Winter 2000

Cross country ski haven for beginners and ski enthusiasts

DuPage County, Illinois

Winter boring? Not with the activities available at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, located in central DuPage County. Herrick Lake offers year-round activities for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, but it really comes into its own in the winter.

When Chicagoland's capricious snowfall finally arrives in sufficient quantity, cross-country skiers have miles of groomed trails available to them when Arrowhead Golf Course becomes Arrowhead Cross Country Skiing Headquarters during the winter.

When the trails of Herrick Lake are combined with those of adjacent Arrowhead Golf Course and contiguous Danada Forest Preserve, the Forest Preserve and Wheaton Park District personnel prepare groomed cross-country ski trails for public use.

The area is well known as a local place for easier, more family and group-oriented outings such as the Moonlight Skis, followed by a chili supper, scheduled for January 15th and February 12th. Call (630) 653-5800 for information on snow conditions, hours, and special events. Hours vary daily not only due to snow conditions, but also to allow some night skiing during the week as well as some weekends.

Herrick Lake is an ideal location for those who have considered cross-country skiing, but never tried the sport. Lessons for beginners of all ages are available on weekends through Arrowhead and skis are available for rent at $7 for children and $9 for adults.

The trails in this area offer a variety of wooded and open vistas while traversing a basically flat terrain that is not too challenging for a beginner but with enough distance to still offer a good outing for more experienced skiers. The curving trails through the gently rolling area make people disappear from view and offer moments of solitude.

When the surface of Herrick Lake becomes safe, ice fisherman and skaters appear. The Forest Preserve District does not maintain the ice or clear the snow, but this does not mean that winter lovers are not present in abundance. The same good fishing that was there all summer is there in the winter and fisherman know it.

Other hardy souls bring shovels to clear the ice for hockey games and the pleasure skaters follow suit. Many of the area's residents learned to skate and play hockey on Herrick Lake's frozen surface.

Visitors even find winter hiking opportunities. The woods provide a break from the wind and the open areas offer the same wonderful views of marshes and fields that take on an entirely new look during winter, especially after a fresh snowfall when deer, raccoons, and other small animals leave their tracks.

No matter what the day's activity, if it should become too much winter, Arrowhead Golf Course's pro shop is an easy stroll from the main Herrick Lake parking lot and offers not only heat, but also a concession stand, restaurant, and bar to salvage — or complete — the day.

— Kandee Haertel