Wandering Through Lyman Woods in Downers Grove

Lyman Woods may not be a large preserve, but i think it makes up for it’s size with its interesting wetlands and a unique nature center.

The Nature Center

The building is a great STEAM topic in itself with it’s sod roof that helps to recycle rain water with multiple rain barrels. The “William F. Sherman, Jr. Interpretive Center is a green building exemplifying environmentally friendly building practices and technology.” It also has a hands-on interpretive nature center. There’s a beehive display inside with glass walls allowing you to see the inner workings of a beehive. We had a lot of fun trying to figure out where the queen bee was! The bees access the hive through a tube to the outside.

On the Trail

After exploring the nature center and topping off our water bottles we hiked around the grounds — using most of the trails we hiked 2.5 miles. It’s relatively flat, easy terrain, the challenge might be dealing with some of the marshy areas — easily solved with a nice pair tall, rubber boots. There are several geocaches within the preserve, we found one and had to give up on another. A resident beaver, with a beaver house that is easy to see from the trail.

If you’re in the northern Downers Grove area be sure to stop in for a short hike or just check out the Nature Center !

How to get here: Lyman Woods is located east of Highland Avenue between Good Samaritan Hospital on the south and 31st Street on the north. Parking is available at the William F. Sherman, Jr. Interpretive Center at 901 31st Street. [ Click Here for Map ]

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Here’s our hike on Strava with photos below: