Visitor Center Amenities

The Plum Creek Nature Center offers visitors a place to explore the natural world, with hands-on exhibits in addition to a natural playscape for outdoor educational experiences, featuring a pollinator garden, rain garden, and interactive play elements. The Nature Center also features a bird observation area, including birdhouses fitted with "Spy-On-A-Bird" cameras. View footage from a recent wren family nest on our YouTube Channel.

The Nature Center also offers indoor facility rentals for meetings. Learn more about facility rentals at the Nature Center.

The following permits are available for purchase at the Nature Center:

• Camping Permits
• Dog Park Permits
• Picnic Permits

The Nature Center also offers inner tube rentals for sledding on the 40-foot hill at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve.

The Nature Center features a gift shop, where visitors can purchase honey and nature-related T-shirts, books, and novelties. Free District publications and trail maps are also available.

The Nature Center is open to the public free of charge.

Preserve Amenities

The Plum Creek Nature Center is located at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve and adjacent to the Plum Creek Greenway Trail, which offer the following amenities and activities:

• Biking
• Horseback Riding
• Hiking/Running
• In-line Skating
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Picnicking
• Camping
• Sledding
• Ice Skating
• Geocaching

Download a map of the amenities at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve.

Programs and Events

A variety of fun and educational public programs are hosted at Plum Creek Nature Center throughout the year, including bird hikes and astronomy programs. The Nature Center also features the annual "Goodenow Grove Fall Fest" event in September. View upcoming programs and events.

In addition, the Nature Center offers nature educational opportunities to school groups and youth groups. Learn more about educational programs in the forest preserves.

Photograph Courtesy of Glenn P. Knoblock