Plum Creek Nature Center

Location

Plum Creek Nature Center is located at 27064 S. Dutton Road, north of Goodenow Road, in Crete Township near Beecher.

Phone

708-946-2216

Hours

Visitor center

Wednesday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday: Closed

Preserve

8 a.m.-Sunset

Before you go

Check for any preserve or trail closures on our alerts page. 

News you can use

Work to repair the Plum Creek Greenway Trail bridge at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve in Crete Township has been completed and the trail section has reopened. The bridge was damaged when a large tree fell on it. 

Read more

Visitor center amenities

The Plum Creek Nature Center offers visitors a place to explore the natural world, with hands-on exhibits and interactive play elements. Offerings and amenities include:

PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE ON THIS VISITOR CENTER'S INTERACTIVE MAP


SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The following permits are available for purchase at the nature center:

  • Camping permits
  • Dog park permits
  • Picnic permits

The nature center is open to the public free of charge.

Group outings

While groups of 25 or more are welcome and encouraged to visit the nature center and preserve facilities, they are required to get a special use permit in advance to avoid crowding or scheduling conflicts. Please contact the nature center at 708-946-2216 for more information. 

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
  • Cross-country skiing
  • Snowshoeing
  • Picnicking
  • Camping
  • Sledding
  • Ice skating
  • Geocaching