, located within Wampum Lake Woods, offers nearly 1 mile of shoreline and provides excellent year-round fishing opportunities. The 412-acre site also includes shady picnic groves and large open spaces perfect for games and relaxation.

Thanks to ongoing restoration efforts, Wampum Lake is now also a place to see high-quality natural habitats. The Illinois Nature Preserve Commission recently dedicated 380 acres of the site as Wampum Lake Nature Preserve, a mosaic of sand seep, freshwater marsh, dry-mesic upland forest, wet floodplain forest, and eroding bluff community. Thorn Creek runs through Wampum Lake Woods, beginning at the southwest corner of the site and flowing to the northwest side of the lake.

Within these diverse habitats, Wampum Lake Nature Preserve is home to four plant species currently listed as State-endangered, highlighting the site’s ecological significance.