The Skokie Lagoons are a prime destination for water exploration in northern Cook County. This network of pools, channels and islands winds between Winnetka, Northfield and Glencoe. With public boat access (boasting some of Cook County’s best fishing), biking and hiking trails and picnic areas, this well-loved, wooded preserve offers peaceful retreats and activities around every bend.
The Skokie Lagoons Forest Preserve covers 894 acres. Originally one of the region’s largest and richest marshes, much of the area was drained by settlers for agriculture. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps dug out the current lagoon system, in part to address flooding and increase recreational use. The massive effort was the largest CCC project in the nation.
