News Release
Scenic Overlook at Greene Valley Opens for Season May 7
Great views at highest public ground in DuPage County
Get a bird’s-eye view of DuPage County and the Chicago skyline from 190 feet above the ground at the DuPage Forest Preserve District’s scenic overlook at Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville, which opens on weekends starting May 7.
The overlook will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 30, weather permitting, although Illinois Environmental Protection Agency activities may cause it to close without notice. The access drive is off Greene Road south of 79th Street. Visitors can park at the summit and are encouraged to bring binoculars or spotting scopes for views of far-off vistas and migrating birds. District staff will be on hand to answer questions.
Visitors with valid District permits can launch nonpowered model gliders and sailplanes from a designated area of the overlook; permits are available online 24/7 or through Visitor Services at 630-933-7248 weekdays 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more down-to-earth exploration, hikers and bikers can use the 1.9-mile Hawk Trail, which circles the hill’s base and is open only during the scenic overlook hours.
The District periodically opens the scenic overlook for special viewings of the sunrise, sunset, or a lunar eclipse. Subscribe to the District’s web calendar or follow @dupageforest on Facebook for notices about these occasions.
The overlook rests on top of a closed landfill, which operated from 1974 to 1996. A gas-to-energy plant converts methane from the landfill into energy, which powers thousands of area homes. Revenue from the landfill’s former disposal operations and the gas-to-energy plants — not tax dollars — funded construction of the recreational improvements and continue to fund maintenance of the overlook.
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has been connecting people to nature for more than 100 years. More than 6.2 million people visit its 60 forest preserves, 166 miles of trails, six education centers and scores of programs each year. For information, call 630-933-7200 or visit dupageforest.org, where you can also link to the District’s e-newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages.
Get a bird’s-eye view of DuPage County and the Chicago skyline from 190 feet above the ground at the DuPage Forest Preserve District’s scenic overlook at Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville, which opens on weekends starting May 7.
The overlook will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 30, weather permitting, although Illinois Environmental Protection Agency activities may cause it to close without notice. The access drive is off Greene Road south of 79th Street. Visitors can park at the summit and are encouraged to bring binoculars or spotting scopes for views of far-off vistas and migrating birds. District staff will be on hand to answer questions.
Visitors with valid District permits can launch nonpowered model gliders and sailplanes from a designated area of the overlook; permits are available online 24/7 or through Visitor Services at 630-933-7248 weekdays 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more down-to-earth exploration, hikers and bikers can use the 1.9-mile Hawk Trail, which circles the hill’s base and is open only during the scenic overlook hours.
The District periodically opens the scenic overlook for special viewings of the sunrise, sunset, or a lunar eclipse. Subscribe to the District’s web calendar or follow @dupageforest on Facebook for notices about these occasions.
The overlook rests on top of a closed landfill, which operated from 1974 to 1996. A gas-to-energy plant converts methane from the landfill into energy, which powers thousands of area homes. Revenue from the landfill’s former disposal operations and the gas-to-energy plants — not tax dollars — funded construction of the recreational improvements and continue to fund maintenance of the overlook.
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has been connecting people to nature for more than 100 years. More than 6.2 million people visit its 60 forest preserves, 166 miles of trails, six education centers and scores of programs each year. For information, call 630-933-7200 or visit dupageforest.org, where you can also link to the District’s e-newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages.
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