There is so much to do at Whalon Lake Forest Preserve in Naperville, IL. With a paved 2.1 mile path that goes all the way around the lake, you can bike it, hike it or run.

The lake itself has a maximum depth of 100 feet, but averages 15 feet. It’s a great fishing spot, you can bring a boat with a trolling motor, kayak or canoe. They also have rentals available onsite during the summer months.

What you need to know about Whalon Lake

Whalon Lake is located off of Royce Road. You can connect to Royce Road from Route 53 or Washington Street. If you are looking for a scenic drive and are headed here from the North, I recommend driving down Greene Road to Royce Road.
It is open year-round. Hours are 6am - Sunset (April - October) and 8am - Sunset (November - March)
Great place to bike, hike, fish and run
The trail around the lake is 2.1 miles
Kayak rentals are available onsite during the summer
The lake has a maximum depth of 100 feet, average depth is 15 feet
They have nice picnic shelters
Pit-toilets are onsite (no running water)
There is also a fenced Dog Park onsite
Nearby trails connect to the Trout Farm Park, Greene Valley, Knoch Knolls and the DuPage River trails

The paved trail that goes around the lake connects to other nearby trails to other parks, and the neighborhoods. You could easily connect to the Greene Valley trails, the trails along the DuPage River and Knoch Knolls (by bike).

On foot, the 2.1 mile trail around the lake is great, and you can also walk to the trout farm park, that is on the other side of the DuPage River, by bridge, which is what we did today.

The Bridge to Trout Farm Park

It’s a modest walk from the boat launch parking lot to the bridge that goes to the Trout Farm Park. The hike today really brought me back in time, because the last time I was at the trout farm was at least 20 years ago. So much has changed here (but it has mostly grown in since I was here last).

The bridge crosses over the East Branch of the DuPage River. There is a waterfall that leads into the river nearby that you can see (through the leaves) from the trout farm park, or get a nice look from above it at Whalon Lake (but be careful there - it is steep and you really don’t want to fall down that cliff into the river).

Kai was all smiles on this walk. The weather could not have been more perfect today. I really did capture a lot of close-ups at the trout farm park. What is unique about this place is the magic it holds. There are small lakes that you can walk all around it looks like the scene out of a fairytale.

There are memorials all throughout the park. We love to stop and read them all. If you know, you know, this one was awesome to see — what a day to go and a message to receive.

My Dad really enjoyed being here too. He has memories of coming to the Trout Farm as a kid. It was a hike for him to go from Whalon Lake to the Trout Farm so we walked back without him, and then drove around to pick him up here.

We took the nature trail to get back to Whalon Lake. You can also take the paved trail. I liked this trail because it was so sunny and I love to listen to the crickets as they hum and you can hear them hopping from grass stalk — to stalk.