Red Gate Woods

Red Gate Woods is part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County and features accessible picnic shelters, offering a welcoming space for inclusive outdoor gatherings in a scenic natural setting.

At 15,000 acres, the Palos Preserves in southwest Cook County are the largest concentration of preserved land in the Forest Preserves. Thanks to more than three decades of habitat restoration, they also hold some of the highest-quality natural areas in the county. These trails connect many popular sites, such as the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Pulaski Woods, Saganashkee Slough, and Maple Lake, which is home to a mountain bike staging area that provides access to almost 40 miles of unpaved trails.