GREENE VALLEY SCENIC OVERLOOK OPENS MAY 4

See a soaring hawk, launch a model glider, and catch a glimpse of the Chicago skyline from the scenic overlook at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville, which opens for the season May 4 and will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 27.
      The access drive is off Greene Road south of 79th Street. Visitors can drive to and park at the summit, which stands at 190 feet above land surface, the highest public ground in the county. Due to Illinois Environmental Protection Agency maintenance and construction activities, the overlook may close during the season, however, without notice.
      District staff members provide binoculars and a spotting scope to help visitors see far-off vistas and migrating birds. Model-glider and -sailplane enthusiasts with valid District permits can launch their nonpowered crafts from the top as well. (Permits are available through Visitor Services by calling
630-933-7248 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.) For a more “down-to-earth” exploration, hikers and bikers can use the 1.9-mile Hawk Trail, which circles the hill’s base.
homes. Revenues received from the landfill’s former disposal operations and current gas-to-energy plant operation — not tax dollars — funded the construction of the recreational improvements and continue to fund the maintenance of the overlook.
      The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County owns and manages 25,000 acres of prairies, woodlands and wetlands. Each year more than 4 million visitors enjoy 60 forest preserves, 145 miles of trails, five education centers and scores of programs. To get District e-news in your inbox, sign up at dupageforest.org/e-newsletter. For general information, visit dupageforest.org or call 630-933-7200.