Winter Preparations Begin At Will County Forest Preserves

WILL COUNTY, IL — Colder temperatures are moving into the area, and the Forest Preserve District of Will County is preparing for winter.

Drinking fountains at all preserves will be turned off and winterized starting Oct. 13, and boat launches will close Nov. 1, according to the preserve.

Monee Reservoir Visitor Center will close Nov. 1, which also means pedalboat and row boat rentals and bait sales will end for the season on the same date. Kayak and canoe rentals at Monee Reservoir ended Oct. 1.

Monee Reservoir preserve will remain open.

The lower parking lot at McKinley Woods – Frederick's Grove in Channahon and the access road to Hidden Lakes Trout Farm in Bolingbrook will close on Nov. 1 or during the first snowfall, whichever comes first. Hidden Oaks Nature Center will remain open, the preserve said.

Drinking fountains throughout the preserves will be available again in the spring. The District's boat launches will reopen on April 1.

Boat rentals and bait sales at Monee Reservoir will resume in April as well. And the Frederick's Grove lot and Hidden Lakes will reopen April 1, the preserve said.