While the Animals Sleep, DuPage Forest Preserves Come Alive with Winter Activity

As most woodland animals tuck themselves away for their winter hibernation, the forests around DuPage County are anything but sleepy. DuPage Forest Preserve rangers keep busy maintaining the land for a wide variety of outdoor activities, ranging from a very active tubing hill to peaceful ponds for ice fishing.

With the of the season expected this weekend, it's the perfect time to get acquainted with the winter fun going on in the woods and all the preparation that goes into making it happen.

Right around the corner in Darien's , cross-country skiers can follow groomed trails along the 10-mile wooded path that loops around Argonne National Laboratory. Dan Jones, assistant operations manager for the forest preserve district's east division, said his team of rangers whips into action after every snowfall, preparing the trail for skiers.

"We lay down nice, pretty tracks that hikers can walk between," he said.

Waterfall Glen represents just a small portion of the paths available for cross-country skiing in DuPage County. Of the county's 145 miles of forest preserve trails, Jones said rangers groom about 50 miles for skiers.

In addition to grooming the ski trails, rangers in all of the preserves plow parking lots, clear and salt paths to the restrooms, and continue to check for fallen trees and other hazards that could obstruct the trails.

Once there's at least four inches of clear ice, skaters and fishermen can set up shop on most of the forest preserves' lakes and ponds, forest preserve spokeswoman Bonnie Olszewski said. Olszewski noted, however, that rangers don't monitor the ice's thickness, so anyone venturing out should take precautions to ensure the ponds are safe to walk or skate on.

The only off-limits body of water is Bloomingdale's Spring Creek Reservoir because the water level under the ice there fluctuates significantly all winter, which makes the ice shell very fragile.

The forest preserves' waters see a lot of winter action not just from fishermen, but also from rangers helping to keep the fish population safe from predators. Once the ice freezes solid, rangers join with area Eagle Scouts to install fish cribs made out of PVC pipes into each of the lakes and ponds, Jones said.

When the ice melts, the pipes, weighted with flowerpots and the occasional old Christmas tree, sink to the bottom, creating a hiding place for small fish trying to steer clear of bigger guys on the hunt for a snack.

For a more heart-pumping activity, families can head over to the snow tubing hill at Mount Hoy in Warrenville's Blackwell Forest Preserve. After at least three inches of snow falls, the hill opens for business on weekends and snow days.

Though it's a family-friendly pursuit, Jones said tubing's a tougher workout than it appears.

"People have to climb up the hill and most poop out after about the third or fourth try," he said.

But even just going for an afternoon stroll in the woods can become a magical event when it snows, Olszewski said.

"You get a chance to see the frozen crystalline beauty that only happens in wintertime," she said.